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Since the center console is in relatively good shape, I don't think it needs to be rebuilt entirely. A fresh covering of vinyl should make it look brand new. Before I send it out to a local upholsterer, I need to clean it up first.

I began by taking a look at the gearbox cover plate and the piece of the dashboard that fits below the dash on the driver's side. Both had surface rust, so I went to work with a wire brush and some cleaner/degreaser. Next I went to work on the console. There was a considerable amount of surface rust on the bottom. I removed much of the rust with a wire brush and cleaned the surface off using hot water, some Simple Green, and a scouring pad. First I removed the top tray of the console, which has the ashtray assembly attached. There were four screws underneath that I had to remove to drop this tray. Then I gave the exposed metal a coat of rust-inhibiting primer to seal the surface. I did the same with the back of the gearbox plate. With the primer these pieces should hold up for another 40 years! When I go to the upholsterer I will also bring the trim piece that fits over the rear edge of the seating area. It is a U-shaped bracket that finishes off the edge where the back/bottom of the car's top would meet the body of the car. I also wire-brushed, cleaned, and primed this piece. The next step is to find a good local auto upholstery shop and take these pieces to be re-covered in new vinyl.