View Full Version : MkIV Tranny Tunnel Cup Holder Location
gbranham
10-04-2025, 02:21 PM
Maybe this will help some MkIV builders. I agonized over where to locate the cup holder holes; I was worried I'd hit the 3/4" cross bracing on the trans tunnel. I'm using 2.5" cup holders.
Have a great weekend!
Greg
219745
Rebostar
10-04-2025, 03:38 PM
Looks great Greg.
I wanted the mid shift point so I had to relocate the diagonal brace, which required the "staggered" cup holders. Also 2.5 inches. I painted them Summit Carbon Fiber Metalic to match some of the other painted details in the cockpit.
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egchewy79
10-04-2025, 04:02 PM
I made a cardboard template and traced the location of the diagonal brace on the underside w/ a marker, then decided where to put the cupholders.
cv2065
10-04-2025, 04:06 PM
Nice work Greg! I think I lucked out on the way mine ended up as I have the mid-shifter from Forte, had enough room for my cup holders and didn't have to cut the center tube for shifting clearance.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/239a0216-6f9e-4cc9-a0be-2ec53fb3e15d/e8736b7a-75cc-44a9-b965-6ea1e5689a78.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://hosting.photobucket.com/239a0216-6f9e-4cc9-a0be-2ec53fb3e15d/e8736b7a-75cc-44a9-b965-6ea1e5689a78.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)
gbranham
10-04-2025, 04:29 PM
I made a cardboard template and traced the location of the diagonal brace on the underside w/ a marker, then decided where to put the cupholders.
That's the foresight I wish I had when building mine. I didn't even think about this until my car was essentially complete, so I couldn't access a piece of cardboard from below, to mark it. I guess I should've marked the trans cover from below like every other aluminum panel, huh? Duh.
Greg
This is a good thread because I spent WAY too much time thinking about cup holders. Between the mid-shift location and the switches under the middle of the dash, I had a hard time figuring out where to place them. I ended up with a different approach. The rear cupholder is small and likely won't be used for much more than ear buds and other small things (but useful nonetheless). My wife pointed out that the large one should fit her obnoxiously large Stanley cup, or whatever it's called.
219887
219888
john42
10-07-2025, 04:54 PM
I prefer these:
https://watsons-streetworks.com/product/swing-out-cupholder/
Hide under the dash when not in use. Also doesn't interfere with shifting.
nashuanuke
10-08-2025, 06:20 AM
I just went up underneath and traced the bracers with a sharpie219904219904
dbo_texas
10-08-2025, 12:22 PM
I did as others, and marked the cross braces from below with a sharpie. Need to do this before transmission goes in. From here, it was easy to layout the cupholders. Also need to measure the depth after the transmission goes in to make sure your cupholder will fit.
Markings:
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200590&d=1718038074
And here's the final location:
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=200591&d=1718038074
phileas_fogg
10-08-2025, 06:06 PM
... Also need to measure the depth after the transmission goes in to make sure your cupholder will fit. ...
Super important detail right here. I tried five different sets of cup holders until I found Goldilocks, and one of the sets rejected was too deep (but otherwise perfect)!
John
jklapp
10-09-2025, 01:33 PM
I added cupholders after my tranny was installed. To to this, I taped a piece of posterboard flush with the front top of the tunnel, and first ran a pencil down the sides. I then lightly pressed on the top of the posterboard to find the crossmembers and then used a pencil like I was taking a gravestone rubbing to locate them on top. Finally, I used a straightedge and a razor blade to cut the poster board. BTW - poster board is $0.99 a sheet at the Dollar Store (go figure?). (It is 5X the cost at Office Depot and Staples.)
Cupholders are from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0097MF4DU 4 for $22. I now have two backups... The right cupholder just touches the TKX tranny so I might have to 3D print a black ring spacer to lift up a hair. I have a 427w with the TKX mid shift - didn't have cut any cross members...just fits...verily.
219944
Mike.Bray
10-09-2025, 02:05 PM
I added my cupholders almost a year after the car was complete. When I pulled the tranny cover off I could see where the frame members were so I just sketched them with a straight edge and a Sharpie to figure where to drill the holes. Easy peasey and didn't have to get under the car.
219947
When I did mine, I had zero interest in crawling under the car to mark the cover, so I transferred the trans tunnel layout to a piece of paper and then used that to mark the cover. Took all of 10 minutes, and very precise.
219948
Claybuster
10-10-2025, 11:35 AM
What are you guys using to keep the cupholders in place? Would it be a "friction" hold or gravity, or is there some kind of retaining ring on the underside of the tunnel cover? I'm sure there are 9 ways to skin that cat.
Jason
gbranham
10-10-2025, 12:54 PM
Mine simply press in, and its a tight fit.
Mike.Bray
10-10-2025, 01:26 PM
What are you guys using to keep the cupholders in place? Would it be a "friction" hold or gravity, or is there some kind of retaining ring on the underside of the tunnel cover? I'm sure there are 9 ways to skin that cat.
Jason
I pushed them through the holes and then wrapped a layer of ThermoTec around them. Keeps them from coming out and insulates at the same time.
219977
I pushed them through the holes and then wrapped a layer of ThermoTec around them. Keeps them from coming out and insulates at the same time.
That's a good idea. I pulled a thin strand of rope caulk under the lip and that worked for a while, but one of them started lifting out again at highway speeds on occasion. I've been thinking on how to secure them without making it permanent. I like the thermotec idea.
MavTeam
11-05-2025, 09:53 PM
A little off topic but where did you get that trim ring for the shifter?
Nice work Greg! I think I lucked out on the way mine ended up as I have the mid-shifter from Forte, had enough room for my cup holders and didn't have to cut the center tube for shifting clearance.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/239a0216-6f9e-4cc9-a0be-2ec53fb3e15d/e8736b7a-75cc-44a9-b965-6ea1e5689a78.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds (https://hosting.photobucket.com/239a0216-6f9e-4cc9-a0be-2ec53fb3e15d/e8736b7a-75cc-44a9-b965-6ea1e5689a78.jpg?width=960&height=720&fit=bounds)