Build Ammo can center console: 75 series Troopy

[woytovich]

My Troopy came without a center console of any kind, and no armrest on the seat (I assume this is pretty common)... and I wanted both.

Queue the Tuffy console. I've been happy with them in my 60 and 40 and the 6" wide version looked like it would fit... and it ALMOST worked. Between the pad position on the box, the box width and the parking brake lever it really wouldn't work comfortably. I thought about moving the box back and adding a pad to the front part around the lock but... nah. So I returned the Tuffy and embarked on a project to fab up something from an ammo can I had here.

 

[woytovich]

The ammo can was for an M224 Mortar. It needed to be cut to reduce height.
I measured based on my seat position, where my elbow would fall and the reach from there to the shifter and the steering wheel. I figured if I was going to make this it might as well be fit to me specifically. (Please excuse the crap welding job - I was too lazy to reload the welder with thinner wire)

 

[woytovich]

I built a mount for the can out of angle I had here. I matched holes in the mount to the can and drilled holes in the can. It is bolted to the seat belt mount bolts via a couple of angled standoffs at the rear and will be attached either to the front seat mount bolts or through the "hump" that runs across between the seats. I'll be mounting cup holders in front of the ammo box as well.
The holes along the angle will allow me to easily fine tune the front to back position of the box if needed - just unbolt, slide up or back and re-bolt.

 

[woytovich]

I got a piece of wood cut to size for the top of the can, added some foam and wrapped it in black vinyl. It's attached to the can lid with some wood screws up from the inside. I cleaned up the crap welds with some JB Weld and painted the can. I'll line the inside with vinyl (I think) to keep stuff from rattling around too much inside.

Overall pretty easy and functional. Spend the time to measure, measure, measure.

 

[jmylie]

Can't wait to see this in person. Will it be ready for CMCC?

 

[woytovich]

Can't wait to see this in person. Will it be ready for CMCC?

Yup... Not sure if the Troopy or the 40 will be there though.

 

[liven the life]

That's pretty cool. I found a similar functionality for a couple of ammo cans for my old Triumph. And the big bonus was that a case of beer fit almost perfectly in those suckers.

 

[PhillipJFrye]

Now that's super cool, a pleasure to see. I'll be getting a new passenger seat soon and will have that same gap opening up in my troopy. No ammo cans here, but i have beer kegs... pony keg center console? I may need to call Mr. T and the A-Team to fab something up...

 

[colby1979]

Awesome solution, I'm glad you tested the 6in tuffy console as I had considered ordering one to see if I could make it work.

 

[woytovich]

Now that's super cool, a pleasure to see. I'll be getting a new passenger seat soon and will have that same gap opening up in my troopy. No ammo cans here, but i have beer kegs... pony keg center console? I may need to call Mr. T and the A-Team to fab something up..

I can send you an ammo can.

 

[colby1979]

I can send you an ammo can.

Awesome! I've got probably 50+ 30cal, 50cal and 20mm cans but there all full of semi precious metals I did audition a 30cal can but it was too short, I thought about putting a "lift kit" on it but it would have looked awkward at best, never considered splicing two together.... PM incoming

 

[coldtaco]

There are guys on here that have made the Tuffy work, it did require some fab work to make room for the parking brake handle

 

[woytovich]

There are guys on here that have made the Tuffy work, it did require some fab work to make room for the parking brake handle

I'd love to see what they did.

 

[woytovich]

Found this

 

[bon secour]

I got a piece of wood cut to size for the top of the can, added some foam and wrapped it in black vinyl. It's attached to the can lid with some wood screws up from the inside. I cleaned up the crap welds with some JB Weld and painted the can. I'll line the inside with vinyl (I think) to keep stuff from rattling around too much inside.

Overall pretty easy and functional. Spend the time to measure, measure, measure.

View attachment 3280388View attachment 3280389View attachment 3280390

Thank you for sharing. This is a great idea.

 

[NYIronPig]

My Troopy came without a center console of any kind, and no armrest on the seat (I assume this is pretty common)... and I wanted both.

Queue the Tuffy console. I've been happy with them in my 60 and 40 and the 6" wide version looked like it would fit... and it ALMOST worked. Between the pad position on the box, the box width and the parking brake lever it really wouldn't work comfortably. I thought about moving the box back and adding a pad to the front part around the lock but... nah. So I returned the Tuffy and embarked on a project to fab up something from an ammo can I had here.

View attachment 3280371View attachment 3280372

So the parking brake would not work with the Tuffy Box? Working on a HZJ75 firetruck project and want a center console between the bucket seats.

 

[coldtaco]

So the parking brake would not work with the Tuffy Box? Working on a HZJ75 firetruck project and want a center console between the bucket seats.

I would think it would work if you modified it to fit the rhd parking brake handle.

 

[woytovich]

The tuffy console that I had would not allow me to pull up the left hand drive parking brake without smashing my knuckles into the console. Technically you could pull it up but not in the way you would want to.

 

[coldtaco]

Modefication is required unless you have room to mount it back far enough to clear the parking brake lever. I haven’t done this personally but I would have to cut/modify in my application