HamSpiced

I like the way it looks and i have heard the negatives up to the point of "Alot of cutting was needed" and that it doesnt sit evenly. well i am a firm believer in "if it aint broke dont fix it", well i liek the 4th gen center Console and ill probably give it a try but the one thing search didnt bring up for me is. are you guys impressed with it? Or do you regret it and wish you would of stayed stock?

scauffiel

I'd never go back. Mine sits evenly and no cutting was required. One question though... "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and you're going to attempt the entire dash swap??? Methinks you don't know what you're in for. Get the fourth gen console, swap it in. If you don't like it, swap it out and sell it. Fourth gen dash... Whole 'nother ball game.

S.

HamSpiced

wow i really shouldnt mix my words up liek that ill edit that right away... no no i mean just the console and only the console...not the dash, i liek teh way my gauges look.

there was a member on here that only did the middle console liek i want to do and left everything else even the radio and hvac unit and i really liked that.

Hearing you say that youd never go back makes me feel rather happy and a bit more re-inforced in wanting to undertake this "adventure". if ya have any tips send me a PM, ill be tackling this as soon as spring comes along with many other modifications.

jocww

u guys need to make a tech article on how to do it

scauffiel

Well, this is mine:
, so if that's what you're looking to do then I think it's well worth it.

As far as tips or a tech article that would go something like this: Unbolt old one, bolt new one in. Decide what you want to do with the window buttons and then do it. I (and many others) put them into a piece of kydex plastic in place of the ashtray.

S.

HamSpiced

im thinking about making new window switches, as for the hatch i havent thought that one out yet

i like the way it looks, did you leave the old stereo bezel and what not in? can i get a front and pass side of it?

my major concern is the fact that i saw a user recently who did the swap but had like 1-2 inches of the console rise up from the floor mats, and another user said it isnt direct bolt and theres alot of cutting. a tech article would be nice but youcant talk back and interact with a tech articale.

besides i know what i want to do and how to do it, my major question is Is it worth it? are you satisfied with the swap?

A tech article cant answer that.

Redarrow1

As the owner of both a third gen and fourth gen I can not emphasize enough... THERE IS NO ADVANTAGE TO THE FOURTH GEN CONSOLE!!! Sure it has a cup holder, but its so shallow and positioned so akwardly I can only use mine to hold change. In addition, the door swings backward so it is very difficult to get into unless you are out of the seat. I have the early model console in my 96 Formula. I have heard that the later models have a swing out type holder in addition to the center cup holder. I still don't see any advantage. You will still end up like me, holding the cup between your legs. Not to mention, for those of you that have power windows and mirrors will have to rig some switches up. To me it is simply not worth the time.

HamSpiced

i want to primarily for the style. i am not too sure i like the boxy console of the 3rd gen camaro as well as i do the 4th. that and my little console black pad is an eyesore.

easySPEEDcamaro

how about the power window buttons.... do you disconnect the old ones and wire them up to the new ones or something?

85maroz28

HamSpiced if I remember right you have a camaro right? If so there is alot of modification to get the 4thgen console in your camaro. scauffiel has himself a bird which is pretty much a direct bolt-in for the console. I personally would not do the swap in my camaro unless you are a good craftsman or really good w/ fiberglass or bondo cause otherwise I think most of the times it looks like a hack job. Now remember I said most of the time I have seen some good installations that looked real clean. Well thats just my 2 cents. If you feel confident than I say go for it!

