Repairing Center Console Hinges
   by Mason Perkins
   Mason.Perkins@MCI.Com

   I finally got around to fixing the hinge on both of my first gens this past weekend. I thought some on this list might be interested in how i did it.

   I used a standard hardware store 2" hinge and a 5/8" x 5/8" x 3-1/2" piece of wood. Use a drill press if you have access to one. The hinge you use may require some adjustments to the plan.

1. Remove the console.

2. Remove the broken hinge held by two screws and a strip of metal on the underside of the console.

3. Place the hinge in reverse position thru the slot in the console where the old hinge went and lay the console upside down on a flat service.

4. Place the 5/8" strip of wood over the holes that was holding the old hinge. This will give you an idea how things will screw together. I know it's hard to visualize from here. The hinge will attach to the wood with two screws and the wood will attach to the console using the screw holes that held the metal strip.

5. Mark the height of where the hinge comes up on the wood. This will be used to locate the holes for attaching the hinge to the wood.

6. Use the holes from on the metal strip to mark the holes for attaching the wood to the existing holes in the bottom of the console. These will be a little off center. Drill 1/8" holes.

7. Position the hinge back on the mark made earler, center, and mark the holes for attaching the hinge to the wood. Drill small pilot holes for for the wood screws.

8. Center the hinge on the bottom of the lid, mark, and drill small pilot holes in the plastic.

9. Find six screws that will fit.

10. Attach the hinge to the wood in reverse fashon.

11. Attach the wood to the bottom of the console. Be careful to not strip the threads in the console!

12. Attach the hinge to the lid.

   You are done. If you did everything right the latch should still work. The second one went faster. I did it in about 15 minutes.