How to remove shifter to replace carpet?

[GNRick]

Is it necessary to remove the metal housing around the shifter? Looks like it could get complicated. Could I just cut the new carpet and slip it under the shifter? The center console will hide everything anyway. Thanks.

 

[Onalky87]

Unbolt the 4 bolts on the rusted piece that attached to the floor. Then there's a codderpin holding the linkage cable in once that's removed the carpet comes out with nothing in the way. Then all u gotta go to feed the valve threw tw hole inthe carpet once the new one is in

 

[GNRick]

Unbolt the 4 bolts on the rusted piece that attached to the floor. Then there's a codderpin holding the linkage cable in once that's removed the carpet comes out with nothing in the way. Then all u gotta go to feed the valve threw tw hole inthe carpet once the new one is in

Thanks! I saw the screws and cotter pin but wasn't sure that would do it.

 

[Onalky87]

Your welcome!! Yup the codderpin and 4 bolts that go to the floorpan. The cable stays coming outa the floor and the hole shifter essembly comes out as one.

 

[billsgn]

Why are you replacing that carpet? :biggrin:

 

[GNRick]

Why are you replacing that carpet? :biggrin:

The carpet looks fine but I'm getting the car painted and I have some rust on the floor. I'm going to start a new thread on how to repair the rust. Anyway, it's like moving into a new house and buying new furniture for it. If I'm getting the car restored, may as well get new carpet. I got the shifter out!

 

[whitecobra98]

I didnt have to take the shifter out to replace my carpet, as the console covers that area anyway ....i cut a small hole, then made it bigger as necessary...take out, put in, take out, put in.....after the better part of the day the carpet was in

 

[GNRick]

I didnt have to take the shifter out to replace my carpet, as the console covers that area anyway ....i cut a small hole, then made it bigger as necessary...take out, put in, take out, put in.....after the better part of the day the carpet was in

The shifter came out real easy. Just four screws and a cotter pin. But whatever works.:smile:

 

[whitecobra98]

I agree that it would have been ez to pull it out, but the new carpets have a lot of excess material front and back side to side, so it made it a little easier having the shifter in there as a reference point for my trimming

 

[GullsGN]

The carpet looks fine but I'm getting the car painted and I have some rust on the floor. I'm going to start a new thread on how to repair the rust. Anyway, it's like moving into a new house and buying new furniture for it. If I'm getting the car restored, may as well get new carpet. I got the shifter out!

If the rust is surface rust, just wire brush it and paint with POR 15. If it is pin holes, skim it with fiberglass and paint with POR 15. Anything more and it is cutting, patching, welding, etc.

 

[Bruce Urie]

Carpet removal and painting floor

Here you go: First, the old carpet


What I found under the carpet



I then scrapped up all the rust on the floor with a wire brush and vacuumed it up with a wet/dry vac

Every nut and bolt, trim piece, etc. I took out of the interior was placed in a labeled food bag and put aside

Continued below.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Bruce Urie]

Then I used Marine Prep/Cleaner on the rusted floor, scrubbing it and keeping it wet.


I vacuumed up the cleaner with a wet/dry vac


After drying for about 15 minutes, I applied the Prep &Ready etcher to the rust, keeping it wet for how long it said on the can


After vacuuming it up and letting it dry, I put on the POR15 (on the pinholes I have marked with yellow marker, I used a little fiberglass cloth mixed with POR15) I used silver POR15 as this mix is thicker and fills deep rust, holes better. I used the POR15 on both sides of the pin holes.


After letting the POR15 dry, I painted the areas with Krylon Indoor/Outdoor semi gloss black. The camera flash makes the paint look mismatched but it matched very closely to the original paint...I didn't care about match at all as it will be covered up by carpet and I don't expect people to rip out the seats, lifting the carpet just to see my floor.
Driver side:


Continued:

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Bruce Urie]

Passenger side painted floor


Then I put down the original felt that came under the original carpet. Note rust stains...no problem with me.


