Center console removal - Advice?

[69_Dream]

;help On a 69, should the center console be a complete hell to remove?

Reason I'm asking is after spending a better part of the day attempting everything to remove the shift console and the upper section where the radio sits and the remainder of the gauges, all I have now is a car with a disassembled console... not much else.

One of the vent levers wasn't working, and the Heater control unit was crooked and funny looking. I decided to open it up and correct the problems... bad idea. I even thought, maybe I can fix those pesky fiber optics under there Nope.

Is it normal that with the shift console everything else comes with it? Not sure if I'm explining myself correctly. It's as if you lift the console and everything comes with it. I was hoping that the shift console would be one piece, would lift off nicely (kind of like the parking brake console). Again, since I'm pretty sure I'm not being clear, if you need pictures of anything, let me know.

On my old 78 it seems it was a lot easier than this. I started picturing evil GM engineers laughing at me :bash

Can anyone recommend anything that could possibly make my life easier as I keep playing with this, and tips for reassembly? They say you learn through experience, I'm hoping someone's past experience can help me a little. I'd appreciate any insight, advice, and/or tip you guys could hand me.

Thanks a bunch.

Sly

 

[Stingray6974]

Hi Sly,
Does your car have factory air conditioning?

Mike

 

[69_Dream]

No air, just the astro ventilation.

Sly

 

[pws69]

I found that you can save yourself a LOT of grief by starting at the back (i.e. take the screw out from inside the rear compartment) and take things off one at a time back to front.

It will come out a whole lot easier and FAR fewer scratches!

 

[69_Dream]

Grief is one way to describe it

The problem is the person who had this car before me did a hell of a job on the console. The screws for the main faceplate are missing, replaced with this black gunk, sealed down tight. Everything else under there is either glued down or duct taped! :eek

I know the best thing to do would be to just scrap the whole thing and get some new proper parts and rebuild it, like new. Funds are my limiting factor. I just wonder the amount of good I can accomplish with what's there.

Sly

 

[Mike Carter]

There are four small screws at each corner holding in the shift plate, normally, the guage console is held in by the top/side screws and two nuts accessible by removing the front side covers or the shift console. Anything else and someone has set you up for failure.

Mike

 

[SwaveDave]

Sly,

You should get ahold of the 1969 Corvette Assembly Book. It shows very detailed exploded views of the console and other areas . Ive never removed the guage bezel , but i have removed everything on down when i ran some insulation over the tunnel. I didnt have a hard time taking off the console on my 1970...i think its real important to be in a good frame of mind when you do it and move slowly. I dont remember everything inside coming out with the console cover , but, it was 6 years ago and i cant remember for sure.Get the Assembly Book on your car. Its a valueable thing for yourself, and the next guy you sell the car to.

Dave

 

[mmmalins]

Hi Sly,
I definately feel your pain. I had some mice make a home under my console while in storage. I had to pull the insulation and replace it. Since I was doing that I ordered the heater control re-face kit and started pulling the console. Every time I though I was getting close some new evil trick from the GM engineers surfaced. Like you can pull the vent wires off the control knobs but there are brackets bolted onto the console that you have to unscrew to free it. The left bracket is, or course, behind the heater vacuum connection assembly so that needs to be removed to get at the bolt. The list goes on and on. I finally have it off but I'll definately have to get to Church this Sunday. I'm hoping it goes together easier!

 

[6880 Mike]

...On a 69, should the center console be a complete hell to remove?...

No. But it's a three beer job sippin' slow.

...Is it normal that with the shift console everything else comes with it?...

No. The console trim plate and lighter/ashtray assembly will lift off as a unit. Everything else should remain in the console. The console itself will not come out until the trim screws and all the various gizmos attached to it are removed. You will also find two studs from the center gauge cluster at the front of the conosle. Expect a bit of a mess.

...Can anyone recommend anything that could possibly make my life easier...

The assembly instruction manual (AIM) and the GM Chassis and Service manual.

 

[White75]

Having gone through this mess this year (that's my vette in 6880 Mike's post) I can tell you that it's a pain in the ass. the key is to start from the back (there's a bolt that you have to remove via the rear compartments and then proceed to remove the armrest/e-brake piece, then you can proceed to the shifter/HVAC panel, then the transmission tunnel surround, then finally the center gauge cluster. It is possible to remove the gauge cluster separately without removing the center console but the 2 nuts that hold the bottom of the console to the trans tunnel can be a bitch to get put on.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

You guys need to look at the dates of the posts you're replying to. This one has been dormant since 2003.

 

[6880 Mike]

You guys need to look at the dates of the posts you're replying to. This one has been dormant since 2003.

:L
Jeepers. Poor fellow has been trying to get the console apart for six years.

White75: You had an excellent photo. I save pix which I feel will help others.

 

[White75]

You guys need to look at the dates of the posts you're replying to. This one has been dormant since 2003.

Whoa, never even noticed Someone brought it back from the dead