75 Center Shift Console - proper installation??
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
75 Center Shift Console - proper installation??
1975 Coupe
Page 47 of AIM shows the console having screws holding the console to the front brace (attached to floor tunnel).
Page 48 of AIM shows the front reinforcement (part 13) being riveted to the console.
Both the front reinforcement and console on my car are "after market" parts. The reinforcement is NOT riveted to console - they are separate parts.
It looks like the reinforcement has two holes on each end. One used for attaching to the console the other for where it screws into the u-nut on the front brace on the tunnel.
Looks to me that the rivet and screws are in the wrong position. AIM shows the rivet in the bottom hole and the screw in the upper hole (presume this is where the side console extension panels are attached). The bottom hole on the aftermarket brace is slotted for adjusting one would think. The hole above the slotted hole seems to be to attach the console to the reinforcement.
Dose anyone know the correct assembly of these parts? Is AIM wrong or are the after market parts not up to par?
Thanks,
Len
Page 47 of AIM shows the console having screws holding the console to the front brace (attached to floor tunnel).
Page 48 of AIM shows the front reinforcement (part 13) being riveted to the console.
Both the front reinforcement and console on my car are "after market" parts. The reinforcement is NOT riveted to console - they are separate parts.
It looks like the reinforcement has two holes on each end. One used for attaching to the console the other for where it screws into the u-nut on the front brace on the tunnel.
Looks to me that the rivet and screws are in the wrong position. AIM shows the rivet in the bottom hole and the screw in the upper hole (presume this is where the side console extension panels are attached). The bottom hole on the aftermarket brace is slotted for adjusting one would think. The hole above the slotted hole seems to be to attach the console to the reinforcement.
Dose anyone know the correct assembly of these parts? Is AIM wrong or are the after market parts not up to par?
Thanks,
Len
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
Picture one shows the slotted hole on the bottom of the reinforcement brace. There is a smaller hole - I assume for riveting the brace to the console.
Photo two shows the tunnel brace and u-nut. I assume this is where the console and the extension piece go..
There is nothing connecting the front console reinforcement to the tunnel brace?
Thanks,
Len
PS - bonus question ... what is that other u-nut in picture two that is to the right of the tunnel brace used for????
Photo two shows the tunnel brace and u-nut. I assume this is where the console and the extension piece go..
There is nothing connecting the front console reinforcement to the tunnel brace?
Thanks,
Len
PS - bonus question ... what is that other u-nut in picture two that is to the right of the tunnel brace used for????
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,274
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Len,
"bonus question"
The second tab with the u-nut is for the small bracket/brace for the radio chassis.
Regards,
Alan
Please disregard the arrow.
"bonus question"
The second tab with the u-nut is for the small bracket/brace for the radio chassis.
Regards,
Alan
Please disregard the arrow.
Last edited by Alan 71; Aug 1, 2017 at 11:16 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
In your second photo, can you indicate which hole aligns with the tunnel brace and which hole is used to attach the console front extension piece (that would cover the radio from the side)?
Looks like you "added" a support piece as well?
My extension holes align perfectly with the slotted hole in the console that I presume is used to attach both the console and console extension to the brace.
Thanks,
Len
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,274
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Len,
I'll take a picture that shows the area from a different angle.
What I think you're seeing as a support piece is actually the console side itself with a piece of the black vinyl trimmed off exposing the console material.
Regards,
Alan
I'll take a picture that shows the area from a different angle.
What I think you're seeing as a support piece is actually the console side itself with a piece of the black vinyl trimmed off exposing the console material.
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
If I line up the extension piece (that would cover the radio) with the console, the hole in the extension lines up with that slotted hole (the one on the bottom of your photo). Is that the hole that the extension and the console attach to the center tunnel brace????
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The bracket has two rivets on top only and the lower part of the bracket will float a bit. Once you have the side screws in place the holes shown in Alan's picture are for the radio side panels.
Now the trick to getting this to all line up... Place a block of wood on the back of the console and use a pry bar off the parking brake control lever... This will allow you to push the console forward where it belongs so you can get the screw in place. Once they line up stick an awe in one side to hold it and them place the screw in the other side.
The brand new shift consoles are a bit tighter than the originals, but once you get them installed the first time, the fall into place if you ever need to remove it for anything.
