A question for those who have Tuffy consoles in your 79-83 40. How did you bolt it in? Yeah I know there is nothing to drilling holes and bolting in but the gas tank is right under that area with very little room to spare. Of course in hindsight this would have been very easy with the tank out but I’m not dropping it for just this task. I have looked at drilling into a rib for more clearance with a self tapping bolt as a possibility. Please share any mounting ideas you have used for this scenario. Thanks.
Tuffy Console Mounting 79-83 Specific
- Thread starter mtrdud
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I used the hardware that came with it. There is a bracket that spans the back and a small plate that bolts in the front. That allows a single bolt. If I didn’t have these parts I would probably fab the rear bracket and make a spacer in the front and longer screws into the factory screw holes.
8/80 those with a factory rear heater the pattern change as well as the size of the boots used for heater. Seeing the seat belt anchor in the rear. Those would use regardless. The four screws use on the non heater console are not very stout. Would make a bracket in the front that used the bucket seat mounts.
Maybe Tuffy will sell them for not too much coin?
I bolted mine to the same threaded holes that held the little factory plastic console. They are only 10mm bolts, so maybe not Fort Knox secure but it has worked well for me, and I did not want to drill any new holes in the tub. I did have to drill new holes in the bottom of the Tuffy console to fit the existing threaded holes in the tub. I also used some maybe 1/4" thick hard nylon spacers between the tuffy console and the floor of the tub, for the front mounting holes - to level-out the Tuffy. I don't have a rear heater in my truck, so when I drilled the new holes in the bottom of the Tuffy I was able to place them so that the Tuffy cup holders did not interfere with my shift cane, or the console with the Con-Ferr tool box I have behind the seats.
That sounds right, but it's been 15 years at least since I installed mine.
- Thread starter
- #12
UPDATE - I ordered and used the Tuffy kit on my 83 so it did work even though the seat belt receiver mounting points are different. I did have to drill two new mounting holes in the console though. Problem solved.