datteber@davesworld.net wrote:
: I believe what he's asking, and I've been wondering myself, also,
: is there an aftermarket company making these. Making quality
: ones like OEM, not cheap plastic and fabric.
I've seen pics of aftermarket consoles out there, but never in
person so I don't know about the quality.
: Or, what'd be more likely affordable: what vehicles came with these that
: I can scrounge the salvage yard for... Dakotas/Durangos, obviously,
: but also Caravans? Intrepids?
All of the above, and more. :-) You name it, just about every
late model Mopar built has been offered with an overhead console.
(Yes, there are exceptions, that's why I said "just about") :-)
There are a few things to be aware of:
Fit - Unless you get a console designed for the same vehicle as
yours, expect to make some modifications to the console
and/or vehicle to mount it.
Finish - Similar to fit, expect to make some mods to actually
make it look right (might require trimming, paint,
replacing the fabric, etc.)
Function - This depends on what type of console you want to use,
and what features it has. Many consoles provide not
much more than a couple of lights and maybe a sunglasses
holder. (Some don't even have lights.) Obviously, these
are easy to wire up - at most, you need a power and a
ground (and the ground you can probably get right from
the the roof itself.) Add in a compass and thermometer,
and it becomes more tricky - the compass is internal but
you need to know how the thermometer gets its signal.
Older vehicles used a dedicated temp sensor which was
usually mounted just behind the grille. However, most
(maybe all) of the late model vehicles have reverted to
getting the temp signal from the PCM. The type with
the separate temp sensor shouldn't be too bad; you just
need to make sure you get the sensor with the console,
or purchase one separately, and make sure you wire it
up correctly. If the signal comes from the computer,
you need to know more about how that happens to determine
wether you can make it work in your vehicle. Taking things
a bit further in complexity, you can have functions like
the trip computer, gas mileage, etc. Once you get to that
stage, the only real connection to the console is a
data transfer line to transmit digital signals between
the console and the computer. At this level, you probably
need a console designed for your specific vehicle.
I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee console which I am planning to install
in my '70 Barracuda. It has a compass and temp display (with a dedicated
temp sensor). I haven't actually done the install yet, but have done
some research on the subject and have run across a speed bump or two
on the way, hopefully the above info will make your journey a bit more
smooth. :-) Basically, my recommendation would be to either find a
console designed for your exact vehicle, or if you plan to go the homebrew
route, I wouldn't go any more complex than a console with the temp and
compass, but only if it uses a dedicated temp sensor, and doesn't get
the temp signal from the computer.
I hope that helps!
--
-Jon-
.-- Jon Steiger ---- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com --.
| 1970 Barracuda - 1990 Dakota 'vert - 1992 Ram 4x4 - 1996 Dakota |
| 1996 Intruder 1400 - 1996 Kolb FireFly - 2001 Ram QC 3500 CTD |
`------------------------------------ http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
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