centre console removal (automatic)

ewokracing

ewokracing

Active Member
Hi gang,

I've got a new rubber boot for the handbrake, how do I take the rear centre console off so that I can fit it? I had a quick look in the dark last night and couldn't see any retaining screws.
 
Under the front and rear ash trays for the retaining bolts. You will need to remove the plastic grill in front of the console too . And the gear change knob .
 
So I have no idea how the assemblers in NZ fitted it, but I have found it impossible to get the centre console plastic off. It is caught under the Australian spec radio dash piece and the handbrake lever.

I have successfully scratched all of the front of the radio dash piece and wiggled everything.

I'm at the stage where I'm going to enlarge the hole at the front where the handbrake lever comes through the plastic, as that will let me move the whole plastic piece rearwards enough for the front of it to clear the radio surround.




I hate working on British cars sometimes. This would have been a 15 minute job in a Mazda! :LOL:
 
Hi Geoff,

If my memory is serving me correctly, the problem that you're experiencing is down to the air conditioning and the subsequent relocation of the radio etc. A friend of mine has the same air con unit in his 74 Rover, and the centre console is extremely difficult to remove. In order to remove it, it needs to move forward to clear the handbrake lever, but the relocation of the radio due to the air con makes that not possible.

I am sure that the console had either been modified in some way, making it shorter, or it had been broken at some point, probably in an attempt to remove it, as there are metal braces screwed into both sides adjacent to the front ashtray.

You may have to cut the console where the rear edge of the front ashtray would locate, then reattach and secure with metal brackets, screwing them into place once the new boot has been fitted and console is back in place.

Ron.
 
Long winded but might save breaking or cutting. How about disconnecting the handbrake cable from the linkage so the lever can go almost vertical? Then the console wouldn't need to slide forward as far..
Jim
 
Ron - yes was hoping to avoid cutting the console...

Jim - thought about that too, but then you know p6bs, it would be an utter bitch to get the handbrake cable back on again I'm guessing?
 
ewokracing said:
but then you know p6bs, it would be an utter bitch to get the handbrake cable back on again I'm guessing?
Click to expand...

It shouldn't be, just take out the clevis pins on the calipers and there should be enough movement in the compensator to get the handbrake lever near vertical. The number of cars you see where the lever sits near vertical when it's all connected would tend to confirm that.....
 
It is possible to remove the tunnel finisher on those air con cars. I own one...and have done it several times. It is very finicky and frustrating but not that difficult.
They are all a little different from one another but you should find two screws facing forward in the front crossbar of the finisher. They are in addition to the floor mounted screws and also under the ashtray . sometimes they are countersunk into the plastic so are hard to see.
once all the screws and nuts are undone and youhave care fully removed gear knob and the finisher plate (from the finisher) push/work the handbrake gaitor rearward which will give you just enough room to turn the finisher front end to the side and maneuvre it over the gearstick (you probably need to move gearstick about so chock the wheels) . You will then have enough forward movement to slide the handbrake gator forward, sort of into the glovebox area at the front

on the other hand the radio surround is normally just screwed onto the bottom of the air con unit and possibly the floor so can be a quick removal however the air con unit itself can then pose similar problems depending on which unit and which console was used on your car. (some are high up others touch the transmission tunnel. From the picture yours looks like the latter.

Ps. You might need to move the passenger seat all the way back to get it out of the way and maneuvre the recliner leavers to get them out of the way..
 
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