Rebuilding and mounting center console

[lobf]

I got a rebuilt console (from 2002AD I think?) a couple of years back, but it was never properly secured in my car since I'm missing that front bracket (also if anyone has one of those, I'd like to buy it) and it never had the rear bracket with the heat displacer things. 

 

I found a piece of my original console (on top in the attached pic) in order to mark the holes for the rear bracket, but as you can see the current holes that I have in my console for the shift cover do not align with the original. 

 

My question is how should I align the rear bracket? Should it rest on the transmission hump, and I rest the top lip of the console against the dash? Or should I ignore the preexisting holes in my console for the shift cover and align the holes based on their position in the original console? 

 

Thanks yall, 

[SydneyTii]

The piece nearest the handbrake will fit between the sides so that it can pick up the bracket mounted to the trans tunnel, so you screws may be a bit high.

The rear bracket position can be copied from the old piece, but it’s position needs to be such that the “tabs” which hold the air deflectors sit below the air outlets from the heater box.

Ive just made new sides and to be honest by the time the console is pushed under the dash I’d say friction alone would keep mine in, I pushed it in today, no screws and it’s rock solid!!

But I will screw the front bracket in.

Some pics, old and new. it’s a bit twisted so I will fix tomorrow, but you get the idea.

 

[02Les]

There should also be a support angle to attach the rear right (LHD) (rear left for RHD) to the underside of the dash.

 

Holes outlined to your pic.

 

 

 

 

[SydneyTii]

I’ve never seen that before!

My sides were original and never had the bracket, must have been the austerity package?

[02Les]

My Touring had one and the spare console (pic'd) also.

LHD part no. 51 16 1 808 633

RHD part no. 51 16 1 808 634

[SydneyTii]

Wouldn’t hurt to have one, simple L bracket would work.

[dlhoovler]

FWIW, my early '71 has no "rear" brackets (toward the firewall), just a single screw into the top of the transmission tunnel behind the plastic front of the (short) console. I see no evidence that any rear bracket ever existed. Must have been a later addition in the production run, though I'm not entirely sure why; I've never noticed any movement at all.

 

-Dave 

[Buckeye]

[lobf]

I could have sworn I looked at this thread a day or two after posting it and saw it had no replies so I figured it got lost and I just went my own way. I didn't see *any* of these responses until I already had it mounted! 

 

I was kind of feeling like the brackets were a weak way to mount it sturdily anyways, so what I did is this: 

 

I fashioned a front bracket out of a piece of brass with my hands and a Dremel, and attached the rear heat deflector thing so I had the sides of the console attached with no radio or shift surround. Then I laid it on top of a 1x2 piece of wood, traced the inside angle of the console on the wood, and cut it so it would fit wedged between the sides somewhere near the back 2/3s of the console. 

 

I attached some brackets to the wooden brace, stuck the console in the car, wedged the brace in the back, marked the screw holes with a grease pen, and drilled the brace in to the console, and eventually drilled that brace in to the transmission hump with a couple of wood screws. 

 

The thing is solid as a rock now, and for the first time in like a decade I have a super clean, sturdy center console. 

 

But naturally, as I finished wiring the radio ahead of a triumphant celebration drive, I found that my newly purchased amplifier died so I got no sound out of the speakers.  But a new one is arriving today, so I'm going to wire that up and go on a cruise with the lady! 

 

Thank you all anyways for your help and suggestions, this is such a wonderful community that's helped me keep this daily driver 2002 (the only car I have ever owned) running for about half my life now. 

[mgben]

Is there a BMW Part Number for the long console hold down bracket (under the shifter surround)?
(pic below).  If not, is it steel, and how thick? ( I can make one,  if needed.. or emailed @Forrest_KoogleWerks).

Just wondering if NLA or never offered separately. 

Thx. 

[esty]

go to lowe's or home depot buy a metal strip, bend the ends to attach to the console, drill a hole in the bottoms...personally i have never owned a car that needed or had that bracket

 

for all of the people that have never asked about it i lie and tell them yes

 

[mgben]

LOL thanks @esty The car seemed fine without it, though the carpet had the imprint as though it was there, no real evident hole through the carpet to the tunnel. 

So... I may make something to at least assist in holding things together, 

[Son of Marty]

Plumbers tape works well here and it's cheap at any hardware store.

 

http://mobileimages.lowes.com/product/converted/611918/611918068336.jpg?size=pdhi

[esty]

i wouldn't want to drill holes in the side panels to attach it...and if you go with one be careful drilling a hole in the tunnel you can goof the carpet

 

[lobf]

I did exactly what esty suggested when I did mine and just fashioned a piece of metal in to the shape. But it doesn’t really do anything, since I have it all mounted to the 1x2