[Steiner]

I'm pretty sure my car was originally a column shift. It had a Muncie and Hurst shifter when I bought it in '93 along with an old four speed console thrown over the hump. It's never been bolted down.

I'd like to get the correct bracket kit and mount it. What is this existing bracket that is riveted to the floor? Can it be removed when the correct bracket kit is installed? There are three holes with inserts in them that I assume are where the console brackets would go.

Thanks.

[satz28]

It appears that this car orginally had a console. That is a 69 console bracket, and it appears to have the 3 rivnuts atteched to the hump.

[DjD]

From your picture your car was an original automatic floor shift with console. The large hole is for the shifter cable, you can see where the shifter mounts except where the hole is cut for the 4 speed and your console should fit using the mount that is there.

Here's my floor to compare...







The hole to the right of your shifter is for a ground connection and you can see where the rear of the console gets 1 bolt under the ashtray in your pic. There should be tabs on the front lower half of the console that match and slide under the ends of the front bracket.

[nashcar]

That bracket is held in place by two 5/16" studs. That's what you're seeing on top, looks like big rivet heads. The bracket can be removed from underneath the tunnel with a "gearwrench" and thin arms to fit above the transmission. As for the other mounting, the console base is held into the floor with insert nuts using two 5/16" bolts with captured washers, one in the very back and one just to the rear of the shifter hole. The front of the console base is held by two hex head screws through that front bracket that's there now. The top half of the console then is attached to the bottom half.

[Steiner]

Thanks for the help everyone.

It sounds like I only need some hardware and no new brackets, correct?

I can't wait to ruin my new carpet trying to get the holes right for that bracket.

[nashcar]

Originally Posted by Steiner

Thanks for the help everyone.

It sounds like I only need some hardware and no new brackets, correct?

I can't wait to ruin my new carpet trying to get the holes right for that bracket.

I just finished replacing carpet in mine. I removed the front bracket then found the holes with an awl and cut out for the bracket. It needs to contact the floor to keep your console tight to the carpet. I replaced the rear nut insert in the tunnel with a 5/16" tee nut set in JB weld, the original was hammered out at some point. Good luck on your project. Let us know how it went.

[prostreet69camaro]

Put all the blots in there place before you lay your carpet. Seat mounting bolts, seatbelt bolts , console bolts and any other you can think off. Then you lay the carpet down and you can feel for the bolts and cut around the heads.

That way you wont RUIN your carpet.

[DjD]

When I did my new carpet I didn't remove the bracket. It was fairly easy to lay front section of carpet in and folded back at the bracket so I could mark and cut it. The console gives you a fair amount of fudge room.

[Steiner]

Originally Posted by prostreet69camaro

Put all the blots in there place before you lay your carpet. Seat mounting bolts, seatbelt bolts , console bolts and any other you can think off. Then you lay the carpet down and you can feel for the bolts and cut around the heads.

That way you wont RUIN your carpet.

Yup, already got that covered. I wasn't worried about the bolt holes, just the bracket as I had to cut the carpet to remove it from around the bracket and couldn't imagine how they got the bracket slits cut so perfectly. It'll be much easier if I remove the shifter handle. I removed the carpet with the handle still mounted which was most of my problem. You know how it is when you're about to wet your pants to get something done.

Luckily the forty year old floor pans didn't look too bad. I'm going to clean them up with a wire wheel and lay down some rust converting primer in the morning. Then a day later, I'm going to spray the cockpit with rubberized sound deadener.

My carpet is the ACC premium with mass back and a really thick jute pad so I'm going to forgo the asphalt tiles.

I've got the Auto Meter plate that mounts on the console and houses four 2-1/16" gauges. I'll be putting in some Auto Meter Sport-Comp oil presssure, water temp, AFR, and vacuum/boost gauges. That hole for the shifter cable will come in handy as a place to put a grommet and run my lines as I have all mechanical gauges.

Thanks again.

[Mark Rossiter]

Originally Posted by satz28

It appears that this car orginally had a console. That is a 69 console bracket, and it appears to have the 3 rivnuts atteched to the hump.

Definitely a 69 bracket. The hunk of metal to the front is what the console wiring harness clips to.

[Steiner]

Wire brushed the floor Saturday, cleaned it, and put down some rust converting primer. Put down some rubberized undercoat and sound deadener today.

[HwyStarJoe]

Originally Posted by Mark Rossiter

Definitely a 69 bracket. The hunk of metal to the front is what the console wiring harness clips to.

That's the first time I've seen one with the harness bracket still attached to it... besides mine. The repro's that I've seen don't come with it. Why is that?

[DjD]

Originally Posted by HwyStarJoe

That's the first time I've seen one with the harness bracket still attached to it... besides mine. The repro's that I've seen don't come with it. Why is that?

Take a closer look at mine Joe. 1st picture with the steering wheel you can see it best...

[HwyStarJoe]

Yours is actually the one I meant Dennis. I was surprised when I saw the bracket still there. Mine has one of the tabs broken off, which I can easily fab up a replacement for, but what about people whose entire harness bracket is missing? Do they just let the harness fall where it may? Is it so tough for the manufacturers to include this part?
Is there a repro available with it?

[DjD]

I think it's actually there in Stiners too... It's a pain to get it to hold the connector properly and I can see why the reproductions leave it off. I'd bet half of them were broken off the first time a bulb was replaced in the console...