Trim Plate alignment... Long

[Richard Cooper]

Hi everyone, I replaced the trim plate in a 1981 coupe over the weekend and when we were done the trim plate did not align with the top half gauge cluster. It was a half inch off. It was a 1/4 inch off before we started, but 1/2 inch with the new trim plate. I can't see what to adjust to correct this problem. The dash will not move from left to right, its is in the correct place and I can't move the trim plate because its bolted to twp solid steel plates that seem to be spot welded to the car. Does anyone have any ideas that I could try? Thanks for any help. This is driving me crazy. The new trim plate looks great, but where it meets the top cluster is way out of align. It seems like the console is off. There is enough room to put your hand down between the passengers seat and the console, but no room at all between the drivers seat and console. In fact I had a heck of a time getting the side trim piece off on the drivers side because it was so tight to the seat.

 

[Yoda]

Hi Richard,

It sounds like you are talking about the side panels for the center console, yes?

I made new panels when I put the new carpet in, also I've had these panels off several times and as I recall there are 3 screw locations that mount each panel to the center console. The only thing I can think of that would allow the panel to be obtrusive to the seat is the "tang" that the screw goes into on the tunel are bent out or one side is extends further out than the other :confused

Both sides are tight up against the seats on my 1981, maybe if you take the seats out then measure the distance from the "tangs" on each side to the bolt holes for the seats may give you some kind of standard... or see why the mismatch :confused

Bud

 

[Richard Cooper]

Rare81, Hi there.

I'm talking about the whole console. The part that contains the gear shift lever
(trim plate) is not in line with the top gauge cluster. I can't send you a picture because it was not mt 81, but a friends. The side pieces came off OK, but the drivers side was very tight compared to the passengers side and that is because the whole console is somehow off center. Thanks.