Aftermarket Overhead Console
 

This past October I stumbled upon an old overhead console that was made by HOOKER HEADERS back in the late 80's -early 90's. The P.O. had some switches and a couple of digital gauges in it as well as a double din radio at some time. I picked it up without anything in it for $20.00 so I could install it in my '90 Burb. I've got to finish doing the fiberglass repairs on it first beforehand though. I plan to do the stereo install in it as well as a DVD player and install my old 15" computer monitor for the front screen right in the middle of the dash. The monitor has provisions on it for computer hook up, RCA connectors, S-VIDEO as well as a 3.5mm stereo jack input. It also has it's own T.V. TUNER built into it. Not HD but will do for my wants and needs..........For now.
Below are some pics of the console, my stereo and the monitor. Cosoles not fully repaired yet.

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After looking at the ceilings of a few other burb's in wrecking yards, I realized I was going to have to find some way to anchor the console to the ceiling without puncturing the roof since it's only a single skin roof except for the first 7-8 inches from the windshield. I picked up a piece of galvanized sheet metal measuring 53" wide by 36" long and riveted it to the double wall ceiling in front, sides and the second cross rib where the front dome light mounts to.

Re: Aftermarket Overhead Console
 

Wow thats sweet looks like its in good shape too. Defiantly can't wait to see how it turns out. Keep up the good work.

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I think I comment on every thread you start, but that thing is gonna be sweet!!! I know you'll keep us posted, and I cant wait to see it finished. You said you were moving south, where abouts? Not trying to hijack but if your coming my way I would like to check your burban out. Later, and congrats on another unique and very neat idea.

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I had one in my 77 way back in, well, 77!! I loved it. I'd even put a 2 inch BW tv in it. Talk about trendsetting!!

- Dave

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This is gonna be cool! Not everyone has the pleasure of being able to say they have a Hooker in thier truck.

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How's this coming along?

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Slow been a bit chilly up here but I got a little bit of the fiberglassing done last weekend should be able to get more done this weekend (a 3 day one for me) I did just pick up my DVD player for the Burb...Here's what I picked up from ebay.

http://http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Pyle-1-2-DIN-CAR-DVD-CD-MP3-Player-Video-Audio_W0QQitemZ250246522848QQihZ015QQcategoryZ79835QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://static.zoovy.com/img/gooddeals18/-/pldvd115

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Colorado for starters but will end up somewheres from Texas to Arizona. But when I do get ready to make my move I wouldn't mind meeting some members along the way.

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Indiana's not a bad place to live, if you don't mind winter. Since you're in AK I don't think that'll be a problem :lol:

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Thanx for posting that...i saw one of those in phx a few years back at my friends wrecking yard....always wondered if it was custom or a commercial deal....

DW

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Got some more work done on it this weekend. Did a trial fit and got the L-brackets put up. Little more trimming and 'glassing to do before I start cutting my holes for the radio and DVD player as well as the switches for the rear heater/defroster and tailgate glass. Will post some pics of what little progress I've done tonight when I get home from work.

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Well I got my Hat Rack installed and am awaiting payday to run the wiring for the stereo

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Did a test fit tonight again and got some pics of it installed. No wheres near being finished with it yet

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Any updates? I'm thinking about adding something like this to my long list of "to dos".

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Where did you get that 7-8 panel wink mirror? Or is it two 4 panels put together?

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it was originally a 5 panel mirror that I added 2 more panels to from another busted up 5 panel. I just cut off 2 panels from the right side, drilled a hole in the center of the side of it so the existing bolt on the end of the good 5 panel would go through. Then using a little bondo inbetween thetwo pieces I bonded them togetherand smoothed out the back side of it as well. I centered it on the windshield and glued up 2 more mounts to the glass so it now has 3 mounting points on it making it very stable.
Here's a link to some pics of the backside of the mirror for ya. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=288996

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Just waiting on money to get some more wiring supplies before I can continue. Have to extend all the wiring because I want to leave the factory radio connections all intact. Plus I need a new wiring kit for my amp as the one I have now will be too short once I get the stereo overhead.

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Well It's been a few months since I last posted here but I did FINALLY get it mostly completed. I went with a newer stereo than the old SONY WX4500X I had in the dash. Upgraded to a KENWOOD DDX812 double din with a touch screen.
It's got a few bells and whistles built into it like BLUETOOTH, DVD PLAYER with true 5.1 channel surround sound. Rear view camera capability(not using that one though) can add on a Nav system and either XM or SIRIUS SAT Radio and even a T.V. TUNER if I so desire but most likely won't. It has dual zone capability so the back seaters can listen to what they want while the front passengers listen to something else. It even allows me to custom tune the speaker distance-to-ear settings. As for my monitor I changed that as well and got a brand new 15" widescreen bare monitor that has 2 RCA inputs and a VGA computer hook up as well for an onboard computer system to be added later on down the road. It's mounted to the dash for now but next summer it's getting fiberglassed into the dash so it'll look even better like I wanted to do but ran out of time, weather and funds for this year. As to what I'm going to do about the big gaping hole in the dash where the stereo used to live, I'll be putting the switches for the rear heater/defroster and tailgate window into a removable panel with a cubby hole pocket for the remotes for the stereo and monitor. And no I won't be watching video's while driving as the monitor is to be used as my inside rear view mirror.
I've already looked into the State law regarding this and found that it is legal to do it this way up here. Here's a link to the law. ......

http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/g...88Z&session=25

and here is the subsection of the law that allows me to do this....

