Floor Consoles - 1966 Only Version - Part 1

[thebankerstoy]

Another part that is often sold as being "one size fits all" and correct for ALL 1966 through 1970 B-Body cars, is the floor mounted center console and all of it's related parts. While it is correct that any console from 1966 through 1970 will fit into almost any 1966-1970 B-Body car with bucket seats, they are not all the same from year to year and in some cases from model to model.

I will start with the four versions of the one year only 1966 two piece fiberglass consoles first and will then talk about the 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970 consoles in separate future posts.

All of the console parts shown in part 1 of this 1966 console series are all used parts, some of them mine, but in future posts of this console series, I would like to thank my friend Mike Ross, who owns BE&A Restoration Parts Inc in Ohio, for the use of his web sites photos of many of his excellent reproduction 1966-70 B-Body console parts that you will see. Please check out his web site for more information at http://www.beaparts.com/list_items.aspx?...I&subcat=2


1966 CORONET, CHARGER, BELVEDERE AND SATELLITE CONSOLE PARTS:

All four versions of the 1966 console bodies are two piece and are made out of fiberglass, unlike the 1967 through 1970 console bodies that are one piece and made out of plastic. While the 1967 through 1970 one piece plastic console bodies are being reproduced at this time and I will cover those in a later post, the two piece fiberglass console bodies are not being reproduced at this time. There was a company offering a one piece fiberglass console body, but that's as close as those of us who own the 1966 B-Body cars will come at this time to finding a reproduction console body for our cars.

As mentioned, Chrysler actually had four different versions of the 1966 console bodies produced which include the following:

(01) One for 1966 Chargers with an automatic transmission
(02) One for 1966 Chargers with a manual transmission
(03) One for 1966 Coronet and 1966 Plymouth B-Body models with automatic transmissions
(04) One for 1966 Coronet and 1966 Plymouth B-Body models with a manual transmission

The two 4 speed versions also came with a removable fiberglass "side cover" on the drivers side of the console body to clear the 4 speed shifter linkage which I will cover in part 2 of this series.

1966 Console Parts: Main Front Console Body:

Part number: 2656305
1966 Factory Part Book section number: 23-38-1
Part description: console (body), floor tunnel, with manual transmission
Application: 2 door hardtop, convertible coupe, Coronet, Belvedere, Satellite

Part number: 2656306
1966 Factory Part Book section number: 23-38-1
Part description: console (body), floor tunnel, with automatic transmission
Application: 2 door hardtop, convertible coupe, Coronet, Belvedere, Satellite

Part number: 2657465
Factory Part Book section number: 23-38-1
Part description: console (body), floor tunnel, with 4 speed transmission
Application: Charger only

Part number: 2657466
1966 Factory Part Book section number: 23-38-7
Part description: console (body), floor tunnel, with automatic transmission
Application: Charger only

Console body - manual transmission - except Charger









Console body - automatic transmission - except Charger






1966 Console Parts: Secondary Section Of Console Body End Cap Cover - Manual And Automatic Transmissions - All Except Charger:

Part number: 4432BB9 - Dark Blue color
Part number: 4432BT6 - Yellow Tan color
Part number: 4432BX9 - Black color
Part number: 4432BY5 - Yellow Gold color
Part number: 4432BR7 - Red color
Part number: 4432BUP - Red Tan color
1966 Factory Part Book section number: 23-38-1
Part description: cap, console end, with automatic and manual transmissions
Application: 2 door hardtop, convertible coupe, Coronet, Belvedere, Satellite

The flat metal bracket with the four phillips head attaching bolts and washers shown below with the console end cap cover was used to bolt the main front section of the console body to the smaller rear secondary section of the console body and was never sold by Chrysler as a replacement part. To my knowledge, these brackets are not being reproduced by anyone at this time, so if you need one, you're either going to have to find a used one somewhere, or fabricate one yourself. The large hole in the middle of this bracket is for certain C-Body models that also used this same front and rear console body sections, but were also equipped with a rear console mounted cigar lighter. B-Body cars with the possible exception of the 1966-67 Charger models did not have this rear cigar lighter as an option as far as I can see, so if you have to fabricate this bracket, that large center hole is not needed on most all 1966 B-Body cars.

console end cap, black, part #4432BX9




Below is the metal bracket that the console end cap cover shown above is bolted to on all 1966 B-Body cars with floor consoles except the Charger models. This bracket was never sold by Chrysler Parts Departments, so if you need one, you can purchase one from Mike Ross at BE&A Restoration Parts in Ohio, or other aftermarket Mopar reproduction parts suppliers around the country, or you can try to find a used one.

