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removing my console (1979). I have my seats out, removed side panels, removed screws connecting console to instrument bezel (PITA), e-brake screws,etc,. The last two things i need to do before pulling the console out is to disconnect the lighter and AC/heater control. I'm having difficulty getting those two disconnected. What is the best way to get these disconnected? Once I get the console removed, I can then start removing the instrument cluster. I'm in the process of replacing both the console and instrument bezels, replacing all bulbs and rebuilding (quartz) my clock. Thanks for any tips you can give me on disconnecting the lighter and AC/heater control.
Here's a picture of the lighter. The outer aluminum housing (see the threads at the bottom?) unscrews from the main body of the lighter. Screw it off then the black ground wire will come off and the lighter will come out from the top. It's been awhile since I had my center console out, but as I recall if you removed the front screws holding it to the gage cluster and the 4 screws on the side, lift it up and over the shifter (**** removed) and tilt is sideways. There are 3 or 4 small screws that hold the A/C control to the console. Sorry, don't have any digital photos of that, and the prints I had didn't scan very well
The lighter is two parts...a larget housing screwed on from underneath to the part the sticks through the consol.You need to unplug the power to the lighter and unscrew the bottom piece that holds the ground wire. Mine was seized on. I had to cut the ground to remove the consol. I was then able to get the lighter out...destroyed it though.
As for the AC switch. You have two options. Slightly tilt the consol plate and unsrew the switch. Or unplug the vac lines and steel cable. If you have never unplugged the cable before I suggest you unscrew the entire switch. Take a look at how things are connected there is a bit of a trick to it.
Thanks for your help, I now have the console out. The outer lighter housing was stuck on the lighter. Took some time , but I was able to get it to screw off. Decided to unscrew the entire AC switch and it came off fine. Thanks again for your help.