04 (c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section do not apply to
05 (1) portable cellular telephones or personal data assistants being used
06 for verbal communication or displaying caller identification information;
07 (2) equipment that is displaying only
08 (A) audio equipment information, functions, and controls;
09 (B) vehicle information or controls related to speed, fuel level,
10 battery charge, and other vehicle safety or equipment information;
11 (C) navigation or global positioning;
12 (D) maps;
13 (E) visual information to
14 (i) enhance or supplement the driver's view forward,
15 behind, or to the sides of the motor vehicle for the purpose of
16 maneuvering the vehicle; or
17 (ii) allow the driver to monitor vehicle occupants seated
18 behind the driver;

I'll post some pics of of it all tomorrow night. Gotta charge up the old school digi-cam and find some film for it (3.5" floppy disks)


Oh and my old modified WINK mirror is now collecting frost in the shed. It won't be going back in again

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I like the hat holder, more trick than settin it on the dash.

Post some pics!

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David,
While I was at the junkyard the other day, I found a roof center console in a burb. Really nice piece. Need to return with a drill to drill out the rivets for the support. I was thinking of installing that and then branch off of it from the front with a glass cross console like yours. Later, Tom

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Ok here's the pics I promised. Although bear in mind it's a bit rough on it's finish right now because I got impatient and was running out of time, money and decent weather so i just rattle canned it black and called it good for the season. I will be taking it back down next spring to sand it all down and smooth it all out before it goes back up again.
I've also got to 'glass in the monitor as well since again I ran out of timethis year. But for now it's in, it works and I'm happy.

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This is the rear facing camera I mounted inside the rear window at the top.
And of course the gaping hole where my old Sony double din used to live. Gotta get that panel made up for my switch's to go in there before I button every thing back up.

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I have seen setups where people took a radar detector apart and mounted the receiving end along the top of the window and the rest of the body as part of the overhead console...
As for the radio hole, there are some blanks you can find to fill it in.

otherwise it is looking good there BLE!

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Radio hole looks like a great place for switches and such.

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And that's exactly what I did with my switch's for my back glass, rear heater & rear defroster. Even got a small cubbie hole for my remotes for the monitor and the 1/2 din DVD player. I located another NON A.C. dash bezel that wasn't all busted/cut up like my old one and painted it to match the rest of the interior. The open hole to the far left is going to be filled with a switch for a set of fog lamps in the future.

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nice work i like how you made that.. real creative i would like to have one go down the middle of my blazer top. in the inside kind of like how the tahoe and yukons do they have a over head that reach's from front to mid back or so......look's good man............

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I like it, looks clean..

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Thanks. Although this spring I'm pulling the overhead console back down again to smooth it out and get it looking better than it currently does. I just ran outta time last year + that we had a real crappy summer with wind and rain most of the season and only breaking 70 degrees 3 times from April till September REALLY BITES! LOL

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You can pick up some blocks of Green Florists Styrofoam and shape it upto suit your needs. Wrap it in aluminum foil paint the fiberglass resin on it then layout the matting on it.

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where did you get those white gauge's..................

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Overlays from www.whitegauges.net
I also repainted all my needles too.

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thank's for that info. i'am going to do mine.......did you do all your gauge's? any pic's of the cluster.............

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Here ya go. The last 2 pics show my tilt column without the steering wheel on it and with it installed. I've got a grant anti-theft quick release between the wheel and column and i tell you it makes it SO MUCH easier to work on/under the dash without the steering wheel in the way! I've had the quick release since '93 and it's outlived a '74 cutlass,'74 C10,'81 C20 3+3, an '87 astro and now it lives in my Suburban. That wierd looking thing attached to the steering wheel I've had for 22 years. It's called an "E-Z STEER STEERING WHEEL ASSIST" it sits flush with the face of the wheel and the center of it spins freely. Makes for some really great one handed quick steering control for doing brodies and donuts and qwikky u-turns!!!!

To see the complete story on my cluster check out the link in my signature at the bottom.

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i'am really liking the way your gauge's look BLE. and the quick release wheel, defenently a must. i have never seen a cluster like your's it look's like a factory tach?, is it with the fuel gauge right below it. this is the frist time seeing one like your's......thank's for the picture's my blazer is going to look sweet with a set of those..

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of your accessory gauges the one in lower left corner what type of gauge is that?

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That's an air pressure gauge for an onboard air supply for my horns and to air up tires or an air jack.