400SE internals

[jvaughan]

Anyone know how to get the gear knob gator off a 400SE ?

also want to remove the handbrake gator.

[PaulCole]

Jason,

My knob (gear) has a collar that unscrews under the knob which exposes three allen head screws which when loosened allows the removal of the knob. Hanbrake gaitor on mine is connected to the gearstick gator as a single piece of stiched leather, mounted on a hardboard base that sits under the centre console. So you have to loosen (or remove although I managed to get away without removing)the console, remove the handbrake grip, mine split when I did this and then feed the whole gaitor assemply over the stick, handbrake anout out from under the centre console....good luck.

Paul

[jvaughan]

ok, problem ... Thanks for the info Paul, very useful.

Second problem. When I undo the rear screws and start to prise the centre console up, the whole dash moves.
I still cannot get the gators off dispite removing the knob and the allen screws.

Next Question: Do the Gear Gator and the handbrake Gator attach to anything underneath ? is there some sort of recess or clip that holds them tight?
I dont want to prise too much incase I end up snapping the centre panel

[Pettsie]

If its like my 350 you need to take the lower dash panel surround off then the centre console. The gaitor is retained by hardboard under the centre panel.

[jvaughan]

Unfortunatly, my dash is one piece. I donot have a centre console. It is looking like its gonna be a complete dash out job

[jmorgan]

erm, thinking aloud here. When I took the center piece out to do the heater controls on mine, there appeared to be 2 pieces. That is the surround dash bit then the tunnel top that slides into the surround and under the wood veneer?

[firefox1712]

Paul -

I think your explanation reads better without the bracketted word!

[jvaughan]