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modified cup holder

7K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  damo320 
#1 ·
Ok, so for quite some time now I have been trying to think of what to do with the useless cup holder that resides in the dash, I mean seriousley is there a worse spot to put a beer :). But seriousley, this year I decided to add a few upgrades to the car and required some additional switches to run them. Challenge #1 where to put the switches, and how do I make it so it can go back to factory at the drop of a hat, this proves to be very challenging. Challng to come through enge #2 like always tis to make it look like it belongs. Any way after pondering this for quite some time I started working on creating a plaster copy of the original piece. From their I made a clay copy of the original using the plaster mold, I shaped it as required. I then made plaster mold #2. After fine tuning mold #2 I made my fiberglass copy. I added many layers of fiberglass to strengthen. After having finished the fiberglassing ang trimming of the mold I had to locate where the mounting screws were going to come through, they had to lign up just right. I am using the factory screw holes that are behind the cup holder holding the dash. I used clay balls and mashed them in to where the screws go and proceded to squish the fiberglass copy over the clay balls. This along with marker indents I made on the back of the fiberglass mold helped me realign them after removal and was able to use the screw hole imprints in the clay to perfectly align the screw holes. After that it was pretty easy, I figured out where I needed the holes for the switches and then I covered the piece with black leather. I am really happy with how this piece turned out, I would not have done anything differently. As you can tall there are no switches installed yet, but they arrive tomorrow so I got done just in time. Any way Have a look and please give me some feed back. Thanks
 

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#4 ·
Looks like some very nice workmanship!
I was wondering though if it might have been easier to start with a "new" cupholder from a junkyard and work from there? You could have pulled the stock unit and replaced it with yours at the drop of a hat.
 
#8 ·
The thing is, I never wrecked the original piece. I can put it back in at any time I want. The reason I decided to use a modified piece is because I wanted to produce a flat section in order to mount the switches nicley, I will post some new pics this weekend when I get it all together.
 
#10 ·
The reason fro the switches was for some upgrades I decided to install on the car. The first switch will be for the Laser Jammer ( blinder M20 ) & Radar detector ( Escort 9500IX ). The second switch will be a Brake Light defeat switch, turn on the switch brake lights dont come on. A intermiten pizo buzzer does however start chirping to let you know you are in a limited state till you turn the lights back on, safety first :). The third switch will be used to opperate the Licence Plate cover from Trickplate.com it blacks out your plate so as to avoid photo radar ect. The forth switch will enable/ disable the modified door lock pins I made that house flashing LED's, in case I choose to go low profile in a parking lot.
 
#12 ·
Why would you want to turn off your brakelights? As a victim of a rear-ending, I want them as bright and conspicuous as possible.
...unless the stealth mode is for some nefarious activity :eek:
 
#15 ·
Ok, so thanks to everyone who have replyed to my post. Here is the finished product, I think it turned out better then I thought it would :thumbsup:. I used Vandal switches with ring lit leds. I decided to go with 4 different colors to help identify each one and its purpose. Oh and yea, the brake light defeat switch is so it does not appear that i am braking either from behind or from the front at night, that is just a dead give away that I may have been siightly breaking the law :D. Just as a note I hooked up the led's to the dash lights so they can be dimmed along with the dash for a low light situation. Let me know what you guys think of this mod.
 
#18 ·
honeslty i have to give it to you! that has to be the craziest thing i have ever seen someone do with a mercedes, now be honest, are you planning on being a getaway driver for some bank robbers or are you just one of thouse kids that wears night vision goggles and does 140MPH with all the lights off!

but on a more serious note, very creative...


I agree with the trick plate and the rear lights, now for the scanner and jammer, IDK why you would need to turn them on/off?

If i was you I would wire the Led's on the doors to blink only when the car is off and locked, this way you dont have to have them always blinking... but i see why you have that switch
 
#19 ·
Actually I do have the led's hooked up just as you described, the switch is to be used as a bypass so I can shut them off, never know when you might not want to be noticed.
As for the Jammer switch, I have to have the ability to shut down the jammer when I am getting targeted. However I get to choose when I let them get the read :) If you dont shut it down then they will know that they are being jammed and well you can imagine that they will want to stop you and harrass you. If you let them get the read when you are finally doing the speed limit then chanses are you will get to drive on by :)
 
#27 ·
+1

Brake lights are there to warn other road users you are slowing to give them a chance to not smash into the back of you, what if you forget to switch them back on or the mod fails and causes your lights to be off when you dont want them to be and someone rear-ends you? I just hope no one gets hurt!!! And it wouldnt take much for the police and insurance company to figure out what the switch did and refuse to pay out I think.

And it makes no difference that the OP is in a different part of the world to those who think its a dumb idea...it still makes it a dumb idea.

Otherwise the dashboard mod looks interesting, but please reconsider the brake lights.
 
#21 ·
WOW, that is pretty harsh to say to someone you have never met :eek: . Anyway it will serve its purrpose.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Using a jamming device and attempting to conceal your car's identity are merely ways of trying to avoid being caught speeding.

But turning off your brake lights hazards other road users.

That's why it's a dumb idea - and I don't need to have met you to know that. I would seriously recommend that you find some other application for that pushbutton.

Still, I'm sure that the law enforcement agencies in your city won't have too much difficulty searching their databases for a Magma Red 2002 SLK230 - and the non-standard wheels will make it even easier for them......
 
#24 ·
Law enforcement agencies don't keep databases like that as often as the TV shows make it seem. They can run plates, but its not that easy to run a car that you dont know what make or model it is.

I wont lie... i think this is totally cool, because.... there is many times i am cruisin on the highways in excess of the speed limit with lights blacked out, and i do it... because I personally enjoy doin it.

You can't honestly tell me and other members here that just because he turns his brake lights off its going to instantly become a hazard. TRUST ME, the amount of moronic drivers is the real hazard. One person with no brake lights isn't comparable to the amount of incapable drivers on the roads today
 
#25 ·
LMAO, you guys both have a valid point, I myself like to drive around butt naked at night speeding with the top down and all lights off, hoping to get pulled over! but then again, thats just me...

There is a phrase i've see often on this site, its one i now use alot... "To each his own"

I think you should all take that in and cut the BS, oppnions are nice, its what makes this site work, but aruging here dosnt bennifit anyone!

One of you is in canada, the other in the UK, i dont think you will ever be driving and get hit by one another because your taillights are off! so why argue...
 
#26 ·
sorry m8 your wrong there.

Once you say " what do you think " you invite people to comment, So you have to take the ruff and the smooth.
 
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