Hey guys -- new poster, but been a member for a while; I just typically stay quiet and read the threads here. That and I'm pretty sure every Google search on every Trans Am topic always takes me back here.
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So, a quick question, but first, wanted to show you guys what my wife and I scored. I've had a 2002 Trans Am for going on a year now, and we just got added a 1984 15th Anniversary to the garage:
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It's in remarkable shape -- Long story short: Only one owner, she stopped driving it and it sat under a carport for 20yrs. 35k miles on it and still running. Her husband who sold it had no idea what he had and so we got it for $4,000. Once in a lifetime opportunity there. We drove it around the weekend we brought it home, and save some cosmetic work needed, it growls and runs and corners like a dream.
Until a couple of weeks ago, when it decided not to start anymore.
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Given the age and lack of attention, no shocker. It has a brand new battery in it, but the console wouldn't light up, wouldn't attempt to turn over, nada. So tonight, we tried to jump it to verify if it was the battery or not...Console lit up, but still wouldn't turn over, and then the area around the cigarette lighter started smoking and stinking really badly -- got hot enough that it melted the plastic around the lighter area.
Which leads to my question -- We're trying to figure out how to remove the top of the center console in order to see what the damage is in there and if there's any clue as to what's up, but I can't get it off to save my life. All the screws are removed and the (automatic) gear shift knob is removed, but circled below is where it just won't let go:
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I've googled the crap out of this and am not finding much in way as to what I might be missing, and as you can see in the circled area, there's no screw there. Given it's proximity to the lighter I'm really hoping it's not melted stuck underneath or something. Anyone have an idea what I might have overlooked?
So, a quick question, but first, wanted to show you guys what my wife and I scored. I've had a 2002 Trans Am for going on a year now, and we just got added a 1984 15th Anniversary to the garage:
It's in remarkable shape -- Long story short: Only one owner, she stopped driving it and it sat under a carport for 20yrs. 35k miles on it and still running. Her husband who sold it had no idea what he had and so we got it for $4,000. Once in a lifetime opportunity there. We drove it around the weekend we brought it home, and save some cosmetic work needed, it growls and runs and corners like a dream.
Until a couple of weeks ago, when it decided not to start anymore.
Which leads to my question -- We're trying to figure out how to remove the top of the center console in order to see what the damage is in there and if there's any clue as to what's up, but I can't get it off to save my life. All the screws are removed and the (automatic) gear shift knob is removed, but circled below is where it just won't let go:
I've googled the crap out of this and am not finding much in way as to what I might be missing, and as you can see in the circled area, there's no screw there. Given it's proximity to the lighter I'm really hoping it's not melted stuck underneath or something. Anyone have an idea what I might have overlooked?
