Thanks guys.
I really think with all the work I've done on this interior that I'd be way better off having Larry pay me what he owes me and get the interior done elsewhere. The shop doing my seats said they did a similar Nomad interior and it was 400 hours at I think $80 per hour. That's $32K for building and fabbing everything in the car. I've done 80% of the door and side panels, I've done 75% of the console, and all the rear seat, front seat brackets, dash valence, and 25% of the cargo area. I'm guessing there's about half left or 200 hours. That's only $16K and Larry owes me a lot more than that. If he doesn't deliver my foamed seat panels before I leave for TX I'm finished with him. It'll only be 8 weeks until June 1 by then and at the rate he's (not) working it won't be done for many months.
I've been working on the front console outside the car. There's tons of little details like adding PEMs for screws and riveting everything together. I had to make some pieces to simulate the base that's still in the car and won't come back out. It's a lot easier and cleaner to work on the console out of the car.
I'm trying to design the top covers now. I machined a slot under the trim piece below my stereo to capture the panel, then I need to split the panel in front of the shifter to be able to get to my fuse panel and control modules without removing the entire panel with the shifter boot. I formed a 3/16"x1/2" stainess bar on my tube bender so it wouldn't just be a boring straight piece of trim. This is where I plan to split the panel. Access would be by removing 3 screws. I'll do something similar behind the console box.
For the shifter boot design I'm thinking about complementing the door handles, lights, and the A/C vents by making it oval too. The boot is offset to the driver's side because the shifter is offset. The light sensor bezel for the Dakota Digital automatic headlights is oval and it's almost done. It will go on the leather dash near the windshield. Here's the 3D rendering of it.
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I need to have Larry, or whoever is eventually doing the leatherwork, add a little foam to the console lid to make it fit the console a little better. The three hole piece is something Sid laser cut for me many years ago and it's for my window switches and door locks. I'll weld some threaded studs to the plate and epoxy it to the bottom of the cover to attach the switches. That's the way I attached the switches to the valence. The black line is where I think I want a seam stitched to add some detail so it's not so boring...ideas would be welcome. Still not sure what color leather I'm going to use on the console.
By the way, Sid also laser cut the aluminum top plate that holds the lid. Thanks Sid!!!
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