Console harness pigtail

[ko-lek-tor]

Did all 1st gen. Camaros have a pigtail for console wiring plug-in under the dash? I ask because I am in discussion with a fella determining if his car originally had a console. I told him to look and see if a connector pigtail was under the dash? Then, I got to wondering if all harnesses had that connector and it was tied off if not used because of no console? I have never had a Camaro without a console, so I am not sure if this is an absolute way to tell?

[X33RS]

Not sure if there is an absolute way, but one easy clue would be to pull the console and see if the floor pans have the threaded riv-nuts installed.   Should be 2 of them, one about center of console and the other towards the rear of the console.  Could even crawl under the car with a light and have a look. Anyone adding a console I would seriously doubt they would go through the trouble to install riv-nuts.

As far as the wire harness goes.  It might depend on whether the console is equipped with gauges or not?  Gauge consoles have a large bundle of wires where as a non gauge console may only have 1 or 2 wires for lighting (don't remember if they have a rear dome light in a non gauge console)

Mine is a factory gauge console car but the wire harness had been cut on and things removed so I couldn't tell you for sure about the harness deal.  One thing I did notice on mine and it's also in the assembly manual, is that the factory harness that comes down to the console runs along side the heater box and there is a rubber coated metal "J" style holder just for holding the console harness before it disappears under the carpet.

Something brought to my attention recently is that factory console cars had 2 piece front carpet from what they had been documenting here (as mine does).  But original carpet would have to be present obviously.  Haven't heard mention of one piece front carpet on console cars but that doesn't mean anything either.

[KevinW]

I parted out first gens in the 80s and save a few of Main harnesses.  I recall I was able to label them by Application by inventorying the connectors.  I was able to see clearly the Auto vs 4 speed (by the safety plug) and the console from the non-console (lack of connector).  Also I was able to determine the Auto console vs the 4 speed console vs ones with gauges.  The Auto console had lights and neutral safety switch in the center of console.  The console connector ONLY had the coded wires for the application, they were not "fully" wired.  I am fairly sure GM matched the harnesses to the options installed.  I would guess that wiring was expensive back then and it made sense to only install the wires that would be used.

You could also tell the tach/clock applications by the plugs and wires from the fuse block.  They were definitely NOT "one size fits all"

The "over the counter" electrical options generally plugged into the ACC or IGN terminal of the fuse block.