Jim 86 Bird

I'll never go back to my thirdgen one, I love it (98+ style) I'm saying this and I still haven't fabricated a panel for my windows/mirrors switches

85SportCoupeto89RS

If you have a bird then I'd go for the 4th gen center console. Now if you have a camaro your screwed unless you like cutting things to get it to fit. I like how my center console looks in my camaro, it goes with everything else in the interior.

smurfmobile

as was stated already

there is NO advantage to it

it only looks better (and only to some people)

the cupholder on the 93-97 firebird console SUCKS (the 98-02 were much better)

it IS a direct bolt in if you get a manual console

-------------------

now that aside , here's my bit of info

having window switches in an ashtray is IMHO retarded which is why I made a automatic console work that has perfect place for the switches where they're in a 3rdgen (search for my posts I Posted some pics of it few weeks ago). Now granted it did require a lot of cutting and custom work but I Think it looks better

you have to remember that there are two different kinds of firebird consoles , plus I don't know how many camaro ones.

if your 3rdgen console isn't splitting like many of them then I wouldnt' bother , 3rdgen console is MUCH more pleasant to touch (not all plastic, at least it's covered in something), MUCH more convenient and the only advantage the 4th gen one is looks and even that can be debated as looks are based on opinions , not facts...

just my two cents

I have a 1995 4th gen console and I wouldn't go back but only because I hardly ever drive my car anymore and I have the 3rdgen door cupholders. Otherwise it would go right on ebay as its functionality sucks , and the material it is made out of isn't the greatest either (93-97 bird consoles tend to squeak a lot).

Redarrow1

Finally... a voice of reason is heard from the heavens.

smurfmobile

nevermind , I deleted all the pics from my hosting place :-( sorry

HamSpiced

Yes i do have a camaro and i feel i am pretty good with my hands. i love the pics of ho wit look sin the camaro and i dont mind cutting and a little fabrication. i just wanna try it. i understand your point smurf man dont gotta make me eat it

scauffiel

CHECK THIS OUT!! WOOHOO!! THERE IS NO ADVANTAGE TO HAVING A THIRDGEN OVER A GEO METRO!!

That's right ladies and gentleboys - no advantage. You see, the Metro has two doors and a hatch! Yessiree. It has four tires! A Steering wheel! Four seats! It has an engine and transmission! It will get you from place to place! JUST LIKE A THIRDGEN! However, when you trade in your thirdgen for a metro, you may still end up like me - driving with your hands on the steering wheel. Not to mention those of you that have outrageous insurance premiums will have to do something with all of that pesky money left over when you "go advantageless" with the Metro. I mean really, what's the advantage to all that wasted horsepower? What's the advantage to T-tops? What's the advantage to any of the things a thirdgen has to offer?

Lissen up. I use the cup holders for my cups; even the Double Gulp that is constantly by my side. I don't hold it between my legs - I have other things there. I have no problems getting into my console - I use my man arms. Just put your purse down brother and you should be okay.

Yada yada yada. The advantage is WE LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS. That's why we do it. Note, that's a picture of a 98-02 console. Lemme get this straight. IN YOUR OPINION you think it's retarded to put the window switches in the ashtray. Fine, that's your opinion - but get this: It looks "factory" and no one knows that in a former life it was an ashtray. It looks as stock as yours and it didn't take days of fabbing to get done. You further want to go on to debate opinions vs facts. I like the way the console feels compared to the third gen's UH-OH!! Crap! Now we've got two diametrically opposed "facts"!! Aiieeeeee! Dammit! I also think the fourth gen one is MUCH MORE CONVENIENT than the thirdgen version! Aiieeeeee! Two more "facts" that can't possibly be! Oh no... please... say it isn't so... yes, I'm afraid it is... I like the looks of the fourth gen one 10X as much as the thirdgen. It looks like pigs are flying in that frozen wasteland we use to call hell, as again your "facts" and mine clash.

You did get it right finally - it's your two cents, but don't pass that bit o' coin off as "fact". Thank you.

Yeah, whatever. It might be more appropriate to say "another opinion is heard from the ether(net)" and you know what they say about opinions. They're like bungholes; everyone has one and invariably, they all stink. By the way Redarrow, I fully expect you to be calling your local used car lots to trade in your "gots no advantage over a Metro" thirdgen for a lovely Geo.

Steve

HamSpiced

Excellent post steve but sacasam aside we are all on our own opinions and myself i liek the 4thgen dash and i plan on doing whether those two guys try to yell at me, but lets not get this locked....

here is why i want to do the swap. below are pics of CustomX's car and FLYNLOW92rs's i love Customx's Interior but FLYNLOW92rs's is more of what i am gonna try to do.