BE&A part number: 131-B
BE&A part description: 1966-70 B-Body Rear Console Mounting Bracket
BE&A price: $89.00
BE&A page link for this bracket: http://www.beaparts.com/list_items.aspx?...I&subcat=2







Pat 2 of this console series will talk about all of the 1966 style 4 speed and automatic console body top finish plates.

Richard

[Moparformances]

sorry to open an old thread but a goggle search brought me hear..

my buddy has a 66 coronet and the console looks exactly like the one above.. it has no back or end piece..

does anyone know what it would look like or where to get one??

thanks D

[thebankerstoy]

sorry to open an old thread but a goggle search brought me hear..

my buddy has a 66 coronet and the console looks exactly like the one above.. it has no back or end piece..

does anyone know what it would look like or where to get one??

thanks D

Welcome to the DCR Moparformances,

The 1966 model year only console bodies, both the front and rear sections are not currently being reproduced nor have they ever been reproduced in the past, so your friend will have to find a used rear section somewhere. The 1966 only two piece floor console bodies were made out of fiberglass while the single piece 1967 through 1970 console bodies were made out of plastic. While the 1967-1970 single piece console bodies are not factory correct for a 1966 B or C-Body car, they will bolt into place with the correct mounting brackets on a 1966 car, as they are the same overall size. The good news is that if you can't find the 1966 rear section, the 1967-1970 single piece plastic console bodies can be found on Ebay and other Mopar aftermarket retailers.

More good news is that most all of the other 1966 related console parts are currently being reproduced, so if your friend needs anything else outside of the rear console body section, please let me know and I can give you some companies to check out.

Richard

[Moparformances]

Welcome to the DCR Moparformances,

The 1966 model year only console bodies, both the front and rear sections are not currently being reproduced nor have they ever been reproduced in the past, so your friend will have to find a used rear section somewhere. The 1966 only two piece floor console bodies were made out of fiberglass while the single piece 1967 through 1970 console bodies were made out of plastic. While the 1967-1970 single piece console bodies are not factory correct for a 1966 B or C-Body car, they will bolt into place with the correct mounting brackets on a 1966 car, as they are the same overall size. The good news is that if you can't find the 1966 rear section, the 1967-1970 single piece plastic console bodies can be found on Ebay and other Mopar aftermarket retailers.

More good news is that most all of the other 1966 related console parts are currently being reproduced, so if your friend needs anything else outside of the rear console body section, please let me know and I can give you some companies to check out.

Richard

thanks for the reply..

any chance you have a picture of the end piece alone, i see the pictures above.. i saw the pictures in the other thread.. but i dont see a pic of the part in question... or is it the last pic listed above??

any chance someone has a used one they would part with.. the one thing for sure my Buddy is a tightwad hes not springing for a new repop if he can get just the piece he is missing and save a penny

[thebankerstoy]

thanks for the reply..

any chance you have a picture of the end piece alone, i see the pictures above.. i saw the pictures in the other thread.. but i dont see a pic of the part in question... or is it the last pic listed above??

any chance someone has a used one they would part with.. the one thing for sure my Buddy is a tightwad hes not springing for a new repop if he can get just the piece he is missing and save a penny

I really hate to be the bearer of more bad news for your friend, but since the 1966 fiberglass 2 piece console bodies were a one year only assembly, used ones are fairly expensive and finding the rear section by itself is very rare at best.

Below is a picture of the 1966 consoles fiberglass end cap. The small metal mounting bracket shown in front of the end cap is also not being reproduced as it is only used on the 1966 consoles for the B and C-Body models except for the 1966 Dodge Chargers which use a completely different rear console section.



This picture shows the end cap with the rear metal finish plate in place. The rear metal finish plate is being reproduced as it's the same part that the 1967-1970 consoles use.



Another top view that shows the small top finish plate that bolts onto the fiberglass end cap. This small top finish plate is also being reproduced as it is the same part that is used on the plastic one piece 1967 and 1968 floor consoles. The 1969 and 1970 floor consoles also use this part but it has some wood grain material on it for those two model years.



This last picture shows the 1966 fiberglass end cap and it's two metal finish plated in place on the rear of the main front console body section. By the way, this complete 1966 console assembly sold on Ebay for well over a thousand dollars a couple of years ago.




Richard

[Moparformances]

thanks great info and pictures