Bill, Joe and List,
The source I have says US cars had the center console. Non-US the center
console as a special order in the "Luxury Package": stainless steel
driver's door mirror, inertia-reel seat belts, head rests, map light,
center arm rest, dipping rear view mirror. After FH 80000 it became
standard. My info says center console was standard in US from Nov. 74 as
previously stated.
Lots of the stuff I have read that recently implyed that US parts often
found their way on non-US cars especially on later 1500's in attempt to use
up extra stock. Exp: extra bonnet brackets were added to US cars to comply
with US crash regulations in 77 (prevented bonnet from hitting windshield
in the event of frontal crash) but some UK cars showed up with them. My
point being that non-US parts probally ended up on US cars also. Maybe they
had extra stock of carpets with rubber boot and used them on a car where it
wouldn't show (under the counsole). Just a guess.
John Goethert
Knoxville, Tennessee
john@triumphspitfire.com
76 Spitfire, 71 GT6, 75 Spit parts car, 90 Miata
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