vettebuyer6369

OK, just ran across this style shifter console on a car on ebay: has the "lights" words at the bottom on an aluminum tag rather than the raised lettering stamped on the pot metal. I see in the '69 NCRS JG it makes reference to these saying they were service replacements in 1969. I know of another person with one like this, and have seen others.

The question is, you would almost have to crush the car into a ball to get to the shifter console enough to destroy it. I dont believe every car with one has been wrecked. Why would people buy service replacements back then otherwise? Are there reasons for them being on the car as delivered? Why do I think about such unimportant details? (Don't answer the last question). Any info out there??

HamadUP

I think its a '72-'76 console and he just drilled holes for the fiber optics and created the aluminum tag.

0Road-Race Vette

I think the only reason anyone would have to use one of those,would be if something happened to the one in their particular car.(damage,theft etc...)

Theoreticaly, Consoles could get damaged without the car being totalled.
As far as one coming out of the factory with one of those pieces, I think it would have to be either for damage reasons or they just ran out of the other shifter plates. I dont recall ever seeing anything about these cars that said there was two styles to choose from.

Alan 71

5869,
Don't feel bad, I think about these kind of things too.
I don't think I've seen this plate before. I do notice that the STYLE of the lettering seems to match very well the rest of the lettering on the console plate. Only GM would make such a rough looking plate but get the lettering right.
Reards,
Alan

70Yellowbird

A console for a non A/C vehicle has slots for the levers that control the vents behind the kick panels. If a PO 'added' air conditioning (my long shot possibility), the console plate could've been replaced so the empty slots wouldn't show.

7T1vette

If you need a tag like that to tell you which fiberoptic lens is for the right taillight and for the left taillight......you shouldn't be driving at all! [just kidding...]

vettebuyer6369

Nope- the 1969 NCRS Judging Guide specifically refers to these consoles as "later service replacements have these words on a glued aluminum label."


Actually, there were more than 2 styles... I was researching this last year. They started out with consoles with holes in all four corners. later they added 2 holes next to the fiber optic lenses (as in the picture here) because apparently they changed the mounting tabs on the forward console, totalling 6. Finally, they eliminated the no longer needed bottom 2 holes, going back to a total of 4.

When you add in the 2 different styles (no slots cut for A/C cars/ slots for no A/C venting), there's 6 styles, plus the service replacements. Auto vs manual was the same, distinguished only by the glued on shift plate.

mr nasty

My car is a very early 69, is yours? I think mine has a tag like that on the console also, I will have to look for sure when I get home this weekend, but almost positive it does. I just thought it was from the factory like that. I didn't know any different.


greg

danthony

[QUOTE=Vettebuyer5869;1567087565]OK, just ran across this style shifter console on a car on ebay: has the "lights" words at the bottom on an aluminum tag rather than the raised lettering stamped on the pot metal. I see in the '69 NCRS JG it makes reference to these saying they were service replacements in 1969. I know of another person with one like this, and have seen others.

The question is, you would almost have to crush the car into a ball to get to the shifter console enough to destroy it. I dont believe every car with one has been wrecked. Why would people buy service replacements back then otherwise? Are there reasons for them being on the car as delivered? Why do I think about such unimportant details? (Don't answer the last question). Any info out there??

It could have been replaced if it just aged, paint peeled, chrome lost it's luster, etc. When they were just used cars, people were not so keen on NCRS restoration, he may have just picked up a new piece

vettebuyer6369

No, October 69 car, not early. My November car has the console with the 6 holes, which is also weird.

Ill be interested to see what you have... wonder if any came from the factory as opposed to added later?

vettebuyer6369

... one more thing on the late vs early... both of the consoles I have exposure to with the foil tag are the "late" version re: the screw holes... no bottom corner screws. This would not only support the NCRS JG's statement that they are "late" service replacements, but could actually have been used for later-model cars.

OK, I'll stop now.

You are absolutely right, of course. I guess I think too much, but that part is pretty stout pot metal, and its just painted with semigloss black on top. Its polished underneath and always looks like chrome. If someone bothered to take theirs off because it scratched or something, it would be just as easy to mask it off and paint the black over (Ive done it several times on my different cars) as it would be to buy another one. That's why I felt if someone replaced theirs, they had to really bang it up pretty good to feel the need to do so. Maybe the shifter banging the inside of the opening... or other abuse.

0Willcox Corvette

The part you are looking at is a replacement shift console plate issued by GM.

This was the last production run on this part and where in the world GM ever got this idea is a mystery to me.

This plate was issued as a service replacement before they discontinued. I saw one on eBay a few years back and it sparked my interest since I nave a NOS one that looks exactly like this part. It was never issued in a car new, and only had a limited run as a service replacement.

Willcox