I'm repairing my '71's console and I see in the manuals that the stick cars with consoles didn't use the lights harness. I get that the extension harness to power the console harness wasn't there to plug into, but I'm thinking of adding it in and powering the console compartment and rear floor light. Anyone tried this to say it won't work for some reason? It's a head scratcher why they'd not provision it to work like an automatic would.

The manual's not clear to see where the 'c' type clip that has the two ground wires on the console harness goes, I'm assuming it just slides on one of the console mounts on the floor?

 

It would work just fine, I have lights in the manual console in my wagon. I’d presume the ground clip slides onto the aft console floor mount.

 

Ground would go on the shifter bracket on regular auto shifter or dual gate. You would have an unused light that would light up the auto shifter. I’m sure they omitted this so it would not get ripped apart by manual shifter. I am restoring a 4 speed and was thinking of trying this too, I have not ripped out the dash harness yet. Is the unused connector for console harness even there? You would need to invent a place for griund wire.

 

I took a look under the dash. It looks like the harness is equipped with the feed. There's a couple other orange single connectors for other accessories also available. I think one's for a clock, which I don't have. I'm just waiting for the harness extension to show that I ordered from The Parts Place. It's a drop ship coming from a 3rd party it appears. I had to put a new console boot in, also from The Parts Place. It's pretty stiff, I'm hoping it doesn't rip out the holes in the material like the last one did. If there were a place out there making leather or something similar versions I would have opted for that vs this rubber. I don't know if the rubber's what they'd have came with or not. I was leaning toward not putting the console back in and switching out to a non-console carpet. I liked the clean and simple look, the wife not so much.

 

I would stick with the console. Do whatever you need to do to make it work. I always use Factory Fit wire harness. They make them. Others like Parts Place and Fusick are just mark up houses. I’m guessing one of your other harness connectors is for under dash courtesy harness. I’ll keep following this to see if you get the wiring and lights working,

 

I modified an auto console for my wagon, so I could relocate the manual shifter position. The auto console already had the harness. I didn't use the socket for the shifter light and grounded the black wire to the floor mount.

I had no problems other than trying to find the missing switch for the compartment light (which has since been reproduced).

 

It took so long to get the harness extension I was impatient to get the car back together. About a day after I put the console back in the harness showed up. Murphy's Law. So, until I've got cause to get that thing out again I'm putting off the install of the harness.

 

They always say they are all backed up. No matter who you get things from. I would like to know when these companies are not busy.