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Short Console in Long Console car


SFbay2002

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Hi all,

 

I have an early ‘72 that was a long console car but previous owner did a console delete which looked great but putting a stereo back in. I had an old shortie console I wanted to use and would look great but it just won’t slide in far enough.  I know the two consoles side by side have different configurations but can it fit without trimming?  Absolutely drove me bonkers trying to get it in.  

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Another consideration when switching:  cars originally equipped with long consoles won't have the metal lip that's spot welded to the shift lever opening.  It retains the round rubber shift boot that went with short consoles.  Long consoles used a rectangular shift boot and the retaining ring was part of the long console floor.  Thus you'll have to come up with a method to hold the shift boot in place--and find a round shift boot if the PO didn't have one.

 

But to your original question, AFAIK both long and short consoles should slide right into their assigned spot atop the tunnel housing as the dashboard's underside shape and the tunnel housing's upper section is the same.  The automatic's transmission tunnel housing is a bit wider, but no higher as automatics use the same basic console as stick shift cars.

 

mike

'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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Mike,

 

Thanks for this information.  It is originally a manual car and I still have what is left of the long console but do see there are a few differences in the overall outline but not enough to make a difference I believe.  I will have to try to give it a go again and try to figure what is going on.  It will not go in about two inches and is very snug.  I don't want to modify it because it will never look the same.  I do wonder though if it is an over-padding issue under the carpet like Nick mentioned?

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Personally, I too like the console- free look,

and would just put the radio in a pod under the dash,

recessed as much as I could so it wasn't conspicuous.

 

t

 

  • Like 1

"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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In my limited one car experience, installing an assembled short console with fresh carpet, no padding under the carpet, and one layer of thin butyl sound deadener on the tunnel is a tight fit, to the point of fearing damage to the front edge of the console against the metal shifter ring (Mike's "metal lip") on the tunnel or against the underside of the dashboard.  But the key problem was that shifter surround ring.  Without the shifter ring, it should slide in easily.  

 

'Course without that ring, there's no good way to install the round shifter boot.  Making one is beyond my capabilities, I'd have to get the ring from a junked car and install it first somehow- probably the ring with added welded on tabs allowing me to screw it to the tunnel and some gunk to seal the opening to the ring. 

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calw,

 

You ain't wrong.  My situation today exactly (new carpet, no padding, etc.).  "Tight fit" is an understatement.  That darn surround ring makes installation of my nice, rehabbed (in fact, any) short console a real PIA b/c it wants to molest the front of the console.  For all the world, it looks like there is lots of room (photo); however, that is not the case.  The console came out and a test fit showed it will go back in, albeit grudgingly.  

 

Larry

 

NOTE:  The ugly padding is for my back and knees.

 

IMG_3412.jpeg

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41 minutes ago, 2002#3 said:

"Tight fit" is an understatement.  That darn surround ring makes installation of my nice, rehabbed (in fact, any) short console a real PIA b/c it wants to molest the front of the console. 

Yeah, it's a tight fit; I've had my 69's short console in and out many times over the past half century, and you have to shove hard to push the console forward while simultaneously lifting the rear edge to clear the shift boot retainer ring.  And on early cars like mine, that trailing edge of he console isn't molded plastic; it's particle board covered with vinyl, even more vulnerable to damage.

 

A little dab of silicone grease on the uppermost portion of the console that slips under the dash will help installation greatly.

 

mike

'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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Yep, Mike, those tricks are the exact ones I used:  push, shove, pull, lift, silicone, etc.  That surround rim will destroy the bottom of the front panel if you are not careful.  I removed the particle board front and rear panels and the fiberboard bottom panel, replaced them with solid wood, and recovered them in black corduroy.  Mucho bettero.

Larry

IMG_3360.jpegIMG_3382.jpeg

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Thanks for all the help.  I was able to get it in somehow and it is snug but in place.  Had to take the front off like Etsy said and then reattach.  I used Koogleworks undermounted speaker setup and it fits nice and sounds good.   Installed Sirius XM with it and sounds good too.  

 

IMG_5100.JPG

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