Overhead console

[vangremlin]

Has anyone ever thought of putting an overhead console in their Eagle?  I went to the junkyard today, and since they didn't have any Eagles, I started thinking about what else I might be able to use.  I pulled an overhead console out of a Grand Cherokee and surprisingly it would fit pretty well.  There is a screw in the front,  and there is a hole in the Eagle ceiling (where the middle of the trim pieces go) that will work perfectly.  I would just need to trim the post where the screw fits through on the console so it fits snug to the ceiling.  I would have to fab a new bracket in the middle to hold it up, along with cutting a hole in the headliner for the tab in the back to fit through.  I will need to replace the headliner soon anyway.  The console currently has tan fabric, which I could have recovered to match the headliner

The console has the trip computer, sunglasses holder, garage door opener, and airplane type lights for the front and back seats.  I really like those kind of lights.  The sunglasses holder and garage door opener would be used for something else, and I'm trying to figure out what I could install in place of the trip computer, which came out very easily.  I found a digital tach, or what else might go in there???  Anybody have any ideas?

Here are some pictures as I held it in place.

[DaemonForce]

Has anyone ever thought of putting an overhead console in their Eagle?

Every day that I drive it. The Eagle is an old car that I use mainly for rock solid transportation.

It's time to make it a bit modern.

[Gil-SX4]

Hey vangremlin looks like the console all so has the keyless entry.

[vangremlin]

Hey vangremlin looks like the console all so has the keyless entry.

Is that what the little dome is for?  I didn't know, I was thinking of just putting a little red LED light in there that would be on when you turned on the headlights to provide some ambiance 

[Gil-SX4]

Yup that's what that dome is. If you get a light that blinks it could look like a Disco Ball.

[rohnk]

Nice auto dimming mirror also. Maybe you could put in a small LCD screen in the overhead.

[El Matador]

A few years ago I pulled two of these consoles out of Cherokees, with plans to one day install them in Eagles.  That just hasn't happened yet, and probably never will at the rate I'm going.

Did you get the wiring for them as well, or at least a good length of it?

[vangremlin]

Nice auto dimming mirror also. Maybe you could put in a small LCD screen in the overhead.

Thanks!  I double checked the receipt - the mirror was only $7.50.  So I ended up with a pretty neat option for a small investment, a little bit of wire, and some of my time.

I was thinking of an LCD screen, that would be pretty sweet.

[vangremlin]

Did you get the wiring for them as well, or at least a good length of it?

I did get a good length of the wire, but not sure where it needs to go, other than being able to figure out the lights.  The trip computer relies on a computer, which is suprisingly absent from my Eagle!

Yup that's what that dome is. If you get a light that blinks it could look like a Disco Ball.

I might just go for that Disco Ball effect     

[shanebo]

some Explorers and other small suv's and mini vans had some prett cool over head consoles...im thinking I would like one too now...that really looks sharp...is that mirror off the jeep as well?

[83Eagle!]

I thought about an overhead console like that before.  I actually looked at one from a Wrangler that would go toward the rear of the Car.  It had lights and 2 speakers.  I figured the wiring was beyond me though.  After installing the DVD player that my Father-in-Law bought for the Caravan, which broke a few months later I am always going to be hesitant to install something that requires cutting into a headliner board. 

I am still looking for a done light that will work in the spot where the upholstery guy for some odd reason cut a slit in my headliner over the rear cargo area.  Have not found anything that doesn't look out of place yet.  Not seen anything in the local 'yards with a nutmeg interior in a long time. 

I would love to have a rearview mirror with the map lights like my Saturn has.  I find that to be a very useful option.

[vangremlin]

I'm still working on my overhead console concept.  I took the first one I bought to my upholstery guy, and picked up another one today so I can figure out how to mount it.  It is actually going be pretty easy.  i got it temporarily mounted today, with the original screw up front, and two screws into the original Eagle overhead light area.  I'll have to modify things a little for a more permanent way of mounting but it shouldn't be hard, and I won't have to cut the headliner and can remove the console without a trace of it ever being there.  Here are some pictures.  I'm going to trim the front a bit so it fits better, right now it bumps up against the windshield trim and so there is about a 1/4" gap near the front.  I'm going to have the tan fabric replaced to match the headliner color.

[n9xvt]

how about a digi clock? jc witney and others sell nice small digi clocks that would fit nice

[shanebo]

I was poking around on the net for some more info on these overhead consoles and by the looks of it the computer that controls it is just a little thing that attaches to the back side of the unit....so there may be hope for getting the compass and temp guage going. I found a few of the computers on an auction sight for pretty cheap.

[vangremlin]

I was poking around on the net for some more info on these overhead consoles and by the looks of it the computer that controls it is just a little thing that attaches to the back side of the unit....so there may be hope for getting the compass and temp guage going. I found a few of the computers on an auction sight for pretty cheap.

Thanks Shane.  Let me know if you find a wiring diagram on these things.  I'm not sure where things like the temperature sensor would be on the Jeep, and the wires that would need to run to it.  The computer unit itself sticks up above the top of the console, so unless I were able to do some selective trimming I won't be able to leave that in unless I cut into the headliner, which I don't want to do.  WHat I would like to do is put an LED bar tachometer in that spot.  Here is a picture of the display, I'm hoping I can get somebody to build the circuit for me.  I've also included some pictures of the console installed with the lights on.