'73 240z - Console Clean-Up

[Sean240Z]

So I decided to clean-up my centre console.

At one point in the past, the choke bracket, mounting screw receptacles in the underside of the console cracked. The owner decided to mount the choke to the console, by drilling two holes and bolting the choke bracket through the top of the console.

Also at one point, my car had dealer installed Aircon which had a control mounted on the centre console, just aft of the gear shift. This control housing covered the heads of the bolts securing the choke bracket.

 

 

 

I wanted to remove the Aircon control housing as I've never had Aircon installed, the housing was cracked and I wanted to clean-up my console. After looking at options and searching the forum, I made a mounting plate from a piece of steel, mounted the choke bracket to the plate and the plate to the transmission tunnel.

 

 

 

It took a bit of trial and error to correctly position the bracket so the choke lever was centered in the console slot. I also decided against screwing the plate on the passenger side due to the fuel / brake hard lines that are located in the transmission tunnel. The choke is very solidly mounted now.

 

I picked up one of the dash plates from Motorsports Auto and will mount that through the existing holes in the console.

 

 

The problem is, that I am now left with five screw holes in the top of the console. I'm looking for advice.

I can either:

- clean-up and fill the holes with something (I'd rather not have to paint the console); or

- cover the area between the ashtray and the gear shift with a "decorative" metal plate and mount the dash plate to that (I'm considering a plate either painted black or with a brushed finish, or perhaps with groves to match the ash tray).

Thoughts?

 

I'm also missing the screws / plugs on the left and right side of the console, and was wondering what screws / plugs are supposed to be used?

 

 

 

Cheers,

Sean

 

 

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[siteunseen]

Me and some other members have used this and were happy with the results. Those screws are black pan heads on the side of the console.

 

[Sean240Z]

So the ABS cement would work to fill holes?


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[siteunseen]

When I filled in my cracks with it I put that blue painters tape on the topside of the console then filled in with the abs glue from the backside. Let it dry overnight and pulled the tape off. To get the textured look I wet a q-tip with a little abs and dabbed it on the topside. Try it on the backside where its not seen or a piece of cardboard I guess would work for practice. Be careful of q-tip cotton strands sticking. Thinking about it now a cheap artist brush would be better for the texturing. 

Practice first! That crap is hard to deal with once it dries.

If you have a cracked console use some fiberglass mat with the abs glue. Put some abs down then push the mat down on the wet glue. Then completely cover the mat with the glue. Be sure and do it on the backside of the console though. That stuff dries really fast so take that into consideration.

I have some pictures on my lap or you could google "console repair siteunseen classiczcars.com" and most likely find the thread.  Good luck.

[siteunseen]

I found it with my phone.

http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/14154-console-repair-how-to-patch-holes/?page=2

[siteunseen]

@Sean240Z

See above post.

[siteunseen]

One more thing, if you don't want to do this again get the choke holder plate that mounts to the tunnel instead of the console.

Google "art singer 240z choke mount". $30 on ebay and works fantastically. 

[siteunseen]

My bad! You've already got that fixed. I'm outta here...

[Sean240Z]

Siteunseen - Thanks for the info and link. I'll have to order some of the black ABS cement. I can only find yellow, grey and white here.


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