That's the one. late 76 dated box, 78 dated docket. And console warped and distorted from years of something heavy on it.
Just scrolling through and the holes reminded me that I'd seen them before but not in use, even when I searched my saved pics of CB and 8-tracks.
I think 80 or 81 they changed that end brace again when the computer went there, not my thing. I think the body on them is different anyway, not just the access door but the side rib and small cutaway above carpet for some reason.
As for the rivet condition, not sure. I've seen many in colour, hard to tell if original or console touch-ed up, plenty in surface rust/dark grey, also had to tell if went in bare or poorly applied paint years ago has flaked of. And of course, NOS is often spare parts supply, not production line, sometimes things were done differently.
My repro console has no opinion here! While doing a search I also found an older forum post of a guy cutting the front out of his ABS console to install the CB/8-track in factory style. Can't recall if had any of the extra brackets or the heavy duty shelf bracket/heat shield under it but simply showed that particular console was designed with nothing like that in mind. Not sure how much they've changed since, probably not much.
Here's another question, that rear bracket that hooks up to dash, does the dash sit on top of it or do the brackets tuck up inside the lip like hooks? Looks like stand-alone screw mount into dash from below. I could probably look at some photos but heading out the door instead! Mine has neither, was the ABS type which I had to remove and my dash also different.
