How-To: s13 in-dash cupholder mod

[NISXAN]

Ok, here's the write-up I've been promising. I doubt it will be as thorough and complete as it should be on the first draft, but here goes.

What you'll need:Cupholder from mid-90's Altima (I'm not sure which years had it, but every one I've seen from the 92-96 years have it)

Philips screwdriver

Dremel with cutting wheel

Safety glasses (very important when working with a Dremel...)

Water-resistant material

Glue (I used Gorilla Glue...that stuff sticks to anything)

Small clamps and some scrap cardboard

Sharpie

Scissors

Needle and thread

1. I'll skip the part about taking everything out of the dash, as I believe everyone knows how to do that.

2. This is what your Altima cupholder should look like fresh out of the car:



There are 2 problems with using it just the way it is: a. The holes for mounting it in the dash make it sit way too low, and create a gap both above and below the holder.

b. If you have a radio, condensation is going to drip all over it.

3. This is the orientation as it is stock:



And this is the orientation we want:



4. To get there, first we have to flip the actual "insert part" over. The problem with this is that there are 2 tabs that keep the insert from being pulled all of the way out of the dash every time you open it,



and the "base" piece is not symmetrical from top to bottom, as you can see here:



5. What we need to do is make the base symmetrical. Take your Sharpie and trace the outline from the top to the bottom:



6. Next, put on your safety glasses (don't forget....tiny plastic shards in your eye aren't very pleasant). I found it easiest to remove the excess plastic in small stages, as getting the right position with the Dremel can be tough.





You will also have to remove this small tab to allow the "slider" to slide correctly:



Your base should look like this when you're done:





I've put a modded and stock one side-by-side to illustrate the difference:



7. Now that your base is ready, the hard part is over. Put the "slider" part back into the base with the orientation as shown:



Your tabs should line us like this (note the position of the tabs):



8. Cut your fabric to 6.5" x 8.5". The 6.5" side will go into the front lip of the "slider". Put a small bead of Gorilla Glue on the edge and put into place. Cut a couple of small pieces of cardboard to wedge in and keep the fabric in place while the glue dries:



Now you can glue to fabric to the base and attach a couple of small clamps (or potato chip bag clips, as I did) until it dries, which should only be an hour or so:



9. Once the glue is dry, you'll need to tack the fabric to the bar that supports the actual drinks. This is important as it makes the fabric fold up correctly when you close the drink holder. I put a small piece of tape to hold the fabric to the bar, and just tacked it down using regular black thread:





10. Your cupholder is now ready to put back in the dash! This part may take just a bit of trial and error, as you have to get the angle of your radio just right for the console trim to go back on.

Basically, the entire assembly should look like this:



Note the severe angle of the radio versus the cupholder, which is level.

11. Place the entire assembly into the dash. You'll only be able to attach the bottom 2 screws, as you want the assembly to sit as close to vertical as possible.







12. Replace the center console trim and enjoy your tasty beverage! Cheers!





Modified by NISXAN at 6:34 AM 8/24/2008
Modified by NISXAN at 6:35 AM 8/24/2008

[MastaYu]

nice writ up. Cup holder looks good

[MadmikeX3]

Maybe you should try some louis vuitton fabric and be a pimp holder

[1SickSilvia]

I love the idea and it looks good . The only thing I dont like is the material sticking out like that, when closed, looks unfinished somehow.

[BMAR240SX]

Cause its missing a front plate i guess you can say, that would have 2 be custom

[MadmikeX3]

Also Does your Digital Thermo Work? If so how is it?

[NISXAN]

Maybe you should try some louis vuitton fabric and be a pimp holder

L V fabric.... that's a little TOO pimp for me! haha

But you're more than welcome to use any fabric, but just sure it's not prone to mildew

Yes, the DCC works like a charm! Took a bit of work, but it was worth it.

As for the "unfinished" look when it's retracted...I don't know what to tell you on that. It looks pretty good to me in real life, so maybe it's the photo that doesn't translate well. If you wanted to, you could fab some bit of black material (metal, plastic, wood, whatever) and enclose the space behind the fabric to "fill in" the space.

Modified by NISXAN at 6:37 AM 8/24/2008
Modified by NISXAN at 6:41 AM 8/24/2008

[NISXAN]

Cause its missing a front plate i guess you can say, that would have 2 be custom

Which front plate? You've lost me on that one.

Also, in case someone likes it but doesn't want to do the work (or doesn't have access to all the parts), I've already made one for someone else for $20, so let me know if anyone wants me to make one for them as well.

[NISXAN]

Maybe you should try some louis vuitton fabric and be a pimp holder

L V fabric.... that's a little TOO pimp for me! haha

But you're more than welcome to use any fabric, but just sure it's not prone to mildew

[johnsmoothride]

Great post, I'm going to have to give this a try. One recommendation though, rather then using safety glasses readers that wear normal glasses (like myself) might want to consider using a face shield.

I picked up a Uvex Bionic not too long ago and I've fallen in love with it. It's pretty slick looking to so I don't look like such a dork wearing it.

[NISXAN]

Great post, I'm going to have to give this a try. One recommendation though, rather then using safety glasses readers that wear normal glasses (like myself) might want to consider using a face shield.

I picked up a Uvex Bionic not too long ago and I've fallen in love with it. It's pretty slick looking to so I don't look like such a dork wearing it.

Hey, as long as you're using eye protection, I'm all for it! Keep those shards of sharp plastic out of your eyeballs in any fashion you choose!

[Eikon]

Great write-up NISXAN. You really made this article by including such excellent pictures and taking the time to explain things very well. Nice work!

I've submitted this to the article managers to be turned into a how-to article on the big article site on NICO. http://www.240sxtech.com/

As a reward for writing an article or how-to, you get a custom user title. Let me know what you'd like.

[NISXAN]

Great write-up NISXAN. You really made this article by including such excellent pictures and taking the time to explain things very well. Nice work!

I've submitted this to the article managers to be turned into a how-to article on the big article site on NICO. http://www.240sxtech.com/

As a reward for writing an article or how-to, you get a custom user title. Let me know what you'd like.

I am truly honored and would simply like "Nissan Enthusiast"
Modified by NISXAN at 9:18 AM 8/25/2008

[ramal]

Hey thats great man.. You did a good job there. If my car wasn't dead I would ask for one.