Major probs installing console

Hey guys,

I have a bench seat column auto ute. I decided to go ahead and install a sedan type centre dash surround and console. Everything was going well until it came time to install the t-bar for the auto.

I removed the sound-deadening from the floor where the t-bar goes, and guess what, no friggin' hole in the floor for the shifter. I have the plate that gets rivetted to the floor but it has a big indentation in it that sticks through the floor. Also, the shift lever needs to go through the floor.

Does anyone have any pics of the floor so I can see where the correct position of the shifter and control lever is?

many thanks

wangster

 

Here's a pic of the floor

 

Thanks hako,

I also thought that if someone could give me a measurement from the rear wall of the ute passenger cabin to the start of the rivetted plate that would probably help

thanks again

wangster

 

Nah, only the base model ute had the column auto.

The S-Packs had the t-bar and maybe the later series VS's?

It is strange that they would have different floorpans. But maybe Holden just cut them out as required?

cheers

wangster

 

thanks anyway hako.

I think I'm getting closer. The front of the console has those two height adjustment screws that seem to contact the two 20 cent piece sized indentations in the t-bar floor plate. It's not much, but it's all I've got to go on for alignment.

Having said all that, if history is any guide I'll be sparking up the angle grinder and hoping for the best.

ps I seem to have a huge distance between those 2 height adjustment screws (with black plastic bits on the threads) and the floor. Am I missing some other bracket or plate? I mean, even at maximum adjustment I have a 75mm gap or so to the floor.

thanks again

wangster

 

Thanks heaps for that hako, you are the best!

It looks like I was right about the height adjustment screws hitting the 20 cent piece indentations in the floor plate. I wonder why my adjustment screws are so far from the floor? Anyway, with this knowledge I will go ahead and line stuff up to suit those screws and the console t-bar slot.

On another note, I went to replace my ute handbrake lever (right side of drivers seat) with the centre-pull sedan type and the screws that hold the current lever rod arrangement (theres a part in the normal centre handbrake slot that goes over to the drivers side) do not come out far enough to remove the lever thing. They actually hit the tailshaft. Don't tell me I need to remove the tailshaft just to replace the handbrake lever?


cheers

wangster

 

No, but my wife has. She's been copping it for a couple of days now!!

The strange thing is, if have a normal handbrake in the middle position, they use shorter bolts so you can remove them easily from underneath the car, but whoever designed these column shift auto utes needs a bullet. There are so many differences from the norm (sedans, t-bar utes wagons etc).

Anyway, I shall go home and start struggling with it again tonight. :ranting:

cheers

wangster

 

Hi again all,

Finally got this son of a bitch finished!!

I must say, this is not for the faint hearted. If you're just 10mm or so out with your t-bar mounting then stuff doesn't line up.

You have to try and line up the gearbox shift rod (under the car) without fouling on cross members or gearbox mounts, and at the same time remember that it has to line up with the centre console that only has a very narrow slot for the t-bar shifter to slide up and down in.

What a f**king nightmare!!!!!!!

That's not to mention that the ute seems to be missing about 2" (50 mm) of floor height, so I needed to manufacture some spacers to sit the shifter higher and allow it to contact the centre console height adjustment screws and prevent it from fouling underneath.


Anyhoo, it's kinda finished now (thank christ) except for figuring out how to fill in the extra 50 mm gap to the floor. Any ideas??

Hope this helps to discourage others (lol)

cheers

wangster

 

Thanks for that hako, I had considered that stuff (foam-o-fill) because I use it a lot as an electrician for sealing holes in brick walls etc

cheers

wangster