Centre console trim pad

[oldelanman]

Hi All,
Anyone know when the trim pad on the top of the centre console changed from flat to wrap-over ? My S4 has a flat pad but other cars of a similar age seem to have the other type - was it age related or is it an S/E or Sprint thing ?

I am toying with the idea of making up a wrap-over pad as it would hide a split I've had to repair in the console itself and help to hold it together - anyone know if the correct welded seam vinyl is available anywhere ?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

[mac5777]

Roger, mine is a S3 with the wrap over style. Its a piece of aluminum bend to shape with some padding and vinyl glued and attached to the backside. Pretty simple to make and it just slides on over the center console and carpet, not even attached or at least on mine. Sorry I don't know when the style changed. If you need a picture, let me know, I can't get to it now.

Sarto

[fatboyoz]

My standard (non S/E) 68' S4 also has the flat trim panel as well as non basket weave vinyl seats. I also considered making the wrap-over pad to hide a crack, but wasn't sure what to make it out of. Probably would have gone down the fibreglass route if I had.
My centre console was almost cracked in two. Had it plastic welded at a place that repairs plastic bumpers for modern cars. Unfortunately, the finished result was still quite flimsy. The final solution (new ones are hard to come by down here), was to put a layer of fibrglass matting over the complete underside. This has stabilised the the plastic and joined the cracks back together. This, along with a newly manufactured flat, top trim ensures that it will endure the occasional elbow digging in a little too hard.
Sue Miller lists new centre consoles, with the top pad, in her latest cattledog.
Colin.

Hi All,
Anyone know when the trim pad on the top of the centre console changed from flat to wrap-over ? My S4 has a flat pad but other cars of a similar age seem to have the other type - was it age related or is it an S/E or Sprint thing ?

I am toying with the idea of making up a wrap-over pad as it would hide a split I've had to repair in the console itself and help to hold it together - anyone know if the correct welded seam vinyl is available anywhere ?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

[pereirac]

My Sprint has the wrap-over pad, nothing fancy like aluminium, just the same thin plastic as used on the crash pads. The trim pad is just fixed to the top of it and the whole thing just slides over the transmission tunnel. I would guess some replacement ones are now fibreglass but they are probably stronger than the originals.
I would try Sue or Paul Matty first

Carl

[stuartgb100]

I was at Susan Miller's last week.
She has had some centre consoles made and is in
the process of having them covered.

When she is satisfied, they will be available.

Regards,
Stuart.

[oldelanman]

Thanks for the replies.

So far then we have 2 standard S4's with a flat pad and a Sprint and an S3 with the wrap-over type, could it be that your S3 is an S/E Sarto ? That would then imply that standard spec cars had flat and S/E and Sprint had wrap-over.....anyone else like to chip in ?

Colin, I used the same repair process as you did....weld the crack then fibreglass the back .... although my welding was done with a soldering iron.

Stuart, Did you notice if the Sue Miller ones had a flat or wrap-over pad ?

Regards,

[mac5777]

I don't think ii is a SE as there are no marking of it anywhere. It came off the production line in June of 1966. I think it was one of the earlier coupes.

Sarto

[Gordon Sauer]

Mine's a late build 67 S3 DHC without wraparound--owned since 72. Gordon Sauer

[mac5777]

I was told day that my S3 because it had a light blue or as I saw it a teal blue cam cover, that it may be a SE. ??

Sarto

[oldelanman]

I was told day that my S3 because it had a light blue or as I saw it a teal blue cam cover, that it may be a SE. ??

Sarto

Hi Sarto,
According to Miles Wilkins' and Graham Arnold's books the blue cam cover was used on the standard engine and the S/E cover was green. Also Brian Buckland has airflow ventilation introduced on the S3 FHC at chassis number 36/5811 and the FHC S/E version from 36/5977 Your chassis number pre-dates both of those so I guess that means if it's not airflow then it's probably not S/E either. That's not to say that yours isn't an S/E centre console though, the part would have been available in the factory for the DHC cars and could have been fitted in error or because of standard part shortages. Who knows ?

Regards,

[Famous Frank]

Was looking at some old archives as I just picked up my body from the body shop where we lifted and put the body on the frame. Like an idiot, I forgot to bring the pad that goes between the body and the frame, .......so although I now have the body home and beautifully painted and united with the frame, I have to lift the body again to install the pad. Oh well!

But while looking in the archives I started reading this thread. I have BRAND NEW CONSOLES and BRAND NEW CENTER CONSOLE PADS. The flat type not the wrap around. Feel free to send a PM if interested.

[Paul Chapman]

For what its worth my 68 S3/SE has the wrap around type arm rest and S4 style perforated seats.

[Frank Howard]

For what it's worth, Famous Frank makes a quality consoles. Probably stronger than the originals.

My car came with the standard flat pad, not the wrap around.