Center console removal - Advice?

[69_Dream]

On a 69, should the center console be a complete hell to remove?

Reason I'm asking is after spending a better part of the day attempting everything to remove the shift console and the upper section where the radio sits and the remainder of the gauges, all I have now is a car with a disassembled console... not much else.

One of the vent levers wasn't working, and the Heater control unit was crooked and funny looking. I decided to open it up and correct the problems... bad idea. I even thought, maybe I can fix those pesky fiber optics under there Nope.

Is it normal that with the shift console everything else comes with it? Not sure if I'm explining myself correctly. It's as if you lift the console and everything comes with it. I was hoping that the shift console would be one piece, would lift off nicely (kind of like the parking brake console). Again, since I'm pretty sure I'm not being clear, if you need pictures of anything, let me know.

On my old 78 it seems it was a lot easier than this. I started picturing evil GM engineers laughing at me

Can anyone recommend anything that could possibly make my life easier as I keep playing with this, and tips for reassembly? They say you learn through experience, I'm hoping someone's past experience can help me a little. I'd appreciate any insight, advice, and/or tip you guys could hand me.

Thanks a bunch.

Sly

[Stingray6974]

Hi Sly,
Does your car have factory air conditioning?

Mike

[69_Dream]

No air, just the astro ventilation.

Sly

[pws69]

I found that you can save yourself a LOT of grief by starting at the back (i.e. take the screw out from inside the rear compartment) and take things off one at a time back to front.

It will come out a whole lot easier and FAR fewer scratches!

[69_Dream]

Grief is one way to describe it

The problem is the person who had this car before me did a hell of a job on the console. The screws for the main faceplate are missing, replaced with this black gunk, sealed down tight. Everything else under there is either glued down or duct taped!

I know the best thing to do would be to just scrap the whole thing and get some new proper parts and rebuild it, like new. Funds are my limiting factor. I just wonder the amount of good I can accomplish with what's there.

Sly

[Mike Carter]

There are four small screws at each corner holding in the shift plate, normally, the guage console is held in by the top/side screws and two nuts accessible by removing the front side covers or the shift console. Anything else and someone has set you up for failure.

Mike

Sly,

You should get ahold of the 1969 Corvette Assembly Book. It shows very detailed exploded views of the console and other areas . Ive never removed the guage bezel , but i have removed everything on down when i ran some insulation over the tunnel. I didnt have a hard time taking off the console on my 1970...i think its real important to be in a good frame of mind when you do it and move slowly. I dont remember everything inside coming out with the console cover , but, it was 6 years ago and i cant remember for sure.Get the Assembly Book on your car. Its a valueable thing for yourself, and the next guy you sell the car to.

Dave