308 GT4 console removal

Hi, first post from me having recently acquired UK, RHD, 308GT4, reg UYR4S, chassis 13838 from Nickt - long standing member of this forum. Over the years Nick has done much of the work to keep the car running sweetly so I thought I would kick off ownership with a refurb of the cabin.

I am trying to remove the centre console which from the pics many people have done but which I cannot find explained step by step on the forum. I have removed the seats, rear seats, smaller front section of console, disconnected the choke cable, seat belts etc and self tap screws and can lift the console clear however I cannot clear the handbrake (my handbrake boot is sewn in) or the gear selector.

1 - do I just need to jiggle and wiggle more enthusiastically or am I doomed to fail without removing the gear selector or something more significant.

2 - I suspect both the handbrake and gear selector are 40 years old and have never been serviced so my instinct is to remove the gear selector using the 4 bolts at the base, disconnect it from the linkage via the split pin and service it while I have everything out. Is that a crazy idea or a job worth doing while I have the console out.

Probably lots more to come. I guess the journey starts here.

Thanks in advance

Graham
Suffolk, UK

 

Thanks - just picked this up on my way out to the garage for a Sunday afternoon of fiddling. I have done all you suggest so was going to remove the radio - which needs to come out anyway - in order to lighten things up a little and reduce any possible cabling issues. Really appreciate the encouragement.

 

OK - all done.

As above - first removed self tappers, rear seats, front console section, seat belts, gear knob and gate and then lifted console to be able to release choke cable

Key to this afternoon's success was to remove lower section of dash containing air vents and duct - which could do with a refurb anyway

This enabled the console to move forward and roll into drivers footwell to rest against clutch pedal

A little fettling required to clear the gear lever within the console and then let the gear lever pass under the metal support for the front ashtray

All cabling was then long enough for the console to lie in the passenger footwell. The shortest cable was an earth strap running down to the gear selector.

Yes - it has AC and the line looks fragile but did not catch.

Will try to post some pics in the next post in case it helps for future reference.

Thanks for the encouragement and advice on the first major piece of surgery and the first post on the forum.

Graham

 

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Big apology on my part. I thought I would be alerted to any other posts on this thread so had missed the comments above;

- Yes yelcab, you are absolutely spot on, now everything is stripped out I concur that releasing the handbrake, via the three bolts to the chassis, would make removing the console much easier. This could be done quite easily when the console is loose and access to the bolts can be gained easily from underneath. When I put everything back together I'll keep the handbrake bolts super-slack and tighten them once the console is in place.

- I will post a couple of pics of the wiring which is heavily modified on my car. Thanks to Francis N, I now have an A1 wiring diagram on my bench. The earth strap on the gear selector feeds earths for the radio, cigarette lighter, ashtray light. I plan to reinstate the wiring as close to the original as possible.

- In case it is of interest purchased a Lucas SPB200 65sa On/Off Toggle Switch on eBay for £10 which I plan to use for the automatic aerial. I hope to 3D print a new knob to match those elsewhere on the interior.

- I'll get the console recovered once I have all the new switches and wiring sorted in order to ensure the holes correctly match the switches.

- Finally I used epoxy and fibres to repair cracks and holes in the fibreglass floor, replaced the sealant around the seat supports, sills and under the rear seat with Sikaflex EBT and then finished the fibreglass floor with matt black Rustoleum all surface paint. This is never going to be a concourse car but it is great to have everything looking neat. Even if it is ultimately all going to be hidden from view!

 

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Definitely disconnect your handbrake from the cable by lifting the console. It makes all the difference in the world.
Although I still couldnt reconnect the choke. Not a problem but if required I would disconnect at the engine and pull it through and connect it before refitting the console.
Good luck