This is the ashtray in a Felicia (not mine, photo by Google)

and since i don't smoke inside the car and strictly forbid the passengers to smoke (even the rear door ashtrays are sealed) i had in the past the thought to use it for other purpose.

This is how it look inside when you pull it out.

In the beginning i attached a parallelogram-shaped gauge (in-out temperature, voltage) and you can see how the central console was modified back then.

I wasn't completely happy but those days i didn't had the money and the time to do something more but after few years i have changed the console design and modified the astray completely.

I will show you the whole project step by step.

After made the marks i start to drill-cut-using rasp etc.

For buttons i put this style although

i don't like them so much.

The middle part cause me a lot of effort but i remove it.

The cut may look rough and ugly but keep in mind that the gauges and the switches have a ''rim'' outside that will cover everything.

The two gauges are installed

and i have changed the switches with a pair in square shape.

Is this the final stage? No... 😉

Not to my taste by a long way but interesting.

Those photos are old, about 13-14 years ago.

When i decide to change the centra console for 2nd time then the 1st project cancelled.

So i bought another used ashtray, i marked-drilled and made round holes for the switches which this time would have round shape and a led light when they were in ON position.

Unfortunately due to an USB crash i have lost some of my pictures and among them were those with the procedure so i have to show only the final results.

Things didn't went 100% right, i could made the holes 1 mm lower so the ashtray (as a drawer) could go full back and fit perfect but now it's very difficult to do it.

Here is how it looks since 2021:

In low light and dark:

All far, far too congested and annoying lights to me but you seem to have got everything in and working so a good result for you.

Those small led lights are ON only for a while, few seconds only.

The amber for a set of extra warning light (while parking), the green for the rear camera (ON while the car is in reverse) and the blue for those extra bulbs on the front lights

(that \ / shape small beam that i have discribed in the past for very dark one way roads) which are ON only for 2-3 minutes.

At daylight all of them are in OFF mode.