home made wooden center consoles

[ProStreet83C10]

hey guys, im debating on trying my hand at drawing out and making my own center console for my pickup to incorporate possibly a few gauges, a ratchet shifter and a couple cup holders. May add 6x9 speakers into the side of the console as well if i have room to do so. My questions are as follows.....

• Whats the best type of wood to use for this, since it WILL be getting upholstered
• Is there any certain type of wood to use if id like to try and incorporate some bends into the piece versus straight lines and angles
• Does anyone have any tips on making a wooden center console so it looks like a professionally built or bought piece
• Whats the best way to go about making cup holders, is there any type of a "liner" i can buy/make so their a fully enclosed piece or will it come down to just screwing say a 1x4 about 3" down from the hole for the bottom part of the cup holder
• Whats anything think about possibly adding some LED lights inside the console so it glows from the inside out at night.

Like i said thats only a few questions to get me started, im not the best carpenter/wood worker but in my head im not thinking this will be too bad of a thing to create. All i need is 2 sides and a top, possibly some way of mounting to the floor (hate to screw it into the floor though) but im thinking itll take up the entire center trans hump of the truck so movement SHOULDNT be a prob. Depending on how wide its make or how many areas i can get away with correct looking flat spots i may add up to about 5 gauges in it. Im going to try and incorporate a B&M Pro Ratchet shifter INTO the top of the unit, rather than using the aluminum case that it comes with. Again, no idea how that shifter mounts to begin with, but id almost assume its a flat piece at the bottom and just a metal frame with linkage etc. Lots to try and figure out here



Also, if anyone has made their own wooden center console please post up pics so i have an idea what i can build and how itll look in the end.

Thanks Guys!