Alright, just like I did with the ebay fmic writeup like 4 years ago, I did something on my car that took enough work that I need to do a writeup to feel like my time was worthwhile, lol.

As you guys may know, the 2005+ wrx/sti had an upgraded cool looking center console. I have an '03 bugeye and wanted that look.

Here's what it looked like finished (I decided to keep the 02-04 hazard button):







Now, this swap isn't exactly straight forward. It is not a straight bolton swap and a few parts from the dealer are needed, but overall it's pretty easy to do. I naively bought a center console off ebay thinking it was bolton, but it isn't really. Mainly:


- The mirrors control has nowhere to go b/c on the 02-04 it went on the center console, but on the 05+ it went on the drivers' side door. So I cut a rectangular hole in the console and stuck it in. Looks pretty OEM except for the sideways 'L' and 'R', lol...



I also had to cut into the bottom piece to clear the bottom of the mirror control unit.



- You can't use the 05+ HVAC controls unless you do a heater core swap, so you have to get an '06 tr / '05 nonturbo Saabaru radio bezel. You also need 05+ radio brackets



- You have to buy, and modify the rear center console support bracket by cutting off part of the part tab




- the 05+ ebrake and rear console bracket have a third attachment point on the left side of the transmission tunnel that the 02-04 chassis does not have. As a result you leave it unbolted and the ebrake leans a little to the left. You can shim it underneath and/or manually bend the ebrake to the right.



- Lastly, you need to swap the ebrake cable from the '02-'04 into the new one. Reason is because the '05+ ebrake cable is too long, and even pulling the thing all the way up the ebrake will not engage. To swap the ebrake cables, use a pair pliers to bend the tab holding the cable in place and just pull it out (you'll see what I mean if you're holding the ebrake assembly)



These threads helped me piece together the parts needed:
http://www.scoobymods.com/03_05_wrx_...tml?amp;t=6673
http://www.iwsti.com/forums/gd-inter...-write-up.html
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...center+console
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...e+ebrake+cable

 

good job & nice writeup

 

nice job

 

now you're missing a clock

 

yeah, I am, and I was thinking of taking out my Wideband and putting a clock in. I swapped out the clock for the OEM triple gauge cluster for my boost, egt, and wideband O2 since A-pillar gauge pods look a bit ricey in my opinion...

 

very clean, you can't tell anything was done unless you know what the interiors look like stock.

 

+1 good stuff, I would've thought it was 05+ if not for your cluster/seats

 

haha that's slick!!

 

now paint it black, it makes it look 10x better

 

Nice job!

 

was all this for the extra cup holder?

 

yes.

 

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/how-inst...-progress.html

i painted mine black



it will look nice with that black hazard button

 

Very nice write up. would you like to have it moved to our HOW TO section?

 

02-04 has the cup holder near the vent, so there really isnt another cup holder, just relocated