Building an ammocan center console

[Wintermute]

Well, I need a place in my truck to store things...and I figure I'd make it locking since I don't have door locks

I'm using a 1500rnd 7.62 ammo can. I welded one of the latches in place so that it only opens from one side. In order to get it to open with one latch welded in place, the lip which sticks out and up the side of the lid a bit on that side needs to be cut off. The lock I'm using is a keyed hasp lock (Lowes HomeDepot). Use just the lock portion and use the hasp itself to scribe the opening for the lock to come through on the ammocan latch. I just ground the opening out using a 1/4" die grinder and a carbide burr, but there are a million different ways to cut the opening.

This won't actually be installed in the truck until I'm done making the brackets for my new seats and installing them.

Here's the pics:











--Wintermute

[brute4c]

Clever...nice!

[tngreenmachine]

Very cool. Do you still have the battery box in the cab? Just curious where you were going to mount it.

[randyscycle]

Definitely cool!

Nice thing is too, that if the top is off and it rains, your gear will be weather tight. If you wanted to add a radio, that'd be a good place to put it too.

[Wintermute]

Very cool. Do you still have the battery box in the cab? Just curious where you were going to mount it.

nope, no battery box. The Idaho Dept. of Land put a two person seat in the passenger side which extends across where the battery case went. The batteries are mounted behind each seat. I'll keep the same arrangement for where they're mounted, however, after I put the new seats in the batteries are going to be mounted in the Noco aluminum battery boxes that I got for them.

--Wintermute

[M725baja]

That's pretty much like mine, but I welded another can piece on for a map holder 'cause I had room. (no battery box in the M725). Put a hinge on the back. Original can detached on both ends. I've since upholstered the top along with the rest of the interior with military camo goretex material.

[Wintermute]

Nice work. I saved myself a bit of fab by just welding the back latch to the can and cutting that lip off instead of putting a hinge in place. I'll have to see how much room I have in between my seats after they're in, but I'll probably put cup holders and maybe something else on each side for additional storage.

--Wintermute

[tngreenmachine]

[QUOTE=M725baja;180713]That's pretty much like mine, but I welded another can piece on for a map holder 'cause I had room. (no battery box in the M725). Put a hinge on the back. Original can detached on both ends. I've since upholstered the top along with the rest of the interior with military camo goretex material.


Not meaning to highjack but do you have any shots of your floor? Looks like vinyl and I am thinking about going that route to cut down on the noise a little. Just curious as to what you used and how you like it.

And I like that console too.

[M725baja]

GreenMachine- I used 'fatmat', a budget version of dynamat, (available on ebay by that name) but appears to be identical. On top of that I used a 1/2" foil backed carpet pad stuff, with an 1/8" one piece textured rubber mat on top of that- use a heat gun to soften it so it conforms to the various shapes in the floor pan. Here's a shot of the ammo can mount that shows the rubber. I have a BBC motor with mufflers right beneath the seats so this combination works well for me.