Center Console Mod

[DivebombInc]

I'm looking to remove the center console from my 98 Disco and relocate the window and seat controls. Has anyone done this?

[hilltoppersx]

relocate them to where? why do you need to do this?

[DivebombInc]

Well, do we really "need" to do anything to our LR's? It's not a need, it's a want.
I just want to remove the console and have nothing but the shifter there. Thinking of something else to put there, but haven't really decided.

[Danny Lee 97 Disco]

It is funny to me that you happened to post this today. Way back when I first got my 97 Discovery one of the first things I fixed was the Frozen CDL Shifter which required complete removal of the center console.

The job drug out a while like things I do always tend to do, I got the CDL working great but never really got around to putting the center console back in. During the initial repair, I even cross sectioned the massive one piece console intending to make it a two piece. This never happened as the things was slightly brittle and the little clips are a PIA.

I removed the carpets and padding to discover some rust issues I wanted to deal with and the window switches and seat controls were just sort of flopping around near the shifter between the seats, occasionally getting damaged, even though I did an awesome duct tape spiral overwrap to help keep thgem together.

During the passing time period, while cleaning out my garage I found an old wooden Cutty Sark Scotch case from the 1940's or so that my wife's grandfather had used along with some apple and peach crates for storage . The whiskey case was in outstanding condition with all the lettering clearly visible and a pretty patina from age.

I ended up cleaning the Cutty Sark case up, mounting the lid from the original console over the front half of the case with the lid rotated so that it opens away from the driver, hinged toward the passenger. I had beefed up the case using some wooden molding left over from paneling my living room.

I put a partion in the center of the crate, used a end piece from one of the apple crates dated 1927 as a hinged lid opening forward from the back seat and had all my grandkids autograph that lid, then poly urethaned the entire crate to preserve the lettering and highlight the beautiful wood grain.

I slotted the front of the crate to allow it to slightly overlap the rear of the parking brake mechanism. On the bottom of the crate, I mounted a metal panel that I had salvaged from one of the electronic items that I had recently disassembled for scrap materials that I sell for supplemental income to support my Rover Addiction. This mounting panel was pop-riveted to the black metal mounting frame that originally held the console to the vehicle itself.

The wiring for the window andd seat controls was routed thru the back of the cutout behind the parking brake boot and currently is laying inside the front half of the Cutty Sark case under the original padded console lid.

I had sectioned the original console, so I salvaged enough of each side where the seat controls originally mounted. I have fixed the inside pf that front section such that I can mount the seat controls in there, one of the front wall, the other on the rear wall.

I may use a hole saw to mount the window switches thru the sides of the case with the switch mounted on the side that it controls, both front and rear on each side. Or I may decide to leave them inside the box, but that would require raising the lid to adjust the windows so mounting them thru the appropriate side appeals more to me.

I just got around to mounting this whiskey case to the vehicle today, bolted right where the original console sat.

I have also seen a thread on here where an enthusiatic son made a custon wooden console for his father's Discovery, but he was well versed in woodworking. I, on the other hand, just used whatever I had on hand and my vivid imagination and exotic work background and created a truly one of a kind center console.

It even says " By Order of HRM the Queen" on one side and has all the original Cutty Sark lettering and "PENNSLYVANIA TAXES PAID" clearly visible.

You won't believe what I plan to mount in the rear where I gutted all the factory interior panels.

[Danny Lee 97 Disco]

I started the CDL repair in Dec 2007, I installed that whiskey case today, almost four years later. WOW.

My camera is not working so pics will have to wait.

I came across a really nice outdoor grill that someone was discarding, I sold the aluminum body and most of the unit to the metals recycler I deal with, but it had a really nice stainless steel insulated sink/cooler unit that I kept to mount on the passenger side rear corner to use as a self-draining cooler. It has a plumbing drain that I plan to vent out the floor of the vehicle with a sliding stainless steel door under the sink, concealing the drain pipe and providing a small storage area in that corner.

I cut the frame of the grill apart and kept the center portion of it that held a large stainless steel storage drawer. The frame is black square steel tubing that will bolt to the floor of the Discovery, it has the roller/slide mechanism intact for the drawer to mount. The drawer will make a nice tool box just inside the rear door in the cargo bay center area with a top surface mounted on it as well.

On the driver's side, I had already mounted a 50 caliber ammo box to hold the jack with my 4 way lug wrench clamped to the side wall behind the ammo box. I now plan to mount an additional flat surface just under the side window with a sliding stainless steel door concealing the ammo box, matching the other side and providing additional storage.

We will see how long that takes to finish up. I think it will be a nice addition for tailgating, camping and just plain fun. The best part of it all was the price, I actually got paid for the materials I sold the recycler. Ain't life great.