Refurbishing the Center Console

[bavarian06]

it's an old thread but i want to refresh my center console as well. how do i actually remove it? i removed the three screws from the rear, the four holding the center dash, the one holding the cigarette plug and i still cant pull the console out.

i have a '70 Z

[psdenno]

it's an old thread but i want to refresh my center console as well. how do i actually remove it? i removed the three screws from the rear, the four holding the center dash, the one holding the cigarette plug and i still cant pull the console out.

i have a '70 Z

After you take out all of the screws that attach the console to the Z, disconnect the battery and take the lid off of the fuse box. Then pull the console toward the rear of the car.

You'll also want to disconnect both the choke lever from the bottom of the console and the rear window defrost switch electrical connection. And don't forget to disconnect the battery or you'll blow fuses and cause sparks to fly as the console slide out.

Dennis

[bavarian06]

After you take out all of the screws that attach the console to the Z, disconnect the battery and take the lid off of the fuse box. Then pull the console toward the rear of the car.

You'll also want to disconnect both the choke lever from the bottom of the console and the rear window defrost switch electrical connection. And don't forget to disconnect the battery or you'll blow fuses and cause sparks to fly as the console slide out.

Dennis

thanks for the tip! i love this forum.

i should disconnect the positive terminal correct? once the fuse box is removed, it would grant access to the choke and defroster switch connection? how do i remove the choke cable; is it held on by a screw, a nut, a clamp?

[Zedyone_kenobi]

there are two small nuts that hold it onto the center console. You can feel for them. Just take your time and undo them and you can pick up the console and leave the choke mechanism behind.

[kenz240z]

I finished repairing a couple of '71 center consoles. I used fiberglass with jelly resin to repair the cracks & holes that had been drilled. Simply mixed up the jelly, spread it onto a piece of fiberglass then applied the "patch" to the back side of the console where needed. I did sand the areas with 80 grit sand paper before applying the fiberglass patches.

In addition to the major cracks & holes, there were a multitude of surface cracks. So, after the fiberglass had hardened, I sanded the entire console with 80 grit paper. I used a 2 part flexible bumper repair compound from NAPA (same stuff I used to fix the cracks in my dash) to fill in over the front side of the fiberglass patches and all the cracks. Once it hardened, I sanded the console smooth with 120 and 220 grit sand paper. The compound did a good job of filling the hair line cracks as well as everything else.

I gave the console a quick bath with water & a little Dawn soap, then dried it real good with compressed air. Once it was completely dry I sprayed the console with Duplicolor truck bed liner (again, same stuff I used on the dash). The texture is not original, but both consoles turned out great. Plus, the console will match the dash in the car (and so will the spare console!).

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Bravo for your ingenuity. Great work.

[bavarian06]

well done. i'm debating if i want to respray my center console as well.

[bavarian06]

kenz240z,

did you have to bend the horizontal metal bar (the one pictured in the left, held down by some type of glue) down in order for the fuse box and cigarette light to pass through?

[kenz240z]

Hi Art, the fuse box won't fit between that metal bar and the console, neither will the lighter. I'm still in the process of putting the dash/console together in my car and have pretty good access to the wiring behind the dash, as the radio and glove box haven't been installed yet. I test fit the console and slipped the fuse box pigtail through the gap and back into the dash area and then screwed it down. Same with the lighter.

[bavarian06]

i see. how did you remove the batch of wires from its source? its a thick strand. i know the newer verion Z had a disconnect harness. i had to bend the forementioned bar to pull the fuse and lighter through.

[kenz240z]

Hi Art, the '71 fuse box has a long wiring harness compared to the '72/'73. There are 4 single connectors and 2 6-way connectors. You should be able to get to 5 of the connections behind the center of the dash on the passenger side. The blue/white wire connects to the lighter, so you may be able to get to that one from under the ash tray after the other 5 have been disconnected. Another option may be to remove the radio to gain access to these connectors. Be sure to disconnect the negative battery cable before attempting to disconnect the fuse box connectors...

[bavarian06]

Hi Art, the '71 fuse box has a long wiring harness compared to the '72/'73. There are 4 single connectors and 2 6-way connectors. You should be able to get to 5 of the connections behind the center of the dash on the passenger side. The blue/white wire connects to the lighter, so you may be able to get to that one from under the ash tray after the other 5 have been disconnected. Another option may be to remove the radio to gain access to these connectors. Be sure to disconnect the negative battery cable before attempting to disconnect the fuse box connectors...

thx for the image kenny, very helpful being able to visualize it. since i already bent the bar down, i'll just slip it through once i'm done refurbishing my console and ctr dash.

i'll keep this in mind for future reference.