Tuffy Security Console
"Bob" came with a pretty junky after-market center console from Steel Horse Automotive (long since defunct). It was eight inches wide and fairly long, but all soft and squishy - which means completely insecure. Indeed, the hinged top wouldn't even lock the whole thing was so deformable. So, time for something more secure and useful.
Enter the only real solution other than making my own (I'm not a good metal fabricator - yet): a Tuffy center console. Steel, more secure, room for a console-mounted CB radio, etc. Ordered from Quadratec, it arrived within a few days.
Assembly of the various parts (cup-holder, support bracket for the bottom, seat-belt straps, etc.) was simple. Took about twenty minutes. Placement between the front seats took a bit of playing simply to find the best location. I determined that the suggested location for the support bracket, designed to align flush with the back of the console where it sits down in the low point of the body tub before the step up to the back-half of the tub behind the front seats, I decided that location led to the console being too far forward if I wished to use the cup-holders. They would be in the way of the shifter. And I didn't want the cup-holders mounted in the back (also an option with the console) because the kids often riding in the back seat would be constantly kicking the holder. Instead moved the bracket forward a bit so the back of the console is actually sitting on the raised bed of the tub in the back - basically bridging the low point behind the tranny hump. Doing this meant I couldn't use the two long bolts that came with the console, they'd simply extend too far beneath the body tub. So I substituted a couple stainless bolts from the hardware store.
Marking and drilling the three mounting holes took seconds and then placement of the console with the bolts through the floor of the body tub went smoothly. Of course, having my nine year old daughter help by holding the bolts while I tightened the nuts from below was both a blessing and a curse - talk about impatience! But this only took a few minutes as well and things were finished.
At some point I'll install a nicer stereo than the old AM/FM/Cassette unit installed by a previous owner. Meanwhile the secure stereo space within the console will be unused.