I'm close to finishing my interior rebuild on my '80. I now have a new shift plate, parking brake cover and side panels. I have a quick question about how everything goes together. I have noticed that all of the top panels have holes to mount a screw or bolt to tie them together.

Since I've never seen my interior assembled, can someone tell me what I'm suppose to use to attach the panels together?


Thanks

 

Side panels have three screws per side that screw into brackets within the center console assembly. One screw is towards the front of console about even where your ankle would be if sitting in car. Second
screw goes about in the middle of panel where your thigh would be if sitting in car and the third screw goes towards the back of panel, seat has to be pushed forward to get at it. HTH

 

I'm actually referring to the center guage panel, the shifter panel and the parking brake cover. Each of the panels has 2 tabs with holes in them that line up with the next panel in line. I'm trying to figure out what was used to attach the panels.

 

Clips are what connects.... I think.

 

I've done this a number of times on my 78...and this is the best my recollections. I list in the order in which each panel must be reassembled...otherwise it'll never work right.

The center cluster console (top gauge panel) will use interior screws with I believe its two that will screw into underside of dash. A couple more are used for the sides. This panel will slide in from the top and then gently pushes in from the button...mine was always a tight fight but with patience and a six-pack...it will slide into place.

Moving down to the console panel (shift panel), two smaller sheet metal screws will attached the two panels from underneath. The back end will but up against the parking brake cover but a bracket on either side will support the sheet metal screw. This screws starts from the brake cover side since the material is soft. The brake cover is soft enought you can move it into place and then secure with screws I believe on the back end.

With the three panels in place...you can move the side panels into place. Locate the three support brackets before putting the side panel into place so you can get a fix on the screw holes. These use interior screws as well. The panel will slide up under the center console and brake cover...hold and screw into place.

When I say interior screws...vendors sell them all day long in little bags and call them interior screws packaged by year. If you've got the seats out...you'll find it helpful since you won't have to work around them. I've done it both ways. Hope this helps.

 

I have the plastic shifter-cover/center gauge-cluster out of my '80 now (rubber-like parking-brake cover is still in the car).
At the base of the gauge-cluster are 2 tabs, with-holes, one on either side, that line-up with similar tabs at the front of the shifter-cover.
I believe they simply 'screw-together' once they are lined-up, and, once-assembled, the rear of the shifter-cover 'slides' under the front of the parking-brake cover.....

 

So then, I run a screw through the shift plate and into the guage panel. Then another set of screws through the armrest into the shift plate? Is that correct?

 

Ak. Mal:
That's way it was with this '80 I'm tinkering with, altho it is "well-worn" (114k+ miles, interior has been changed, etc.), and it may have been-broken under the arm-rest/parking-brake handle cover...
When I took it apart, the shifter-cover just 'slid' out from under the parking-brake cover.....

 

I'm working from a very shabby interior. I have all the old stuff, but it was never assembled. And by the looks of the rest of the car, had it been installed, it would have been done wrong.

About the arm rest, it is just a rubber pad that sits on a metal frame. Both the pad and the frame have tabs with holes in them that line up to the shift plate. They appear to but up against each other when screwed together.

Now I just have to come up with some screws to install this whole thing.

I had to buy new side panels because the ones in the car were cut by someone else and they did a VERY poor job. I was going to trace them and re-cut them but they didn't have the correct arcs on them to line up under the armrest, so I could never get my new panels to fit correctly. So, after getting my $30 cardboard cutouts, I cut the box open they were shipped in and traced them onto the cardboard box. So, in the future, I will always have a template if needed.

 

The '80 assembly manual will show you a picture of how everything goes together. I've said it before and I'll say it again, AIMs are worth their weight in gold. They're cheap, all things considered. Order one from your favorite aftermarket provider.