repro console top plates

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burdar

Owen's Dad
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So, who has used the reproduction top plates? Both the one around the shifter and the door.

They are made overseas so the threads in the door section are metric. I could take the door to the hardware store to find out what size/pitch the screws I need are but I thought I'd check here first and see if anyone knows off hand. PG Classics didn't know.

Also, the top plate is held onto the console body with "studs" and thread cutting nuts. The studs aren't tapered like the factory ones so the original thread cutting nuts don't work. What size have you used? Same goes for the thread cutting nuts that hold on the shift indicator assembly.
 
If you are talking about the top plates for the A-body console, I used the factory screws for the console door. No problems. I also used the push-on style retainers instead of the speed nuts. These are the square ,flat style and are available at Lowes,Home Depot, Canadian Tire . Came out great and the plates are excellent quality.

Here is my auto console converted to 4-speed.

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If you are talking about the top plates for the A-body console, I used the factory screws for the console door. No problems. I also used the push-on style retainers instead of the speed nuts. These are the square ,flat style and are available at Lowes,Home Depot, Canadian Tire . Came out great and the plates are excellent quality.

Here is my auto console converted to 4-speed.

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The holes in the door are too small for the factory screws. The original speed nuts for the shift indicator assembly worked ok. The original speed nuts to hold the plate to the console are too small.
 
I'm probably going to be facing the same issue shortly. I got a reproduction set too, but, haven't installed them yet. I wasn't overly impressed with the quality myself. Instead of smoothing out all the surfaces, they just left them rather rough and chromed over the top of scratches and grind marks. I understand that you need to do a bit of grinding on the back side so the ash tray door will slide without getting a big scratch across the top surface. Anyone run into that situation?
 
This is my second set. The first set was warped badly. The front edge of the top plate stuck up in the air about 1/2" when the back of the plate was sitting flat. The door also was warped. I talked to PG on the phone and they wanted them back to look at them. They sent out another set and I just got them today upon return from the Mopar Nats. The second set is a lot better in the warpage departement. Not perfectly flat like an original one I have here but it will be fine once it's bolted down. The chrome looks OK but the silver paint on the door was sprayed right over grinding marks. I'll probably just live with that for awhile...might eventually put a carbon fiber overlay over the silver.

The ash tray door is warped but it won't be noticeable once installed I don't think. I'll make sure to check how it fits so I don't get any scratches in it when it gets opened. I test fit it on the first set of plates I had and it was fine...it didn't come close to getting scratched.

Even though there are some quality issues, I'm happy with PG in that they took them back to look at and sent me another set. Now I just need to find the correct fasteners to make them work. The same thing with the metric screw holes happened with their leather tuff wheel. The horn mechanism screws were tapped metric.
 
subscribed - I have a set for my 70 that I haven't installed yet - big thing is that the door mechanism changed in 70 from sprung closed to sprung open with a push button lock/latch - no provision in the repops for the latch/lock assembly... good thing this isn't a by-the-numbers restoration project...
 
A 6-32 screw will thread into the lid/door. My original lid used 8-32 screws so the reproduction lids do take a smaller screw. I cross referenced 6-32 to metric and got M3.5x.6

I'll compare both at the hardware store and see if they thread into each others respective nuts. If I can't find any M3.5x.6 screws I'll just get 6-32's.

I still need to figure out what speed nuts to use.
 
So, I found some speed nuts that worked. When I bought new DODGE letters for my Challenger hood, they came with zinc plated speed nuts. Since the original ones weren't zinc plated, I re-used the original ones. Those new speed nuts were the right size.

The issue is that the "pins" on the original top plate are tapered at the tip so the speed nuts will fit over them and start easily. The "pins" on the new top plate aren't tapered and it's more difficult to start the speed nuts. You have to apply some pressure while you turn the nut driver. The speed nuts I used had a shoulder on them so that I could put some pressure on them while turning. The original nuts don't have a shoulder so it would be pretty hard to start them.
 
