1997-01 HONDA PRELUDE
shift boot installation guide

1. Start by removing your shift knob. Then remove pieces of carpeting on both sides of the console, in the front, below the radio.

2. Slide both seats back to reveal two screws (one on each side of the center console). Remove these two.

3. Slide both seats forward to reveal six more screws (three on each side of the center console). Remove both the lowerr ones - the upper ones hold the storage bin tray.

4. Slide console toward back of car about an inch, lift up about a couple inches. Reach under the console and disconnect wire leading to ashtray light.

5. Raise parking brake. Slide console forward and up to remove. Turn console upside down, be careful not to scratch the plastic. Remove the 4 screws that hold the shifter boot plastic frame. 

6. Take the chrome plastic trim piece from the stock boot and attach it to the new boot using a ZIP-tie. 

7. The stock shift boot is stapled on to the plastic frame. If you have a staple gun, you can remove it and attach the RedlineGoods shift boot with staples. I didn't have one, so I used 2" pieces of wire: I poked 3 small holes on the shift boot, then I ran the pieces of wire through these and through matching holes in the plastic frame (obviously a good idea to line up the new shift boot with the frame before you start poking holes in it). To secure the pieces of wire I just twisted them together and cut off the excess, if any. The picture on the right shows this. 

7. You should now have a boot that is fitted onto the plastic frame piece. Take this whole setup and put it back onto the console and tighten the 4 screws.

8. For the ebrake boot, you need to do the same - either use a staple gun, or poke some holes with an ice-pick or a similar tool, then run a few pieces of wire through them. Twist the wire to make it hold. Obviously, since the stock plastic e-brake boot didn't have any holes, you need to punch some in it, too.

9. Put the center console back on. Before lowering it, hook up the wire for the ashtray light. Put back the 3 screws from each side of the console (2 in the back, 1 in the front). Put back the 2 grey carpeted trim pieces. Take your shift knob and screw in onto the shifter. That's it!

10. Lift the arm rest cover and remove the 2 screws holding the bottom of the hinge to the console.

11. Remove the 2 screws holding the latch (L) and hinge (R)

12. Remove the inner cover by carefully prying it away from the top cover. This may take some force as there are 2 plastic tabs held by metal barbs that must be released.

13. Install the leather cover over the top of the arm rest and use your hands to make the cover fit as tight and smooth as possible.

14. Place the inner cover back on and install the latch and hinge.

15. Install the 4 screws through the latch and hinge and tighten all.

16. Install the arm rest on the console using the 2 screws to hold the hinge to the console.

17. This is what you should see at this point. :)

DOOR ARMREST COVERS

1. Remove speaker cover by pulling on the corner shown in the picture

2. The red circled screws hold the speaker in. The yellow screws hold the door panel on to the door.

3. Remove the screw from the door pocket.

4. Remove screw from door handle/lock area.

5. Remove black push fastener circled in red.

6. Remove the cover with something small and flat.

7. That's everything on the outside holding the panel on to the door. Use something wide and flat at the bottom of the door panel where it meets the door to pop the panel out of the clips holding it to the door. There's about 4 clips holding the panel to the door (one near each corner). You can also grab where the speaker used to be and pull on that area to start the removal.

*SH Only - Remove the plug from the courtesy light.

8. Once the panel is removed from the clips, lift the panel upward to seperate it from the door. Harnesses will still be plugged into the panel at this point. Looking down from the top of the panel, push the plastic clip holding the rod to release it from the interior handle.

9. There will be 4 harnesses to unplug. 2 from the interior handle

10. and 2 from the window.

11. The panel will now be free from the door. On the underside of the arm rest you will see metal clips that you will have to bend straight to remove the arm rest from the door panel.

To apply your new leather arm rest cover, I recommend using a high tack spray adhesive to spray on to the original arm rest. Apply the new leather cover on top of the arm rest and press firmly to smooth any wrinkles. Spray the backside of the arm rest with the adhesive and fold over the leather cover and press firmly around the edges. Follow directions on can for drying time. Reverse directions to re-install everything.Passenger side is identical.

ENJOY YOUR NEW LEATHER BOOTS!