Console Delete
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Console Delete Have any of you seen a 4th gen that has had the console deleted? I don't just mean removed. I mean removed with some thought to asthetics. Maybe something as simple as a carpet mat and an E-brake cover.
Don't get me wrong....I love the 4 cupholders in my 97 SS and the storage box is always packed full.....plus I have my aux input stashed beneath the ashtray. There is just something inside me that thinks it would be fun to rock the plain jain interior look sometimes. Do any of you remember the real stripper/sleeper cars from the 60's that had no console.....just a hurst 4 speed shifter sticking out of a rubber boot? GM did something similar on a factory hot rodded ZR1 c4 awhile back. They called it an SS saying that it stood for "snake skinner". It was intended to whoop some viper tail. LOL
Don't get me wrong....I love the 4 cupholders in my 97 SS and the storage box is always packed full.....plus I have my aux input stashed beneath the ashtray. There is just something inside me that thinks it would be fun to rock the plain jain interior look sometimes. Do any of you remember the real stripper/sleeper cars from the 60's that had no console.....just a hurst 4 speed shifter sticking out of a rubber boot? GM did something similar on a factory hot rodded ZR1 c4 awhile back. They called it an SS saying that it stood for "snake skinner". It was intended to whoop some viper tail. LOL
You know I was thinking about that today, the console is just a rattle trap in my car and I feel I would be more comfortable without, yet again Im a big guy. But no I haven't seen any that made it look good they are just race cars with stripped interiors. Id image with a six speed it would be much easier.
Ive driven my car before without the center console. Not completely deleted to make everything look fancy smancy. It certainly makes the inside feel bigger thats for sure! And rowing through the gears was much more enjoyable because i wouldnt hit my elbow into the arm rest everytime!
I've often looked at my console and wished it wasn't there. When I was a pup I had a Nova SS with a 4 speed and no console and like you I loved the look. Speedinc sells a full carpet for 4th gens without holes were the console is.
I don't know if you still can, but many years back I ordered ACC replacement carpet with no cutout for a console so it completely covers the floor there. Was going to run no console with nothing but a B&M ratchet shifter mounted there.
i have often wanted to fab one out of like stainless or black diamond plating just cuz then i could mount my pro shifter a lil nicer, i think most of it wld be fairly ez accept like ram air says i wld need some sort of padding at a raised hght for ur elbow that doesnt look tacky.....??? thats most of my hang up.
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Found an old thread titled Console Delete in the drag racing section before I started this thread, but all the pics were dead links. The only other couple I could find after searching were caged race cars with aftermarket seats and auto shifters etc.
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Mine was going to be primarily a race car that got driven on the street, so since it was an auto I was just going to delete it. For a street car manual like yours, maybe keep the factory piece and have a custom boot and trim ring made for it, or else look into an aftermarket arm with the same setup.
Something like this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lok-70-shr/overview/
Something like this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lok-70-shr/overview/
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Mine was going to be primarily a race car that got driven on the street, so since it was an auto I was just going to delete it. For a street car manual like yours, maybe keep the factory piece and have a custom boot and trim ring made for it, or else look into an aftermarket arm with the same setup.
Something like this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lok-70-shr/overview/
Something like this: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lok-70-shr/overview/
I found a couple pics of the SS/zr1 vette I mentioned earlier that had a console delete (among other things to cut 900# off). If you look close at the larger pic, you can see that it is just a section of carpet covering the hump instead of a whole new carpet without a console cut-out.
^^ does that performance data say standing quarter mile 11.38?!?!
I did find a fun fact, not sure if its true but I almost wonder if this is like a world record? Says the snake skinner was sold for 17X,000$...and it has a salvage title?!?! Thats AWESOME!
I did find a fun fact, not sure if its true but I almost wonder if this is like a world record? Says the snake skinner was sold for 17X,000$...and it has a salvage title?!?! Thats AWESOME!
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I haven't read the article in years, but it's in my collection somewhere. I am pretty sure that is correct. That was on the street tires too....not drag radials. This was built for GM to show what could be done to compete with the new Vipers. If I remember correctly it had ported heads and slightly larger than stock camshafts. (2 on each head...since this is an LT5 DOHC motor) Some of the weight reduction besides the console delete was a lexan rear glass, manual seat with cloth covers, radio delete, magnesium wheels, and some other tricky stuff that left it still looking stock. It also had improvements in braking and handling. This wasn't just a car built for 1/4 times.
I removed my console and thought I'd bump this old thread with some pics. At this stage it's more of a 'proof of concept' to see if I liked it. The carpeting over the hump is the old floor mats from the car I cut up to cover the airbag computer, wiring and holes in the factory carpet. The floor mats actually work pretty good because of the stiff plastic backing, they hold their shape and the shifter boot is bolted to the mat. Ideally you'd want to replace the whole carpet but I'm not ready for that yet. I had a 6" short stick shifter on before this 7.5" one and It's nice not reaching so far down in the stock console.
I removed my console and thought I'd bump this old thread with some pics. At this stage it's more of a 'proof of concept' to see if I liked it. The carpeting over the hump is the old floor mats from the car I cut up to cover the airbag computer, wiring and holes in the factory carpet. The floor mats actually work pretty good because of the stiff plastic backing, they hold their shape and the shifter boot is bolted to the mat. Ideally you'd want to replace the whole carpet but I'm not ready for that yet. I had a 6" short stick shifter on before this 7.5" one and It's nice not reaching so far down in the stock console.
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I've been thinking about this for awhile now. I love driving my car without the console for some reason. The shifter seems a foot taller and just kinda looks oldschool. Might delete it when I get new carpet. The cup holder is pointless anyway.
93Formy, yeh the console is pretty big, without it even a short shifter seems pretty tall.
Last edited by guppymech; May 29, 2014 at 04:42 PM.
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That looks very good GuppyMech.
It is very good to see someone finally post pictures. I would have thought my old thread was forgotten by now.
I haven't done anything with my 4th gens in awhile besides drive them. Finally got back to working on my '61 and knee deep in 2 stroker 409 builds.
It is very good to see someone finally post pictures. I would have thought my old thread was forgotten by now.
I haven't done anything with my 4th gens in awhile besides drive them. Finally got back to working on my '61 and knee deep in 2 stroker 409 builds.