FLYNLOW92rs 1


FLYNLOW92rs 2



Customx's

So Custom X did the entire 4thgen dash swap but i just want the console...

smurfmobile

scauffiel lay off the crack , lol , you really need some anger therapy

4th gen consoles are plastic .... FACT

plastic squeaks in cold , creaks etc.... FACT

3rdgen consoles are not ALL plastic.... FACT

ashtray is generally used for ASH or trash.... FACT

putting switches into something that is made for ash/trash is RETARDED... and that's a fact :-D

4th gen console compartment is set further back and is smaller (at least on the 93-97 consoles).... FACT

do they look better ? sure, I have one and I think so, but

are they just as good ? NO FREAKING WAY

scauffiel

And you need to lay off the bong water.

Nothing you just said has any bearing on what you previously said. Don't look now, but the whole friggin interior of your car is plastic, bungholio. If you're telling me that the effin console is the source of all those creaks and squeaks in MY thirdgen, well, you're high, it's probably the quietest thing IN my car. Or maybe you're telling me I should pull out all of those nasty, squeaky icky-to-the-touch plastic interior panels and dash and replace it with that oh so neat, trendy, never out of fashion VINYL that was used on the thirdgen console? Oh yeah, and I don't put ash or trash in MY ashtray.

By the way, that's not "anger" you're "hearing", it's SARCASM. Your sarcas-o-meter must be broken. OR... Your is head is buried to the neck and it's muffled.

Steve

TPIterror

Am I the only one here that thinks the thirdgen console looks better? Primarily the 85-92 Firebird console. Love the grid pattern..love the soft curved console lid...love the switches where *** intended them...love the soft eject ash tray...etc.

The 4th Gen console why looking "swoopy" just has a cheaper look and feel to it. But to each his own and kudos to the guys that complete the swap succesfully.

jocww

ok i got a 84 5 spd and i want to put a 98+ console so how hard is that.
also when i put my 6 spd in what will i have to change then.
thanks for the info

smurfmobile

LOL , There is a 3rdgen sitting in the garage , mint 4th gen as well , and a very nice 1st gen in the driveway (all birds for your information), I can tell you a few things about firebirds and one is that the console is the ONLY thing that squeaks in either my fathers 4th gen or my 3rd gen , the ONE AND ONLY , I realize you were in the military and can't comprehend some things unless they're yelled in your face , but I'll repeat it , ONE AND ONLY LOL

only problem with 3rdgen consoles is that the vinyl separates after a while from the plastic "structure". And finding a mint one is impossible , not to mention new ones are ridiculously expensive.

GM was getting cheaper and cheaper and the fact is that by putting in a 4th gen console you are introducing more possible squeaks and rattles into your car (as I said it doensnt' bother me , my car is rarely driven), but in a daily driver it should be something everybody thinks about before buying one.

Maybe you should try tightening some screws in your interior if it's is so noisy , it's not my problem your car was trashed on or not cared for (and please don't post any pics of the primer-mobile , I know what it looks like and I like *some* of your work but instead of acting so all and mighty you should get a phillips screwdriver and go see what's loose in your dash).

you just proved my point you don't put anything in your ashtray because... oh wait, you can't... you cut it up to put switches in there. see what I mean about functionality ? it may be ok in the 4th gen (not really) , but once you put it into a 3rdgen all its functionality goes out the window. Another thing someone should consider when putting it into a daily driver

85SportCoupeto89RS

I love my 3rd gen center console better than the 4th gens. Thats why mine will always be in SC for all of time Now 4th gen seats are another story.

Skatepunk60

I hate the fourth gen console/dash look too (Another reason i bought a thirdgen ) But i love the 82-84 T/a and the camaro consoles .. i got an 82 console in there and im gonna put the camaro one back and drop a megashifter into it .. to me thats perfection.

But i must say some of the fab work you guys do to get the dashes/consoles into your cars is commendable.

scauffiel

Whatever.

