still looking for console information

[str12-340]

I have a couple A-body consoles that I picked up at a swap meet. I ended up with them out on the garage floor with the original console out of my 1970 Dart GT. These consoles are "cut off short" on the front end with a metal plate to cover the end. Both are exactly the same so I don't think this is somebody's custom engineering. The GT is an original AC car so it's not something that was done to clear the AC heater box. Can folks check the consoles on their cars and see if anybody has one of these consoles? Thanks!

 

[Professor Fate]

In my dealership days in the late '70s I remember helping the parts guy toss a bunch of them- said they were for cars that were getting dealer installed air, and since they hadn't built A bodies for years now, they didn't need to be taking up his space anymore...
So yeah, your factory ac Dart would have the full console, there was no interference with the underdash air vents- but cars that got dealer installed underdash knee knocker ac units needed shorter consoles if so equipped.

 

[Demonic]

Could have sworn this was covered in another thread. As stated above in post 2, the A/C cars with consoles are the "short" ones. I parted out several A bodies in the 90's, but all were 72 or later - saw several that way, console won't fit otherwise with the factory duct below the dash frame. No AC - regular console without the cut. Maybe something was changed with the duct setup after 71-72? That's what I observed. Maybe someone with a 73-ish parts book can say?

 

[RedFish]

I know the console was cut short at the nose for a/c clearance. What I dont know is what year this change began. I have one of the dealer installed knee knocker a/c units, pulled from 69 or 70 Dart (I forget). Its facia/vents looks almost identical to the factory air vent assembly so this thing had to be contracted and/or licensed to that mfgr. Shortening the a/body console could have been part of that.

 

[Syleng1]

The short ones would be great also for under dash gauges clearance.

 

[HemiSSDart]

In my dealership days in the late '70s I remember helping the parts guy toss a bunch of them- said they were for cars that were getting dealer installed air, and since they hadn't built A bodies for years now, they didn't need to be taking up his space anymore...
So yeah, your factory ac Dart would have the full console, there was no interference with the underdash air vents- but cars that got dealer installed underdash knee knocker ac units needed shorter consoles if so equipped.

This is the correct information. I have had about a dozen of them, some actually did have the aftermarket A/C setups still in them. I don't think they started until 1973, but I had one in a 72 but couldn't tell you if it was original.

 

[A56]

I thought they were for 4 speeds

 

[str12-340]

My impression is that once installed, you would have to feel around to see which console you had and that you wouldn't be able to tell if you used one of the short ones just by looking while seated in the car.
Is it correct that nobody makes a replacement console (the fiberglass base that is...)?