Center Console Swap Out

Hello All, I have obtained a leather wrapped center console which includes the e brake and a new shifter as part of the deal. I have a 99 MY which has the basic grey speckled center console. Can anyone provide the details as to how to remove the console and how the e brake is disassembled? Thanks in advance. 99 996 Black Coupe 18" Turbo Look 1 Chrome

Check out the http://www.986faq.com/7-0/handbrake.asp as it is 95% the same. If you still need more email me and I'll send you more info.

Loren I've just obtained a painted centre (yes, I'm English!) console to match my 2000 Arctic Silver C4 tiptronic coupe. Having looked at the Boxster instructions you referred to when this topic originated last year, it all seems fairly straight forward to do the swap. However, how do I remove the tiptronic lever? (the instructions refer to a manual gear shift); and as I'm going to be swapping rather than just removing the console, is removal/replacement of the armrest and lock straight forward? I'm pretty practical and mechanically minded but don't worry about being patronising and giving me very detailed instructions!! TIA!

All the gear shift ***** I have seen either pull off or have a set screw high up next to the ****. To see which your shifter has raise the boot cover until it is over the **** and look for a set screw... if none is there then it just pulls off. You might want to open the sunroof because sometimes they come off with a snap!

Thanks for the prompt reply! The tiptronic shifter doesn't have a boot as such (or is a trans-Atlantic mis-translation? ) but a hard plastic surround - as per this picture: Does this simply lever off (potentially over-zealous levering always worries me...!) and does the **** need to be removed too? (if so, presumably this is retained somehow) Once again, TIA!

My mistake. There is a special procedure for removing the Tip shifter. I sent you an email...

Heya Loren, any chance you could send me that stuff too please I'm replacing my console and wanted to know since I have a tip too Thanks in advance!

Did the same job the other day!! Loren beat me to it but here's what I did (a little long and hope I haven't missed anything..) Not sure of your model, but mine is an early 99, unclip button by levering at the bottom (with care as watch out for spring) then lift off button. Inside you'll see the circlip/spring clip securing the shifter..Remove clip by pulling towards you - slide the shifter off shaft... The gate is a little tough to remove, strong spring clips. Not to cause damage use a plastic spatula and unclip front clips. When unclipped slide towards you slightly and remove gate from the remaining clips. Note - when fitting new gate later on, ensure plastic piece underneath has the same position/orientation as the old one which u removed. The console is straight forward, just find all the torx screws - under ashtray, inside compartment under rubber piece.. may be a few others can't remember.. dont forget the one under the coin holder. Remove armrest by removing all torxscrews underneath. Then you can get to securing strap, undo that and remove pin from hinge and spring. Remove electrical plugs for ashtray lighting, compartment microswitch, window switches etc. Handbrake cover unclips towards you. To remove the console with seats in, had to loosen handbrake on the adjusters under the console and apply handbrake to vertical position.. Console came out then.. Is probably an easier way but it worked 4 me. The interchangeable parts either clip off or unscrew, such as the lock and rear section of console.. replace with new ones and re-adjust handbrake.. Good luck!!

Thanks chaps - this will be a nice little project for this evening - assuming it really is as easy as you all make out!!

OK... as planned, on Friday night, I removed the old console. All very straight forward thanks to the various pieces of advice above. However... it was only having removed the armrest etc and begun to put these parts onto the new, painted console, I realised that the new item does not have the mountings for the armrest/lid hinge. So I had to dismantle the new console, rebuild and reinstall the old one! So, do you guys think the new console is an incorrect item (unlikely as it is otherwise identical and it has a "996..." part number), that it's a damaged item being passed off as OK or has there been a design change such that I need additional items for the hinge? Also, Loren could you let me know the part number for the mounting clip for the glovebox lid microswitch please? This was the only item not to survive transfer!

Taffy replied to my last post (I guess during the transition to the new site - so his response is not visible here) saying the new console is probably one that had suffered a known broken hinge problem (sorry, if that's not what you said or meant!) and that there is a "kit" for fixing this. Loren (king of Porsche part numbers!) do you know what it is that I need please?

Loren, correct me if I'm wrong, the repair kit# is 996 552 960 01 and consists of hinge plate, 2 u brackets and two 4mm pop rivets in black.. Col, if you want I can mail you a version of the TSB which I used.. Rgds, Richard.