Build A Better Glovebox?

In looking at the cardboard (barely) glovebox that I assume is a dealer replacement from sometime in the past (it has a Renault sticker on it) I'm thinking if I carefully remove the staples, I will have a decent flat pattern with which to make a sheet metal version of the same. Has anyone here done so? Any reason it won't work?

 

These are a bit spendy, but they sure are nice. Glovebox goes all the way back to the firewall and holds an unbelievable amount of crap.
https://www.morris4x4center.com/rugged-ridge-miscellaneous-parts-82.html

 

Look at this one. Right now I have one of the plastic boxes in mine which is okay, but not very big. Been thinking about one of these.

https://jeep1942.com/?page_id=8418

 

I plan on making a full depth glove box 18 or 20ga with a partition to also house the TBI computer. I'll line it with my hopes and dreams and gas receipts.

27.50 ain't bad depending on additional shipping

 

wow the price has gone up
yep I've had one for years

 

Problem I see is there doesn’t appear to have the slot for the hinge mechanism.

 

Past discussion on this site included successfully adapting an ammo box, IIRC.

 

I made one for my 64 Jeep out of aluminum flashing, it is not hard, you can make it square and pop rivet it together and it will work. I made it go all the way to the fire wall and made a bracket to hold it off the fire wall. It holds a lot of stuff and keeps it dry.

 

I built one out of galvanized sheet metal. It also doubles and a radio mount.

 

Nice. Someone on here said they found the rubber bumpers at ACE Hardwear.

 

That is probably the same one A.E. Miller used to make. I think it is Quality Craft now. Seem to recall they used to be $25-30.

On my 3B, I just boxed in that entire space between the dash, firewall and out to the cowl side. Steel floor and removable aluminum panel towards the center (so I can still get to the heater controls). It works really well, especially in a Jeep that had no glove box. I have the same rubber ribbed mat in the glove box as I used for the floor mats. A McMaster-Carr item. I have one of the A.E. Miller versions in the 5.

 

The M38A1 glove box is sheet metal. It goes all the way to the firewall and all the way to the side and top of the cowl. Put another way, it has no top and no outboard side. That's what I did to replace the rotted out box for mine. I put a tool tray liner inside it to quiet things down

 

I got the plastic one from Carl Walck (Walck's) He has the rubber bumpers for the glovebox door too.

 

Take your original cardboard one, fill it with spray foam insulation, cut the cardboard off and use the foam for a form and fiberglass over it. Then you can remove the foam and viola, fiberglass glovebox.. Never done it, but it sounds good in theory.

 

Thats what i did. Sometimes i pick up off cuts from construction people. I think I might have used gutter material maybe a bit thicker than flashing. And used tool box lining material tucked in before screwing it in so it doesnt slide around

 

Kydex like they make holsters and knife scabbards from would be an excellent material for a glove box.

 

I have two using a cheap ice cube bin from wally world total cost for two five bucks.

 

I retired from the blow molding industry, mainly plastic containers like Tide or antifreeze bottles/containers. It's surprising how little it costs to blow mold something like this glove box for the plastic, probably less than $0.50 for the raw plastic. Although there's not a LOT of call for the parts and that helps drive up the price, but that's just plain ridiculous.

I will need one for my CJ-5 as well and will probably make a template of the opening and just look for a bottle that's about that size in cross section. 2-gallon hydraulic oil bottle is very close in cross section, as an example. Do some looking around and I believe you can find something that's just the right size.

Good luck!

Happy Thanksgiving all...

Dan