Removing or replacing the center console on a 1969 Camaro should be done with care if it is original. It is likely to be fragile where it bolts to the floor and at the sliding shift cover on an automatic. Parts are difficult to locate at a reasonable price. There are several compatible shifters available for the 1969 model. Replacement parts -- not necessarily NOS -- are available from several aftermarket sources.
Disconnect the negative battery terminal if the console has factory gauges. Engage the parking brake or block the tires and put the transmission in neutral. Remove the shift knob. If it is a manual transmission, just unscrew the knob. If it is an automatic, loosen the small Allen screw in the base of the shifter handle.
Slide the shifter handle up and off the shifter tube. Notice the plastic rod in the tube. This is the detente rod that gets pushed down when the buttons on the lower part of the handle are depressed. It allows the shifter to move through the gears and prevents it from doing so in neutral, reverse or park, when released.
Remove the shifter cover plate. In the case of a manual transmission, remove the Phillips screws in the four corners of the plate. Some automatic transmission covers also have four screws, but more than likely will have rectangular spring clips affixed to the backside of the cover. If this is the case, use a small screwdriver to carefully pry the cover up, releasing the trim fasteners. Lift either cover up and over the shift rod. Be careful not to lose the slider cover for the automatic.
Remove the two Phillips screws in the front outside of the console. Two more screws can be seen now that the shift cover has been removed. The last screw will be under the rear ashtray. Lift the front of the console up just enough to disconnect the gauges using small electrical wrenches. Remove the console.
