So you wanna toss a Center Console in your rig... let's go!

[Gregski]

having tossed a console or two into my prior rigs (a 1974 and a 1954) I am now fandangling with the idea of installizing one in my beloved 1971, and so I thought what the H, I will take you along on the journey, perhaps give you some ideas, perhaps listen to some of your ideas and advice, it will be fun

so let's do it Uncle Buck style:

[Gregski]

pictured below is my '54 sporting a 2000 Dodge Durango Center Console

[Gregski]

reserved for pics on my '74 if I can find them

[Gregski]

but that's not what this thread is about (me showing off old krap) so let's talk about sourcing them consoles

THE RULES

• all of our consoles will be self pulls from a junk yard chain called Pick N Pull at a cost of around $35 bucks per pop (your mileage may vary)
  
• I like what I consider stand alone consoles, ie not integrated into the dash, my trucks for the most part use floor shifters so that's why I go with these self contained units
  
• I also do not want / like any fancy shmancy electronic doo dads in my consoles, so the simplerer the better
  
• we will be looking at consoles from full sized trucks and SUVs only, not small trucks and not mini vans (those in my past experience prove too narrow) but you do you

[Gregski]

first up was a 1999 GMC Sierra, sometimes I feel more better about yanking stuff out of GMs and putting them into GMs you know what I mean? less guilt type of thing

what I liked about this unit is that if you can get the key it does lock for that extra illusion of security, ha ha

Full Disclosure: I ended up not pulling this console, I should have, but I think I was just too lazy and tired to yank it on that day

CORRECTION: I later learned with the help of good people of this forum that this console was not native to the '99 but it came on the '88-94 models

[Gregski]

2000 Ford F150

two cup holders in the front only

light gray

this one was missing the inserts, I think they come with two inserts, one for the cup holders, and one inside the lid section

[Gregski]

1997 Ford F150

two cup holders in the front only

dark gray

this one did have both inserts and was closer to black so I yanked it and I bought it

[Gregski]

yes I'm that guy that likes to pay for things one at a time at a place like a Pick N Pull just so I know exactly precisely what it cost, as you will see later on things can get a bit bizzare when it comes to their pricing [ahem] strategies

Wait, did they really charge me an Environmental fee? God, I love California!

[Gregski]

and here's what this one looks like in a '71 dime, note the (early 90s GMC Sierra 60/40) bucket seat is just resting on the floor, no seat rails at the minute

[Gregski]

1985 Ford F150

I did not pull this one as it was missing a lid, but just giving you some more options / ideas

I really do not miss the era of matching color interiors, you know: blue truck blue seats, red truck red seats, green truck... you get the idea !

[Gregski]

2003 Ford F150 Supercab

I pulled this one but did not buy it as it was baige and I would have preferred at least a gray one since black consoles are impossible to find

[Gregski]

and here's a little stare and compare, using a porta potty as a back drop, you can see the different grays I was talking about as well as what I call the inserts aka trays, I bought the dark gray one

[Gregski]

I did manage to find that baige one in gray at another yard and I bought it

2002 Ford F150

4x4 cup holder model, lol

[Gregski]

and here it is as a trial fit

lighter gray with four cup holders, two in the front, and two in the back, I would love to find this on in black, or at least in darker charcoal gray, please lemme know if you ever see one in the wild

[Gregski]

now this next one is my favorite and yes I am calling it black, even though it's super dark gray, ha ha

not a huge fan of the AC ducting (which runs underneath it and by the way can be removed) the AC vents in the rear have to stay though, I think if you have an AC truck you can plumb into these and keep your arm pits cool or something

2000 Chevy Z71

[Gregski]

alright this next one I call the Executive and it does look a bit ridiculous temporarily installed in my '71 truck at the moment with the (GMC Sierra) bucket seat just laying on the floor, but with the seats up on rails and maybe using the narrower buckets out of a Dodge Dakota like I did in my '74 Squarebody, this could totally work, and yes this one is truly black, or at least majority of it is

2003 Lincoln

[Gregski]

earlier I mentioned when it comes to paying at your local Pick-N-Pull, expect the unexpected, lol

this is an actual receipt of me paying for the last two "black" consoles simultaneously (cause I did not want to wait in the long check out line twice)

Why didn't I say something? well I didn't notice it till I got home, you don't exactly buy two center consoles, and think hmmmm I wonder if the dude rang them up as 8 pieces of moulding, lol !?

also when I went through the line the first time with only one center console, the gal rung it up correctly, so who knows

[Gregski]

I hope you find this useful / helpful, I plan on posting an update here and there as I get closer to getting this permanently installed, in the meantime, lemme know your favorite?

[yuccales]

"Executive" would be my choice cuz it sounds stately. Seems they changed out the ghetto welded rims for fancy jack stands.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by yuccales

"Executive" would be my choice cuz it sounds stately. Seems they changed out the ghetto welded rims for fancy jack stands.

yup you have no idea how many times I needed a fourth steelie only to find those knuckleheads made yet another jack stand out of it, ha ha

[Steeveedee]

Molding!? Methinks that he's making sure you can't return/exchange it? I haven't been to a Pick-Your-Part in years, longer since I've bought anything. Last time, I was looking for a later model bench seat, but all they had was trash that looked worse than my old seat. So I bought new foam and a new cover and I dood it myself. This is interesting, but there won't be a console in my truck.

[Axle]

Whats this environmental fee? They should be discounting that since you are saving the part to reuse...

[mongocanfly]

Could you not paint them the color you want?.. I've heard good about sem paint

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Axle

Whats this environmental fee? They should be discounting that since you are saving the part to reuse...

EXACTLY, plus there is no hazardous material or chemicals there (oil, trans fluid, brake fluid, etc.)

and don't get me started on their core charges for buying something like a door or a fender

[dagnabbitt]

Interesting that Pick N Pull is a multi-national company: we have one in Edmonton, our receipts look the same and everything.

I love going there just to walk around, I always find something. In terms of consoles I have always figured that a GM truck 2010ish middle jump seat, modified a little and recovered in the same material you use for your seats, would look kind of cool. I was specifically thinking of you because I know you have a thing for those 88 buckets, one of these would look good in between. Ironically they were more of a base-model equipment since the upgrade was captains chairs and a solid plastic console.