I was fixing my console yesterday, and accidentally broke the shift indicator off. When I was putting the shift cover plate back on, I stupidly didn't get the indicator seated right and it broke off when I put the car in gear. The funny thing is, there's more missing than what I broke off, so I think the reason it broke so easily is that the PO did the same thing, I just finished it off. I googled it and ebay'd it, and all I can find is the entire shift plate for sale, and they aren't cheap. All I need is the little clear plastic thing with the orange tab on it that shows what gear you're in. Junkyards are an option, but finding third gens there is not easy. Anyone know where I could pick one up? Just a shot in the dark, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

 

I didn't know they were supposed to have one. Mine doesn't, but I wish that it did, and had planned on trying to rig something up. Now I have something else to look into.

 

Lol....sounds like maybe a PO on your side had issues too. But yeah, under the shift plate cover for an auto trans there are four screws that hold the shifter boot cover to the plate. If you take those off, the bottom of the boot and the shift indicator will be revealed. It's just a little clear plastic piece that has a hole in it that the shift lever goes through when you slide the boot over it, and it slides back and forth in a groove in the plastic base that the boot cover is attached to. The little orange tab that sticks out so you can see what gear you are in is what broke off. It happens if you don't get the indicator seated right when you put the shift plate back on. The worst part about getting the shift plate cover off is that I had to take the radio cradle out too, which entails also loosening the heater/ac controller, as well as the hatch release and defroster buttons and their bezel. It's a pain, but pretty quick work once you've done it a time or two.

 

Holy cow...maybe I don't want it that bad!

The sides of my console are pulling apart. I figure a complete console overhaul is in order, and I'll check out the indicator then. Thanks for the detailed description.

 

Yeah, that was my problem too, that's what I was working on. I did get the console looking halfway decent. Technically, mine isn't fixable in the sense of getting it to look new. The vinyl is separating from the plastic. I didn't realize it, but that vinyl is actually stretched over a plastic core. There's a foamy type material adhering the two together, and once that gives way, it's tough to get them to stick together, that's why it separates. I wanted some kind of metal clips (shaped like a tube with one side cut out so it could grip longitudinally) to fasten the two together, but could not fabricate them and didn't want to drive to Lowes to see if such a thing existed, so I improvised. I got the vinyl where I wanted it in relation to the plastic, then held it there while I drilled small holes with a tiny drill bit where the top of the vinyl meets the top of the plastic. Then I took small plastic zip ties and pulled them through the holes, making sure to put the "knot" under the lip so it wouldn't interfere with how the shift plate sits. I did 7-8 of them, then used dabs of a heavy duty plastic weld epoxy over the holes where the zip ties were pulled through so the vinyl would not tear loose again. When you put the plate back on, you can't see any of this if you do it right. So far it looks decent and I think will stay together for a while. I'm sure someone on here that knows more about it than me will laugh at the way I did it. Oh well...... But if you do work in there, you'll have to take all that stuff off to get to the plate. You can't pull it straight up without taking the radio cradle out, at least, I couldn't find a way to. The cig lighter and ash tray are in the way and have to come straight up to come out because there are little clips under there that won't pull out any other way. So make sure you pull it straight up or you might break them off! Of course, I see you have an 88 and mine is a 92, could be yours is easier to deal with?

 

AFAIK, you won't find the separate pieces to the shift plate.

FWIW, not all Camaro shift plates are the same. However, they'll all bolt up. Early shift plates don't have the gear pointer like the '92's. I don't know when this redesign occurred. There also was a change in the color of the quadrant letters from white to yellow.

Almost all "affordable" used plates that I have seen have cig burns all over them or are pretty ratty. Nice used ones cost almost as much as a new repro one.

Most all repro plates I have seen have the gear pointer.

 

I have the underside piece with indicator for your shift plate.Its the whole piece that attaches with 4 bolts

 

Ok. Send me a PM, we can talk...... I have pay pal, can you use that?

 

pics

 

Sent you a PM.....

 

Thx. Sent another PM with an offer.