Centre console

As a stand alone item the centre console is a masterpiece of design and functionality. It hugs the transmission tunnel and so facilitates the installation of more comfortable seats. We built the centre console whilst having a working eye on the MG TF seats. We then built an MG TF to Z3 subframe to allow for tall drivers, we built in all of the seat trim components, we added back rake adjustment, the seats move backward and forward and we even implemented a solution to accommodate a head rest or to hide the head rest holes. We’re also working on a wind break which will slot into the seat headrest holes. That’s enough about the seats, let’s get back to the centre console.

You will have noticed that the Z3 handbrake has gone. We have a solution to relocate the handbrake to the floor as on many cars of this period. Where the handbrake was is now a wonderful arm rest / glove box with a lid which can be raised to keep your travel sweets and phone in, even a phone charger.

The centre arm rest and glovebox consists of three separate pieces of fibreglass

• The top
• A liner for the underside of the top
• A tray for the inside of the console glovebox

The metalwork, structural and decorative, is included along with a video guide to show how to put it all together and what to bear in mind as you do so. The console itself fixes to the Z3 body at the front and rear. As with the dashboard you will benefit from being (or learning to become) a competent installer. Some bits of fibreglass may need to be touched up with body filler. Some parts need to be trimmed, to have mounting holes cut in it, to be patched up where you screwed up, to remove excess material where the hinges go and to get the fibreglass in to shape to accommodate and ultimately fix into place the metalwork which makes sure that your installation works as well as it was designed to work.

The leatherwork on the console and arm rest are probably best sent off to the upholsterer and this is one of those areas where the build of the centre console has to look ahead to what the upholsterer will expect.