Time for the 9C3 console swap

[gregc]

After months of buying the necessary parts to complete conversion, I'm ready to do it. I tried over the summer, but hit a road block with a defective G8 shifter from a salvage yard. I since bought one brand new, transferred the electronics from another G8 shifter that had only 10 miles on it. I plugged it into the 9C1 harness and the shifter lockout solenoid and lighting wiring are pinned the same way as the 9C1. I also had to buy a new parking brake cable because the 9C1s is not the same as a 9C3. Other parts that had to be sourced new is the shifter bezel in platinum for the 9C3. The radio/AC cover also had to be purchased new for a 9C3. One hard to find part is the radio bracket. It's listed in the parts catalog at Tonkin and other GM parts sites, but it shows discontinued. Luckily with CP's detective work I was able to to source it from australia. Since I refuse to pay $900 for a new body harness specific to the 9C3, I'm going to have to find a way to get the trunk release and traction control rewired to the new switch. The sport mode wiring I can tap into the G8 shifter's. The one thing that will probably bother me is that the extra set of power window switches. I'll probably have to have the BCM flashed for the tap shift, but I'll do that later when I get the remote start function enabled. I'll also have to remove the floor parking brake and relocate the wiring to the console as well. Wish me luck. I'm going to start it next weekend since it's about to get dark.

[Solardude]

If you don't mind me asking how much do you have tied up in all of the parts to swap out the center console?
That's the only thing that is really stopping me from getting a 9c1 right now
If you don't want to post it you can send me a pm

[Navy Lifer]

This could give you a head start or stretch your budget....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/08-09-Pontiac-G ... 3a87ee884a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gregc]

If you don't mind me asking how much do you have tied up in all of the parts to swap out the center console?
That's the only thing that is really stopping me from getting a 9c1 right now
If you don't want to post it you can send me a pm

If I had to guess, probably $500-600. Most parts I bought from Cleveland like the center console. Some parts I had to purchase new since they are 9C3 specific. Some parts I had to repurchase because I was sent the wrong parts. 1 part was broken and I couldn't return it. Keep in mind I didn't buy it all at once. I bought my 9C1 in February and I've now finally getting around to complete the swap. I wanted a 9C3 originally, but the only one I could find at the time was a 9C1 without having to travel far. 9C3s are harder to find now and are rare, so I'd probably feel guilty modding it. I wouldn't have to mod the console, but I'd want to mod other things.

[gregc]

Here's an update on the swap. I got the parking brake cable removed. You have to remove the heat shield and bracket that holds it in place to access the 3 nuts holding the cable from underneath the car. You then loosen the adjustment screw from the 9C1 console and remove the cable. Then you have to go back underneath to undo the cables that attach to the parking brake bracket. I also removed the shifter. All you need to do is undo the 4 bolts underneath and the bolt connecting it to the linkage rod. You have to finagle it out to get the linkage rod out of the hole on the shifter assembly. Then it got dark, so I stopped for now. Tomorrow, it's time to take the dash apart and the IQ and reinstall it with the 9C3 parts. I also have to remove the parking brake pedal as well. Hopefully by this weekend I'll have this wrapped up.

[gregc]

I've got the 9C1 center dash removed today. The radio bracket from CP fits just fine. Although I did run into some problem getting it to fit. On the 9C1, the radio/AC goes in first, the bracket second, radio control 3rd and then the cover. Since I preassembled it the brackets and cover, I couldnt get it to fit the 9C3. I took it all apart and it turns out you install the radio bracket first, then the radio, the radio controls and the cover. It got dark, so I'll have to start again tomorrow.

[gregc]

I got the wiring figured out. The trunk/stabilitrak is now functional. The sport mode wire on the shifter had to be relocated to a different position. It now goes into sport mode when the shifter is moved to the right. I won't have tap shift since that wire isn't located on the body harness, and I doubt it's programmed into the BCM. I hope to have this wrapped up this weekend.

[gregc]

It's almost done. I reconnected the new parking brake cable, the parking brake handle assembly, the new shifter, assembled the radio and removed the parking brake pedal. I installed most of the G8 the console. I just have to extend the wires to the 12V port in the center console compartment and extend the wire from the original parking brake location. The 12V port under the radio is now USB port for the Holden IQ. I tried relocating the window switch from the door to the console, but the connectors are too large to pass through the rubber boot. For now I'll keep the switch on the door until it warms up because it looks like a pain in the ass to reroute the window switch harness. Tomorrow the wiring will be finished and this should be all buttoned up. Will post pics when it's done.

[elc32955]

Good work Greg! Hopefully you've been taking pictures along the way, we are going to HAVE to do a detailed write up on this for future 9C1 owners along with parts lists. And, you are the first to do the swap.... so you're the documentologist for this one

[gregc]

Well it's finally done. It's too cold and wet to take pics though. Plus I need to buy more parts for it to really be complete. The 9C1's trim on the left and right of the console is not the same as the 9C3 nor a G8. These parts will be have to be sourced new. Another thing I noticed is the G8 parking brake trim doesn't quite reach the top trim panel, so there's a gap there. The trunk release works as well as the traction control button. I lost the sport mode function though. I'm not sure if I just have a bad circuit board on the shifter, or if I have to reuse the traction control button from the 9C1 shifter. The tap up down manual shift will have to be wired and possibly have the BCM to enable it. I wanted 12 volt port under the dash and the USB connector in the armrest, but my USB cord won't reach the IQ. I ended up doing the reverse.

Now my car is truly a frankenstein car. It has a grille, badges and center caps from a ME Caprice SS, a center console from a G8 and 9C3, seats and rims from a G8, foglight trim from an Omega, and it's been rebadged with Impala letter in place of Caprice from the previous generation Impala.