1992-96 HONDA PRELUDE
shift boot installation guide

1. First remove the 4 screws on each sides of the console.

2. Next, remove the shifter boot from the knob. This is done simply by pulling it down. Next step – remove the knob by unscrewing it.

3. You should be able to remove this section of the console now.

4. Next we want to take apart the shifter boot area. This is simply done by flipping the piece over and removing the two screws.

5. Next you want to separate the two pieces, they are stapled in at the factory. This is where I used the mini ice pick tool. It came in very handy. Use the needle nose pliers to pull out the staples. Then it should fall into three pieces. 

Now install the new leather boot in place of the old one. Proceed slowly, line it up against the plastic carefully and make sure to re-insert the staples (or replace them with small bits of wire ran through the holes and twisted together) to hold the construction as you proceed (you will need to punch little holes in the leather boot). Then take a rubber band and wrap it around the boot and knob to hold the boot securely to the knob and to keep the unfinished ends from popping up. This part gets tricky, because you have to screw your knob on to the shifter. Then you have to take the shifter console and put that back on. Once you get that done you are ready to move on. The hardest part is over now.

6. Now to the easy part, the e-brake boot install.

If you are smart you will do the e-brake boot while you have the shifter console out. You may want to remove your seats to have easier access, depending on what you want to do. 

Remove your cup holder. You need to get to that plastic clip right there. On the picture, the old boot is already off. Your boot should be wrapped around that clip. Much like a carpet clip.

7. Once that is done just slide off the old boot.

I chose to take out my console to have more working room. You may not have to, but it came in handy for me. There are four screws near the back of the console that will need to be removed. Two are easy to get to and the other two are not, unless you remove the seats. This is where the bent screw driver comes in handy, a long one may work, but a short stubby one will not.

I turned the boot inside out and used the rubber band trick.

8. Next step is to turn the boot right side out. Then reassemble your console. The finished product should look like this.

9. Here is another picture with the console back in the car.

INSTALLATION OF THE FRONT DOOR INSERTS:

10. Pry the trim ring hiding the scren on the front of the doors and remove the screw.

11. Another screw is hidden under the door knob.

12. Another one in the door pull recess.

13. The last one is in the back of the door trim on the bottom.

14. Remove the trim piece hiding the mirror, pry it off with a small flat screwdriver. Remove the door trim by pulling it up and off.

15. Remove the insert from the door, it's held by bent metal studs, straighten them out with a flat screwdriver.

16. Get your spray adhesive ready for work. :)

17. Decide if you want to remove the old door insert lining or keep it. If you want to remove it, do it now.

18. Align the leather insert with the plastic one. Start glueing from one side and keep straightening out the leather as you move towards the other side.

Useful hint: The leather is folded for transport. If you can, let it sit in a heated room to make it more pliable. Put weight on it to help it straighten the wrinkles out (a phonebook is a great tool for that).

19. Once you glue it all on, use a sharp tool to trim the leather in the door pull recess (front inserts only)...

20. And, likewise, around the mounting prongs.

21. The leather inserts are cleverly manufactured with a lot of spare material...

22. .. that you can now use to wrap around the edges and glue.

23. If you decide to trim it rather than glue it, make sure you don't trim away the stitch lines as the stitching might start to come apart. The ends of the stitch lines are very important and DO NOT cut them off.

24. Reinstall the door pull in the front inserts.

25. Here's what the finished insert should look like. Reverse steps 10-15 to reinstall them back into the car... and ENJOY!

REAR DOOR INSERTS

26. Pull these 2 clips under each seat, and the bottom of the seat will come out.

27. Rremove the screw by the seatbelt.

28. Remove rubber trim by door (not completely, just so it clears the panel).

29. You can see the screw, it is located in the same spot on each seat. When you remove the back panel you should be able to get to that one. when removing the pass side seatback, you need to open the seat with the key and remove the 2 bolts under the plastic covers.

30. Remove these 2 screws to remove the DRIVERSIDE seat (pass side is different, see above).

31. Here's a close-up.

32. Install the rear insert over the stock one (refer to steps 21-24) and reverse steps 26-30 to reinstall the rear trim and seats.