Putting in the new carpet, cutting, etc. Note, I didn't take out the shifter



Finished job



I got the carpet from my good friends, Glen and Leslie at NOS4GN, two very nice and intellingent, helpful people. The carpet is the type that has the heavy rubber backing. I originally was going to put in the lightweight carpet that had just the jute backing, but I changed my mind, as I wanted to put in what originally came with Dad's car. I sold the lighter carpet to Dustin, a member here on the board and now serving in Iraq. He plans to be home in December for good and he tells me he can't wait to get started on his Grand National, really pumped up about it, too. He greatly deserves it.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[TurboBuRick]

That looks fantastic!

Hit those sill plates with some mothers now. Really set it off.

 

[Onalky87]

Came out amazing!! So r u glad u didn't cut ur new carpet up to get it around the shifter?:wink:

 

[GNRick]

Bruce- interesting how you had more rust in the front floor than I have, but I have more rust in the rear floor than you. I also have the three part POR-15 system and will do the same as you did on the floor boards except for the bad area in the rear. I'll let the bodyshop deal with that area. Looks like you did a real good job. My pics are in this thread

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/general-turbo-buick-tech/334727-advice-rust-repair-please.html

 

[TRICKSIXPA]

Very nice I would have taken out the shifter and put the carpert in little cleaner but the console does cover all that. Later on down the line I would take the shifter off and have it blasted to get rid of the surface rust on it. I'll be doing this
in the spring but my floors need a bit more work. Nice pictures.

Stefan

 

[Bruce Urie]

Fellas, all the compliments on this job I can't thank you enough for. It makes me feel just as good, if not better, about all the work I put into this. Very uplifting to me and I'm real pleased you all liked the work here.

GNRick, you having the shop deal with the holes in the rear pan is a good idea. I couldn't believe the amount of rust that you showed there. I'm glad mine wasn't that bad. Looks like I was just damn lucky in this respect. Don't forget to post pictures of your finished floor, I want to see how good a job they did.

Yes, I'll hit the sill plates with Mother's. I polished them up originally with Dupont No. 7 polishing compound, but I guess they could use some sprucing up.

Cutting the hole for the shifter was no problem, I just used the original carpet as a pattern, laying it over the new carpet and outlining it with white chalk.

And that is a good idea, having the shifter blasted. I think I'll do that this coming summer. Thank you for the idea. (but why do it? No one will see it.)

Again, thank you for all the compliments.....it made me feel real happy today. It takes a lot to impress all of you professionals out there and I'm glad with at least one project here I did. Thank all of you kindly.:smile: I'm smiling all day with this.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Bruce Urie]

Fellas, all the compliments on this job I can't thank you enough for. It makes me feel just as good, if not better, about all the work I put into this. Very uplifting to me and I'm real pleased you all liked the work here.

GNRick, you having the shop deal with the holes in the rear pan is a good idea. I couldn't believe the amount of rust that you showed there. I'm glad mine wasn't that bad. Looks I was just damn lucky in this respect. Don't forget to post pictures of your finished floor, I want to see how good a job they did.

Yes, I'll hit the sill plates with Mother's. I polished them up originally with Dupont No. 7 polishing compound, but I guess they could use some sprucing up.

Cutting the hole for the shifter was no problem, I just used the original carpet as a pattern, laying it over the new carpet and outlining it with white chalk.

And that is a good idea, having the shifter blasted. I think I'll do that this coming summer. Thank you for the idea. (but why do it? No one will see it.)

Again, thank you for all the compliments.....it made me feel real happy today. It takes a lot to impress all of you professionals out there and I'm glad with at least one project here I did. Thank all of you kindly.:smile: I'm smiling all day with this.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Bruce Urie]

What the hell? Double post????!! Sorry, don't know what did. (maybe too many beers:wink

Bruce '87 Grand National