The assembly manual shows a rivet 3828470 going into the lower side if the U bracket and this is not correct. If you rivet this in place you'll loose the ability to adjust the bracket to meet the floor mounted bracket for the console.
Willcox
Now the trick to getting this to all line up... Place a block of wood on the back of the console and use a pry bar off the parking brake control lever... This will allow you to push the console forward where it belongs so you can get the screw in place. Once they line up stick an awe in one side to hold it and them place the screw in the other side.
The brand new shift consoles are a bit tighter than the originals, but once you get them installed the first time, the fall into place if you ever need to remove it for anything.
The assembly manual shows a rivet 3828470 going into the lower side if the U bracket and this is not correct. If you rivet this in place you'll loose the ability to adjust the bracket to meet the floor mounted bracket for the console.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Aug 1, 2017 at 04:02 PM.
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
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
Question:
The side extension console panels - those that go in the FRONT of the shift console that are used to cover up the radio and wires....
The screws that hold those two pieces go through the shift console.... they have to.
Question is do those screws go into the U-NUT that is in my second photo?
I'm having a hell of a time with this. The gauge cluster, shift console, and e-brake console are just not playing well together.
E-brake must go on last as it goes OVER the rear of the shift console. Gauge console, I've no clue if that should go in at the same time as the console, before the console, or after the console.
The gauge console was broken in pieces when I got the car, so it wasn't hard to get it out. I doubt that anything else was together correctly, so I can't rely on that. The left dash console was broken into pieces as well. Not pretty, but I'd like to get it as good as I can.
I don't know how anyone could ever work on these things without a lot of frustration..... nice when you get it right, but having to do it a hundred times to get it close is frustrating.
End-of-rant
The side extension console panels - those that go in the FRONT of the shift console that are used to cover up the radio and wires....
The screws that hold those two pieces go through the shift console.... they have to.
Question is do those screws go into the U-NUT that is in my second photo?
I'm having a hell of a time with this. The gauge cluster, shift console, and e-brake console are just not playing well together.
E-brake must go on last as it goes OVER the rear of the shift console. Gauge console, I've no clue if that should go in at the same time as the console, before the console, or after the console.
The gauge console was broken in pieces when I got the car, so it wasn't hard to get it out. I doubt that anything else was together correctly, so I can't rely on that. The left dash console was broken into pieces as well. Not pretty, but I'd like to get it as good as I can.
I don't know how anyone could ever work on these things without a lot of frustration..... nice when you get it right, but having to do it a hundred times to get it close is frustrating.
End-of-rant
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Question:
The side extension console panels - those that go in the FRONT of the shift console that are used to cover up the radio and wires.... Yes
The screws that hold those two pieces go through the shift console.... they have to. They go into the holes above the oval hole in the bracket and screw into the U retainer with a number 8 Phillips screw
Question is do those screws go into the U-NUT that is in my second photo? There is not a U nut that I'm aware of. The screws thread into the U bracket.
I'm having a hell of a time with this. The gauge cluster, shift console, and e-brake console are just not playing well together.
E-brake must go on last as it goes OVER the rear of the shift console. Gauge console, I've no clue if that should go in at the same time as the console, before the console, or after the console. Get the shift console in first... then install the ebrake console. The ebrake may offer you some more issues, but nothing I've not had in the past. Remember the hidden bolt for the ebrake console is under the RCU
The gauge console was broken in pieces when I got the car, so it wasn't hard to get it out. I doubt that anything else was together correctly, so I can't rely on that. The left dash console was broken into pieces as well. Not pretty, but I'd like to get it as good as I can.
If the center dash was broke at the thin area, you'll need to jumper a wire from the wiper switch to the small gauge pod to assure you the wipers work correctly. If you don't understand this post back and I'll explain
I don't know how anyone could ever work on these things without a lot of frustration..... nice when you get it right, but having to do it a hundred times to get it close is frustrating. It's not frustrating when you do it all the time but for a first time... yes it is. So post back when you get a chance if you have questions.
End-of-rant
The side extension console panels - those that go in the FRONT of the shift console that are used to cover up the radio and wires.... Yes
The screws that hold those two pieces go through the shift console.... they have to. They go into the holes above the oval hole in the bracket and screw into the U retainer with a number 8 Phillips screw
Question is do those screws go into the U-NUT that is in my second photo? There is not a U nut that I'm aware of. The screws thread into the U bracket.
