Cupholders for 90-93 Q45

[goody90q45]

While my 90Q is up on jack stands waiting for the correct rear strut bushings to arrive I thought I would tackle what I consider to be the most serious flaw in the design of the 90-93 Q's..... no cupholders. I can understand the mistake with the chain guides, and the weak sunroof switch, and even the bad trannys, but how did the Infiniti design engineers forget the most essential of conveniences- cupholders for the morning commute?

I've had a few pieces of good quality redwood burl stored in my garage for the past 30+ years (left over from my hippie days roaming the Mendocino coast trying to find myself) and had another brainstorm (they're rare nowadays) that put a couple of them to good use.

I started with two pieces of burl, both about 1000-2000 years old BTW, one almost black in color but very dense and difficult to cut, and another larger piece with the normal reddish color and very desirable birdseye woodgrain pattern. I cut them to size on my table saw and took them to the carpenter shop at work to drill a 2 3/4" hole and finish sand on a commercial table belt sander. After 5 or 6 coats of verathane (sp?) I got some scrap 1/8" thick lead sheets (from the x-ray shop at work) and bonded them with clear RTV adhesive (out of date from the assembly area at work) to the bottom of the two thinner pieces. The darker piece was heavy enough to stand on its own without extra weight. Finished them off by gluing a piece of tool box drawer liner to the lead so it wouldn't slide around in the center console.

The picture doesn't do them justice but the birdseye pattern in the burl pieces is very nice. I've been up to the Humboldt redwoods recently and there's very little birdseye burl available any more. All the hippies made coffee tables out of the best, largest pieces and clocks out of the smaller pieces.

Installed in the Q. I like the looks of the darker piece also and may use it instead. To me it looks better with the black interior. This one, with the lead glued to the bottom, weighs about 2.5 lbs and is plenty to keep a medium-sized cup, can or bottle from tipping over. They're all sealed in verathane and can be rinsed off under the tap when they get dirty.

You don't need to use redwood burl and lead sheeting to make a cupholder. The same can be accomplished with a short piece of 4 X 6, hole saw and a sander.

[oldmako]

That looks great!

Nice work, you "poseur".

(One of the frequent posters referred to those who wanted cup holders in their cars as "only poseurs and Soccer moms")

[elwesso]

looks classy! Good work, hippie...

[maxnix]

Bah! Get a minivan and a surfboard and go find your inner driver again!
Modified by maxnix at 9:36 AM 5/19/2008

[Haitian_King]

While my 90Q is up on jack stands waiting for the correct rear strut bushings to arrive I thought I would tackle what I consider to be the most serious flaw in the design of the 90-93 Q's..... no cupholders. I can understand the mistake with the chain guides, and the weak sunroof switch, and even the bad trannys, but how did the Infiniti design engineers forget the most essential of conveniences- cupholders for the morning commute?

I've had a few pieces of good quality redwood burl stored in my garage for the past 30+ years (left over from my hippie days roaming the Mendocino coast trying to find myself) and had another brainstorm (they're rare nowadays) that put a couple of them to good use.

I started with two pieces of burl, both about 1000-2000 years old BTW, one almost black in color but very dense and difficult to cut, and another larger piece with the normal reddish color and very desirable birdseye woodgrain pattern. I cut them to size on my table saw and took them to the carpenter shop at work to drill a 2 3/4" hole and finish sand on a commercial table belt sander. After 5 or 6 coats of verathane (sp?) I got some scrap 1/8" thick lead sheets (from the x-ray shop at work) and bonded them with clear RTV adhesive (out of date from the assembly area at work) to the bottom of the two thinner pieces. The darker piece was heavy enough to stand on its own without extra weight. Finished them off by gluing a piece of tool box drawer liner to the lead so it wouldn't slide around in the center console.

The picture doesn't do them justice but the birdseye pattern in the burl pieces is very nice. I've been up to the Humboldt redwoods recently and there's very little birdseye burl available any more. All the hippies made coffee tables out of the best, largest pieces and clocks out of the smaller pieces.

Installed in the Q. I like the looks of the darker piece also and may use it instead. To me it looks better with the black interior. This one, with the lead glued to the bottom, weighs about 2.5 lbs and is plenty to keep a medium-sized cup, can or bottle from tipping over. They're all sealed in verathane and can be rinsed off under the tap when they get dirty.

You don't need to use redwood burl and lead sheeting to make a cupholder. The same can be accomplished with a short piece of 4 X 6, hole saw and a sander.

That sir, is very classy. How many can say that their car contains aged wood? I mean seriously aged, like a millennium or two. That is WILD!

I'd like to see a VIP enthusiast top that.

[Q45tech]

The problem with cupholders IS that under the arm rest tray and rear of shifter is the air bag computer which is not protected from spills.

We replace this computer frequently for owners spilling liquids on 94 and later the seat belt pretensior fail and explode requiring their replacement also.

So if you install or drink liquids in a 90-96 be prepared for $1500- $2800 in repairs if you or someone makes a mistake.

We have seen a few where installers drill thru and into air bag computer with spectacular results.

[bullittandy]

The problem with cupholders IS that under the arm rest tray and rear of shifter is the air bag computer which is not protected from spills.

We replace this computer frequently for owners spilling liquids on 94 and later the seat belt pretensior fail and explode requiring their replacement also.

So if you install or drink liquids in a 90-96 be prepared for $1500- $2800 in repairs if you or someone makes a mistake.

We have seen a few where installers drill thru and into air bag computer with spectacular results.

I've discovered a similar problem with my kitchen knives. When I don't pay attention and handle them carelessly they cut me. I'm going to get rid of them.

I've also had problems crashing my car lately because sometimes I won't pay attention and just pull out into traffic-causing an accident. I'm going to get rid of my car as well.

Don't even get me started on my firearms.



I think they look nice and would look even better with the edges rounded and the shape formed to match some nearby console shape/form.

Looks like a fun project-well done.

[qship96]

stupid is as stupid does

[SynisterQ]

Wow, beautiful Goody. Your center console is totally different from mine, so I can't do that. You should possibly make two drink holes, looks like you have enough room.

[goody90q45]

......So if you install or drink liquids in a 90-96 be prepared for $1500- $2800 in repairs if you or someone makes a mistake.

I'm not going to let that happen to me. Got a safety issue >>> Install a sign >>> Problem solved!



The way I look at it something is better than nothing. I know when it's 105 degrees on my drive home from work I'll be looking for a place to store my water bottle. With the lead sheet on the bottom and the dense burl wood it will take about 6 g's to tip it over. I should be good to go.

Thanks all for the comps and suggestions. I'm not too creative and tend to look at everything as squares, boxes and straight lines but I am looking at the few other pieces I have to find a section with some nice "curves" to it that would flow with the car better.

[elwesso]

You can trust goody, he's been a safety engineer for many years... Also, he installed the sign so you dont have to worry about a lawsuit!!

Thanks all for the comps and suggestions. I'm not too creative and tend to look at everything as squares, boxes and straight lines but I am looking at the few other pieces I have to find a section with some nice "curves" to it that would flow with the car better.

Agreed. Why would you make a curve when you could have a nice 90* angle. makes it a hell of a lot easier to calculate the normal force on the cup so that you can design it to not tip over during hard cornering or when your elbow knocks it over!!

[ddrumman]

Looks really cool. I followed GQJay's lead on this one.



I'm happy with it.