S.

smurfmobile

Redarrow1

I believe the guy that started this thread asked whether people liked the swap after they had done it. He asked for opinions and he was given many. Myself and the smurf guy stated that we didn't see any real advantage. I still don't . Why this has begun a huge debate I don't know. I would imagine the guys that have a problem with people expressing opinions still have their mommys cut the crust off of their PB&J sandwiches. For the record, the smurf guy has actually done the swap so his opinion is probably actually more fact than opinion.

FyreLance

ROTFL

This thread rocks.

nosaint

I love mine, bolted right in practically

never go back, ever

scauffiel

Dayumm, that's exactly what I did when I realized you weren't worth it.

Now that you mention it, yeah that's exactly what he asked for. So why in hell are YOU in here? Ever done it? No. Soooo, you're just flame bait. I expressed that I would never go back to a thirdgen console. Then smurfmonkey comes in here throwing his thinly disguised opinions as "facts" and calling people retarded (not that I care what the as<x>smonkey thinks) but now he's elevated it to an attack on what others have done. Nowhere was this asked for. Double check a couple of things. HE has the sh|tty console, as far as he's concerned. The last time I checked JUST LIKING SOMETHING MORE IS AN ADVANTAGE. Besides that, who gives a crap if there is an advantage? Do you get different rims because there is an advantage to them? How about blackouts? Aftemarket steering wheel? Maybe, maybe not. In actuality it's irrelevant because we GET WHAT WE LIKE.

Getting into an out of MY console is a breeze. If you guys have sucky consoles that's YOUR problem; sucks being you. 98% of everything stated in this ENTIRE "Body and Interior" board is OPINION. Don't try to shuffle off YOUR DISLIKES as a "fact". WTF does "probably actually" mean? I'VE done the swap - so why are HIS opinions facts, and mine aren't? NoSaint has done the swap. Why are smurfmonkeys opinions more "factual" than NoSaints? Flynlow digs his console swap. 86FyrBird loves his. So, again who's got the 'facts'?

I don't have a problem with opinions being expressed, not at all. When they become flamefests because someone thinks it's okay to ramrod their opinions as fact, that's pretty lame. YOU are lame. Now, since you can only imagine and not think, go ask YOUR mommy what all that means.

You're weak.

Go away.

S.

zimmstoy

iTrader: (3)

I like mine a lot, really freshens up the interior..Many people can not tell it did not come that way..

Redarrow1

How old are you?? I think you are the one that has perpetrated flame bait. I have both consoles, I have owned both generations. I didn't tell the guy not to do it I said I don't see the point. I don't care what he or you or anyone else on this board does to their cars. However, in an attempt to shut you up, I will pacify you. Your car is the greatest thing everrrrr. I can't believe I haven't swapped out a console just like you. How can I be so blind??? I have never been so wrong about anything in my life. Please provide me with a list and spec of every single thing you have ever done to your car because I want mine to be just like yours. I have never been so owned by anyone in my life. I am sure in all my travels I will never encounter anyone as brilliant and cunning as yourself. I will not only model my car after yours, I will try to make myself a better person by being just like you. And just so their is no further misunderstandings I am on medication that makes me think for myself and not jump on a bandwagon just to calm my own insecurities. I will ask my doctor to change it so that it never happens again. I apologize.

smurfmobile

ROTFLMAO !!! you've been watching little too much weakest link there buddy, hahahaha

"whatever" , I thought you were done ? guess not , you had to spew some more **** out , lol

I posted the facts above , but you changed the subject and ignored them (as you always do to make yourself feel more important), I mean , you could NEVER be wrong

lol , you only think your console isn't "sucky" because the rest of your interior is worse , that doesn't change the FACT that 4thgen consoles are more prone to squeaking than a 85-90 bird console.

have a nice day (and please do reply again , I'm enjoying this , lol)

88txiroc

Yeap, and it is now locked.

This was informative for a while. Now it has become an attack on peoples opinions. I will not delete this thread, as it does have some good information. Lets try and not make this board a playground for attacks on others.