I'm having a hell of a time with this. The gauge cluster, shift console, and e-brake console are just not playing well together.
E-brake must go on last as it goes OVER the rear of the shift console. Gauge console, I've no clue if that should go in at the same time as the console, before the console, or after the console. Get the shift console in first... then install the ebrake console. The ebrake may offer you some more issues, but nothing I've not had in the past. Remember the hidden bolt for the ebrake console is under the RCU
The gauge console was broken in pieces when I got the car, so it wasn't hard to get it out. I doubt that anything else was together correctly, so I can't rely on that. The left dash console was broken into pieces as well. Not pretty, but I'd like to get it as good as I can.
If the center dash was broke at the thin area, you'll need to jumper a wire from the wiper switch to the small gauge pod to assure you the wipers work correctly. If you don't understand this post back and I'll explain
I don't know how anyone could ever work on these things without a lot of frustration..... nice when you get it right, but having to do it a hundred times to get it close is frustrating. It's not frustrating when you do it all the time but for a first time... yes it is. So post back when you get a chance if you have questions.
End-of-rant
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
Willcox,
I'm overly obtuse on this issue and I apologize in advance for being so dumb.
High level, I understand what you're saying. But at the detail level, I'm not getting it.
Last try here then I'm just going for it.
BTW - I bought a new center cluster gauge console.. the one in the car was broken in two pieces.
I'm trying to understand how many screws are there on ONE side of the front shift console. There is either ONE screw per side or two per side. Given the choices below, which is it?
Option 1: Are there TWO SCREWS? ONE screw that holds the shift console (bottom) to the brace that is on the tunnel (as I photographed in my second photo), and a SECOND screw that holds the extension on the shift console?
OR....
Option 2: Is there JUST ONE SCREW that holds the console and extension to the brace on the tunnel (as shown in my second photo)?
======================
Now then - just talking about the shift console and the extension parts. ON MY console and extensions, the holes in the extensions align perfectly with the slotted hole in the console. Just saying.
Thanks and I hope I'm not being to much of a pain in the butt.
Len
I'm overly obtuse on this issue and I apologize in advance for being so dumb.
High level, I understand what you're saying. But at the detail level, I'm not getting it.
Last try here then I'm just going for it.
BTW - I bought a new center cluster gauge console.. the one in the car was broken in two pieces.
I'm trying to understand how many screws are there on ONE side of the front shift console. There is either ONE screw per side or two per side. Given the choices below, which is it?
Option 1: Are there TWO SCREWS? ONE screw that holds the shift console (bottom) to the brace that is on the tunnel (as I photographed in my second photo), and a SECOND screw that holds the extension on the shift console?
OR....
Option 2: Is there JUST ONE SCREW that holds the console and extension to the brace on the tunnel (as shown in my second photo)?
======================
Now then - just talking about the shift console and the extension parts. ON MY console and extensions, the holes in the extensions align perfectly with the slotted hole in the console. Just saying.
Thanks and I hope I'm not being to much of a pain in the butt.
Len
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,274
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Len,
On my 71 there is a single screw ton each side that attaches the shifter console to the tunnel bracket.
There is an additional screw that attaches the console extension to the the console.
Note that the screw that mounts the console is in a recessed area on the console so the washer and head of the screw don't cause the extension to stick out too far from the surface of the console.
Regards,
Alan
On my 71 there is a single screw ton each side that attaches the shifter console to the tunnel bracket.
There is an additional screw that attaches the console extension to the the console.
Note that the screw that mounts the console is in a recessed area on the console so the washer and head of the screw don't cause the extension to stick out too far from the surface of the console.
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Aug 2, 2017 at 12:03 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
Hi Len,
On my 71 there is a single screw ton each side that attaches the shifter console to the tunnel bracket.
There is an additional screw that attaches the console extension to the the console.
Note that the screw that mounts the console is in a recessed area on the console so the washer and head of the screw don't cause the extension to stick out too far from the surface of the console.
Regards,
Alan
On my 71 there is a single screw ton each side that attaches the shifter console to the tunnel bracket.
There is an additional screw that attaches the console extension to the the console.
Note that the screw that mounts the console is in a recessed area on the console so the washer and head of the screw don't cause the extension to stick out too far from the surface of the console.
Regards,
Alan
On my car the screw that is used for the extension lines up with the indent on the console - exactly - so I'm guessing that on the 75 there is only one screw that holds the console and extension to the tunnel brace. But I'm not able to get clarity on that.