So, I found some speed nuts that worked. When I bought new DODGE letters for my Challenger hood, they came with zinc plated speed nuts. Since the original ones weren't zinc plated, I re-used the original ones. Those new speed nuts were the right size.

The issue is that the "pins" on the original top plate are tapered at the tip so the speed nuts will fit over them and start easily. The "pins" on the new top plate aren't tapered and it's more difficult to start the speed nuts. You have to apply some pressure while you turn the nut driver. The speed nuts I used had a shoulder on them so that I could put some pressure on them while turning. The original nuts don't have a shoulder so it would be pretty hard to start them.

I have been following your posts on this topic and the more I read about the plates you bought, the more they sound like they are being made by a different supplier. Scratches in the finish, uneven plate surfaces, ashtray door not fitting , different speed nut mounting studs, different screw thread pattern (metric) etc... The plates I got from PG CLassics were perfect! Only issue I had was I couldn't find the proper size speed nuts to attach the plate to the console. Maybe PG has someone new manufacturing them or maybe the 4-speed plates are made by someone else. I have spoken to others who bought the same plates I did and they had no issues either.
 
These are from PG Classics. The ash tray door fits fine. When you compare it to an original, the new one is twisted/warped but it still fits. You'll never see it once installed. I installed it last night and it fits fine. It gets close to touching the under side of the top plate but it does NOT make contact.(does not put a scratch in the chrome)

The only thing left is to get the screws to attach the lid. Well, that and drill the hole for the tach.
 
I must be getting old. I can't remember what I did for attachment of mine.I think I ran a die down the studs and threaded machine screw sized nuts and washers. Wish I would have taken photos.
 
to some extent I'm just glad somebody is repopping them - the cost of getting a set rechromed is through the roof these days...
 
Got the console done the other day. 6-32 screws worked perfect for the storage compartment door. The door is still a little warped. It touches the console in the center but sits up on both ends. It doesn't look bad. Who knows, some of the factory ones might have been the same way. Overall I guess I'm happy with it. It's much better then pitted original ones.
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free image hosting bb
 
Got the console done the other day. 6-32 screws worked perfect for the storage compartment door. The door is still a little warped. It touches the console in the center but sits up on both ends. It doesn't look bad. Who knows, some of the factory ones might have been the same way. Overall I guess I'm happy with it. It's much better then pitted original ones.
View attachment 1715786296free image hosting bb
Would like to see close ups of the fit and finish and paint quality if that's possible
 
There are some sanding scratches in the chrome. The storage compartment door had a couple defects that were sanded and then painted over. You can still see the sanded areas. The quality is definitely hit or miss. If you can look at these in person before you buy that would be best IMO. The sanding scratches in the chrome aren't that noticable unless you are looking for them. Someone looking at the console at a show will not notice them. The warpage of the storage compartment door looks worse when you are up close and looking at it from a level possition. It looks fine from a higher angle. I've found a lot of reproduction parts have issues like this. It isn't isolated to these parts. PG did treat me well. It was over a year since I took delivery of the parts. They could have told me to get lost.

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There are some sanding scratches in the chrome. The storage compartment door had a couple defects that were sanded and then painted over. You can still see the sanded areas. The quality is definitely hit or miss. If you can look at these in person before you buy that would be best IMO. The sanding scratches in the chrome aren't that noticable unless you are looking for them. Someone looking at the console at a show will not notice them. The warpage of the storage compartment door looks worse when you are up close and looking at it from a level possition. It looks fine from a higher angle. I've found a lot of reproduction parts have issues like this. It isn't isolated to these parts. PG did treat me well. It was over a year since I took delivery of the parts. They could have told me to get lost.

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Thank you very much for taking the time to send the pictures, that helps my decision greatly.
 
The first set of parts was way worse then the second set. The automatic top plate was really warped/bent and stuck up 1/2" or more at the back. It didn't even fit on the sides. There was a gap between the console body and the top plate. The replacement fits like it should in this area.

These are the original ones that PG agreed were defective.

console2.jpg


console3.jpg


console5.jpg
 
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