Trollalot1

Looking for a new console.

89Warbird

I haven't seen any new center consoles at all for Third Gen Firebirds. The closest is a new top plate from Hawks. Good Luck!

ksr

I've searched a ton of websites and haven't seen any new ones. The few refurbished ones that I've seen tend to be expensive and often don't even look very good.

This is one part that I wish they'd make a replacement for. Even cars that have been well cared for often have the warping on the console. My GTA was pretty well pampered by it's one former owner for 29 years. Only 32K miles in all that time, obviously kept clean and garaged before I bought it 16 months ago. But despite that, the console is still warped on the top edges.

Maybe someone will 3-D print them.

RunawayRadio

iTrader: (2)

If only. I 3D print all kinds of stuff for third gen cars and while it`s possible to do it, It`s hard to say if anyone is ready yet to pay what it costs to print. We've been spoiled by decades of cheap chinese manufacturing and affordable good used items.

ksr

I'm surprised that these haven't been manufactured by someone. It looks to me like the two most commonly needed Firebird parts for cosmetic reasons are wraparound spoilers and center consoles. Both often go bad no matter how well-maintained the car. Hawks sells the fiberglass spoilers, but no one does the consoles. I'm lucky that my console isn't too bad, but it's only going to get worse over time.

Give me a new console and my interior is pretty darn close to showroom.

Trollalot1

Wow, you can 3-D print a console, what would that cost? It might come down to that for me LOL

J.C. Denton

iTrader: (1)

Exact same problem here, my GTA has 20k miles and exterior and interior is in showroom condition except for the center console. The top edges start to warp. That drives me crazy. Even my 92 TA with 52k miles looks better on the edges. But I don't want to swap them over because the 92 has a mint interior also. If someone would reproduce the center console I would be one of the first customers. But only if it is a 100% match to the original console and not made like the wrong casted 90-92 shifter plate from Hawks. I was really pissed about it and found a mint used original one.

RunawayRadio

iTrader: (2)

Honestly, you can print almost anything, given enough time . As for cost, I would ballpark it to come out between $500-800 CAD for the frame with post processing work, but this wouldn't include the time to reverse engineer the actual model itself or add the vinyl/foam backing. I don't know what that would cost but I can't imagine it to be more than a 3/400 bucks more.

Right now, good used consoles can often be had for <$150 and they can be fixed relatively easily with the right adhesive. If we're talking north of $800 for a reproduction, that's NOS territory and I feel like people would be expecting pitch perfect restoration quality as a result. It's possible, but would be really hard to make a dollar on at that price point if you're going Resto quality. On the other hand, if you're only looking for a replacement of the hardshell plastic or making a customized part, that's where it gets interesting. The advantage of 3d printing is that you could actually update or customize the console design whenever you wanted for a customer (like adding a firebird logo embedded into the side for example), and literally make them to order without keeping any stock on hand. The short of it is that you can get pretty close with 3D printing, however, it's a different technology than injection molding (like the originals used) that makes a very similar, but different product.

I was thinking the same thing awhile back, but realistically i don't think anyone is willing to put out the money yet to invest in legit reproductions. The third gen car is a pretty modern platform and a great example of when modern design parted ways with the more utilitarian cars of the 60' and 70's (ex fuel injection vs carb, actual fabrics vs vinyl seats, etc). There are still a lot of these cars out in the wild (GM made something like 1.3M of the damn things) and while there are an increasing number of people willing to take on the cost of repairing or replacing some of the more expensive parts, I'm not sure we're there just yet. On the other hand, even metal becomes a wear item on a 30 year old car and needs to be replaced, so maybe we're not far off from that point either. Personally, I'm looking forward to when that floodgate opens .

Speaking of spoilers though, I actually started working on designing a new wing for my GTA last night. I already have a fibreglass wraparound one from hawk's that I'm bored with but i also have a spare trunk lid and figured an obnoxious 3D printed carbon fibre wing would turn some heads at the local shows. It'd be functional, but also easy enough to swap back out whenever i get tired of that one and want to go back to old reliable aero, lol.

ksr

Where do you find "good used consoles" because I've had no luck at all. And definitely not for <$150.

I can't imagine there would be a lot of money to be made in producing reproduction consoles. But as you can buy wraparound spoilers, I'm surprised that the consoles aren't available. Not every Firebird has the wraparound spoiler, but they all have these deteriorating consoles.

RunawayRadio

iTrader: (2)

Quebec, Canada

Trollalot1

I think I might try installing one from a 4th gen, its a 1998 firebird.

dmccain

iTrader: (2)

I haven't seen a good used firebird auto console for aleast 10yrs ! Got to be $ in reproducing one, I would be one of the first in line for one.

W.E.G.

Try Jason Fritz on Facebook. He's the admin at F-Body Graveyard. He has tons of third-gen Camaro and Firebird parts.

I've bought from him on several occasions. He seems to use mostly Facebook Messenger to communicate.

Join his group https://www.facebook.com/groups/278155086013683/

ksr

I'm pretty sure members here have done that. I'd rather retain the original look (though that cupholder would be nice), but it might come to this someday.

Trollalot1

I'll post some pics of my interior after the 4th gen console swap.

GTAjon

If your talking the plastic console under the shifter...I LOVE my Hawks repo.

ksr

This looks like it's in very good shape, but $250 + $54 shipping...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-1986-1...e/193011754203

GMPlayersQc

Hi, may have what you are looking for, Im in quebec, where are u from...