I just rescently bought an 86 Firebird......

and I cant find any cup holders. This scares me.
Did they really not include one?

 

nope there isn't a single 3rd gen F-body that i've seen with OEM cup holder, want one that looks somewhat stock buy a 4th gen or buy 4th gen interior for your car. Dont want to change your interior? No problem 1. put your drink between yours legs. 2. if its an auto hold it in your hand. 3. Get a bitch that can hold your drink for you. 4. buy a cup holder

 

Acctualy the GTA could be had with cupholderlike things on the lower doorpanels I have a set of them layin around sumwere...

 

not just GTA, I've seen them on several later model birds, like 90-92. they had a cup holder and map pocket

lol besides you shouldnt drink and drive

 

can't promise 90, but 91 and 92 could be had with a map pocket/cup holder molding that attatched to the lower door by your knees. Utterly useless, while it could hold a lot, but think about slamming that extremely heavy door with a drink in it and wonder whats going to happen...for you, it's semi-easy...buy a 4th gen firebird center console, 93-96 have 1 cup holder, while 97-02 have 4 cupholders, looks nearly stock, and has great function, and you have to do nearly nothing to make them fit. Do a search in the little red tool bar above and you will be given plenty of cases inwhich people have used 4th gen center consoles, and if you look long enough you should be able to find ample pictures from different angles, it really looks good.

 

I have power windows, with the switches on the center console.
Is it possible to swap in a 4rth gen console and retain the switches?

 

if your car is automatic...to use the center console with an auto shifter plate, there must be some changes made, and if i'm not mistaken using the 4th gen auto shifter (using 4th gen shifter may fix problem...not sure). Anyways, most with automatics use the manual shifter plate cover to make it all the more simple. With the manual shifterplate, the ashtray is behind the boot opening, so it puts it approximately where the switches used to be, and most people make a plate to go in there to hold the switches, and leave the ashtray cover there to cover the swtiches to conceal them. I'm contemplating putting them there, or putting them in the useless little pocket (can't fit hand into the deep pocket) that is next to the cigarette lighter infront of the shifter. I was going to make a face plate there and put the switches there, not sure, might be hard if you got a 5 speed, when in 5th gear for the passenger to reach for thier switch. I may just put them under neath the ashtray door. As far as if you have power mirrors, i have seen people put the switch in that openning that i mentioned that is the little pocket, of which i believe you would have to either lengthen the wires, or go through the trouble of removing the driver seat, and pulling the power mirror switch harness all the way back to the dash, and then route it to the front underneath the radio if you really didn't want to cut up your harness. Leaves a little room for creativity, and as mentioned, it's very simple to do, while adding a lot of creature conforts of a newer car (coin holder, cupholders, tape/cd case holder, storage pocket, and a lot less years of aging compared to yours).

 

oh boy. Sounds like fun

 

well thats why many opt for the manual shifter plate because you just take the t-handle off and slide the console in, use the back two bolt holes inside the center console just like the third gen console, and then put the shifter plate in, and with the manual boot it makes it that much more simpler not trying to fit it into a guide. You get the pocket, an extra cigarette lighter, 1 or 4 cup holders compared to 0, and as mentioned, you can get the coin holder for inside the console, and it's molded with at least a cd case rack inside, i think it also has provisions for cassette tapes as well. Not to mention the center console is marginally larger so that you have a bit more storage space overall. It's just a thought, or you can hunt down the door cup holder units, which in good condition is becoming more and more rare.

 

all 90-92 Firebirds/TA's had cupholders on the door panals unless they were manual window cars.

 

Steve do you still have the console from that LT1 firebird you parted out?