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Old 03-13-2019, 10:25 PM   #168 (permalink)
mpg_numbers_guy
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: VA
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Toby - '13 Toyota Prius C
Team Toyota
90 day: 63.99 mpg (US)

Daz - '15 Mazda 3 iTouring w/ Tech Package
Team Mazda
90 day: 38.2 mpg (US)
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Inspired by a post in Insight Central by mjspiess, I got a 6th gen Civic center console at the junkyard and retrofitted it to the Insight. The Insight had come with some tacky wooden armrest with a soft leather top from the PO, but I wanted something that looked a bit more OEM-ish.

Used a jigsaw and sanded the end to match the contours of the Insight's front center console area, and cut out notches in the back for the rear to sit.




Replaced the hard armrest lid with the leather armrest off of the wooden armrest contraption. Just used the clip-thing from the stock armrest lid and screwed it on, and then made a custom hinge, part from the lid and part from another hinge, for the leather armrest lid. Leather is cracked, so I'll refabric it this summer, but it's much more comfortable than the Civic armrest and extends further as well.

2 screws in the back into the stock housings, and 2 screws in the front, and we have this:



It's gray, not beige, but it looks decent, I'd say. Didn't want to risk making it look tacky by trying to paint match the color.

It is a little wider than the stock piece, but it fits okay, as seen from the top:



Also installed some LED headlights from ALLA Lighting. Quite impressed with the cutoff and beam pattern; they illuminate much better and project further than stock (stock were crap anyway..). Since I cleaned my headlights as well, they do not blind oncoming traffic in any way. Cutoff probably isn't as clean as projectors, but I'm pleased. Cost $59.99 from Amazon; link is in my garage entry. Feel a bit safer now going around those corners on that windy road on my way to college and back that usually has enough traffic where I can't use high beams, and headlight visibility wasn't great.

Thanks to my dad for helping me get this stuff done.
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2013 Toyota Prius C 2 (my car)


2015 Mazda 3 iTouring Hatchback w/ Tech Package (wife's car)

Last edited by mpg_numbers_guy; 03-13-2019 at 10:43 PM..
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