I think part of the issue is all the aftermarket pieces are just not well made. My shifter console is aftermarket.
Picture is me holding the extension near the right side console. As you can see the slotted hole on the console and the extension hole line up. So MY GUESS is that the screw that is used there is ALSO the same screw that goes to the u-nut on the tunnel brace (as shown in my second photo in my prior post on this).
Thanks,
Len
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,274
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Len,
The 75 AIM shows 2 screws being used:
AO1-A17, Sheet 18, Item 5; screw through console into tunnel bracket.
BO1-B12, Sheet 42, Item 5; screw through console side extension into console.
What was being done in production I don't know.
I don't think the same screw could be used for both functions because the shifter console needs to be put in place before the extension is…. unless the console screw was 'backed out' and reused for the extension??
Regards,
Alan
The 75 AIM shows 2 screws being used:
AO1-A17, Sheet 18, Item 5; screw through console into tunnel bracket.
BO1-B12, Sheet 42, Item 5; screw through console side extension into console.
What was being done in production I don't know.
I don't think the same screw could be used for both functions because the shifter console needs to be put in place before the extension is…. unless the console screw was 'backed out' and reused for the extension??
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Aug 2, 2017 at 12:52 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
Thanks Alan,
I couldn't find the extension in AIM - so thanks for pointing that out to me.
Now I "think" I understand what should happen. The console mounts to the tunnel brace and the extension to the console. So two screws (in a perfect world).
The issue I'm dealing with is where the holes in my extensions are. They should be "higher" but sadly they line up perfectly with the console mount holes.
I'm going out on a guess here that the extensions are after market and maybe came with NO HOLES and some PO took a easy way out???
Not sure, but you see why I've been pulling my hair out. In my case the extension MUST mount to the console where the console is mounted to the brace. That is IF I use existing holes.
Sadly the extensions are in great shape - I just think they are drilled stupidly.
Not sure.... If I source the extensions they seem to come pre-drilled and the holes seem to be in the same position. Go figure.
I couldn't find the extension in AIM - so thanks for pointing that out to me.
Now I "think" I understand what should happen. The console mounts to the tunnel brace and the extension to the console. So two screws (in a perfect world).
The issue I'm dealing with is where the holes in my extensions are. They should be "higher" but sadly they line up perfectly with the console mount holes.
I'm going out on a guess here that the extensions are after market and maybe came with NO HOLES and some PO took a easy way out???
Not sure, but you see why I've been pulling my hair out. In my case the extension MUST mount to the console where the console is mounted to the brace. That is IF I use existing holes.
Sadly the extensions are in great shape - I just think they are drilled stupidly.
Not sure.... If I source the extensions they seem to come pre-drilled and the holes seem to be in the same position. Go figure.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,274
Likes: 4,366
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Len,
Life can often be quite puzzling!
Working on an old Corvette seems to dramatically increase the possibility of being puzzled!!!!
Who did what, when, and why?
Regards,
Alan
Can you feel a little indentation in the surface of the extension which might indicate where the screw was 'intended' to be?
Notice on my extension the oval head countersunk screw and ferrule 'nestle' into the extension in a little recess.
Life can often be quite puzzling!
Working on an old Corvette seems to dramatically increase the possibility of being puzzled!!!!
Who did what, when, and why?
Regards,
Alan
Can you feel a little indentation in the surface of the extension which might indicate where the screw was 'intended' to be?
Notice on my extension the oval head countersunk screw and ferrule 'nestle' into the extension in a little recess.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 205
Likes: 4
Hi Len,
Life can often be quite puzzling!
Working on an old Corvette seems to dramatically increase the possibility of being puzzled!!!!
Who did what, when, and why?
Regards,
Alan
Can you feel a little indentation in the surface of the extension which might indicate where the screw was 'intended' to be? Negative
Notice on my extension the oval head countersunk screw and ferrule 'nestle' into the extension in a little recess.
Life can often be quite puzzling!
Working on an old Corvette seems to dramatically increase the possibility of being puzzled!!!!
Who did what, when, and why?
Regards,
Alan
Can you feel a little indentation in the surface of the extension which might indicate where the screw was 'intended' to be? Negative
Notice on my extension the oval head countersunk screw and ferrule 'nestle' into the extension in a little recess.