Weird screw question
Thread Starter
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,986
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Weird screw question
How's that for a title?
Anyway, I took the shifter console off the '69 and disasembled it for detailing, and when it was stripped down I noticed 5 holes across the bottom where the fiber optic lights go. I have a replacement lens set which fills the middle 3 holes. Closer inspection suggested the 2 outside holes look like they are for mounting screws.
The plate attaches by four screws in the outside corners. There were no screws on the outer 2 mystery holes. There was nothing UNDER them to screw anything into.
So, I check the NCRS Bible, which actually said at a certain VIN, there were 2 extra screws outside the fiber optic holes. Then at a later VIN, there weren't! Yikes! How many shifter plate designs are there??? Is there anyone with screws in these holes that actually mount to anything? Pictures? Does anyone else care? (don't answer that!)
Anyway, I took the shifter console off the '69 and disasembled it for detailing, and when it was stripped down I noticed 5 holes across the bottom where the fiber optic lights go. I have a replacement lens set which fills the middle 3 holes. Closer inspection suggested the 2 outside holes look like they are for mounting screws.
The plate attaches by four screws in the outside corners. There were no screws on the outer 2 mystery holes. There was nothing UNDER them to screw anything into.
So, I check the NCRS Bible, which actually said at a certain VIN, there were 2 extra screws outside the fiber optic holes. Then at a later VIN, there weren't! Yikes! How many shifter plate designs are there??? Is there anyone with screws in these holes that actually mount to anything? Pictures? Does anyone else care? (don't answer that!)
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
How's that for a title?
Anyway, I took the shifter console off the '69 and disasembled it for detailing, and when it was stripped down I noticed 5 holes across the bottom where the fiber optic lights go. I have a replacement lens set which fills the middle 3 holes. Closer inspection suggested the 2 outside holes look like they are for mounting screws.
The plate attaches by four screws in the outside corners. There were no screws on the outer 2 mystery holes. There was nothing UNDER them to screw anything into.
So, I check the NCRS Bible, which actually said at a certain VIN, there were 2 extra screws outside the fiber optic holes. Then at a later VIN, there weren't! Yikes! How many shifter plate designs are there??? Is there anyone with screws in these holes that actually mount to anything? Pictures? Does anyone else care? (don't answer that!)
Anyway, I took the shifter console off the '69 and disasembled it for detailing, and when it was stripped down I noticed 5 holes across the bottom where the fiber optic lights go. I have a replacement lens set which fills the middle 3 holes. Closer inspection suggested the 2 outside holes look like they are for mounting screws.
The plate attaches by four screws in the outside corners. There were no screws on the outer 2 mystery holes. There was nothing UNDER them to screw anything into.
So, I check the NCRS Bible, which actually said at a certain VIN, there were 2 extra screws outside the fiber optic holes. Then at a later VIN, there weren't! Yikes! How many shifter plate designs are there??? Is there anyone with screws in these holes that actually mount to anything? Pictures? Does anyone else care? (don't answer that!)
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Buckhorn Ontario
Can anyone tell me what the screw size is for this?
I'm installing the missing fibre optics in my 69vert and need to know what size these screws are that hold the console lens.
Thanks to one and all!
I'm installing the missing fibre optics in my 69vert and need to know what size these screws are that hold the console lens.
Thanks to one and all!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I'm going from memory (no data available to me), but I believe they are #8 or #10 round-head Phillips sheet metal screws about 1/2" long. Try both sizes in the "receiver" hole to see which works best.
Thread Starter
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,986
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
NCRS says "the console plate is secured at its 4 corners.... at least by SN 32490 2 additional screws were added at the ends of the fiber-optic panel. At about SN 36927, the rear 2 screws were removed, leaving a new pattern of 4."
Not sure what the "rear 2" are, and what the "new pattern" is. Do owners of 1970s have a different pattern?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 872
Likes: 3
From: Cortlandt Manor New York
I have an early 70 (Jan70) and the 2 outer screws go thru the console and into the fiber optics retainer. It is the one with the 3 lenses that the fiber optics cables mount to. The screws hold the retainer to the console plate.
Thread Starter
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,986
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Interesting. Mine only has the screw holes/mounts for the plastic retainer. Ill have to dummy the screws. Thanks.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 872
Likes: 3
From: Cortlandt Manor New York
My apologies I finally got a chance to look at the console. The 2 outer holes are for mounting screws. They represent 2 of the 4 console screws. There are no screws in the lower corners. Many of the mounting tabs break off so there may not be anything underneath the lower holes. Many of the venders make a repair kit to replace broken mounting tabs.
Can you post a picture?
Can you post a picture?
Thread Starter
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,986
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
My apologies I finally got a chance to look at the console. The 2 outer holes are for mounting screws. They represent 2 of the 4 console screws. There are no screws in the lower corners. Many of the mounting tabs break off so there may not be anything underneath the lower holes. Many of the venders make a repair kit to replace broken mounting tabs.
Can you post a picture?
Can you post a picture?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 872
Likes: 3
From: Cortlandt Manor New York
You are correct the 2 screw holes next to the fiber optics are dummies for your 69 but are functional for my 70. The bottom 2 holes are not drilled out on my 70 and the upper 2 are the ones used for ataching the plate to the console.
I wonder what the thought process was here? Holes in the bottom corners would have been better for securing the plate to the console yet they were eliminated by early 1970. Holes next to the fiber optics appear to be dummies on your 69 and are functional on my 70. What is that all about?
I wonder what the thought process was here? Holes in the bottom corners would have been better for securing the plate to the console yet they were eliminated by early 1970. Holes next to the fiber optics appear to be dummies on your 69 and are functional on my 70. What is that all about?
Thread Starter
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,986
Likes: 6,212
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
You are correct the 2 screw holes next to the fiber optics are dummies for your 69 but are functional for my 70. The bottom 2 holes are not drilled out on my 70 and the upper 2 are the ones used for ataching the plate to the console.
I wonder what the thought process was here? Holes in the bottom corners would have been better for securing the plate to the console yet they were eliminated by early 1970. Holes next to the fiber optics appear to be dummies on your 69 and are functional on my 70. What is that all about?
I wonder what the thought process was here? Holes in the bottom corners would have been better for securing the plate to the console yet they were eliminated by early 1970. Holes next to the fiber optics appear to be dummies on your 69 and are functional on my 70. What is that all about?
Must be the GM Beancounters.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 119
From: St. Charles Mo
CI 5 & 8 Veteran
They went to the Deluxe interior in 70 which had a woodgrain insert. The wood grain insert could not accommodate the screws in the lower corners. 69 did not have woodgrain console inserts.
Bullshark
Bullshark
