Fitting of Stainless Dash with Pics

Fitting of Stainless Dash with Pics

Author
Discussion

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

254 months

Wednesday 8th October 2003
quotequote all
I decided to replace my cracked old wooden Dash with a nice new shiney Stainless one from Leven in the chequerboard pattern.
The only problem was,do i fit it myself or pay someone for the privilege.I thought that the hardest part would be removing the top of the dash itself and that elusive 3rd bolt.
At the weekend i decided to give it a go myself and heres how it went.

Dont forget to disconnect the battery before you start!

This first pic shows the original dash complete with cracking veneer around the blower switch.


The next one shows the position that i had to get myself in to get access to the 3rd bolt. It was however, very easy to find and undo with my right hand and a 10mm spanner.



The two 10mm nuts on the other side were no problem again and all you have to do is remove the small panel on the passenger side below the dash which is secured by 2 screws.

Once the top of the dash is off you then have access to behind the clocks.


It looks daunting but its not too bad.


Make sure that you remove one clock at a time,labeling it and drawing a sketch of the location of the spade connectors behind it as you go along.

The Dash itself then simply pulls up from 4 slots in the shelf below.
The only tricky part is pulling out the horizontal heater dials as a complete unit and removing the 3 small screws (1 top and 2 bottom) which secure the small unit to the dash itself.

Once the dash is lifted away this is what you are left with.


Replacing this part was straighforward and the only bits that needed re glueing were the 3 warning lights which are between the Speedo and Rev Counter.

The small radio panel was the most difficult bit to replace and indeed was the only part that needed the 4 old fixings to be reused and re glued.
You have to be careful here because they must go back in exactly the same place.
Refitting is a little fiddly with the 2 block connectors behind which hold the warning lights on one end and the hazard warning lights on the other.

Once they are all together again, check that all the bulbs and dials are working correctly then refit the top of the dash.This has to be tilted backwards and the elusive 3rd bolt on the drivers side needs to be located in its hols forst then the other 2 will simply slot back into place.
Reconnect the battery and away you go.

This is what the finished job looks like and im sure that you will agree that it looks superb and well worth the effort.








Edited to say that the Old Dash has found a new home.



>>> Edited by tonyrec on Thursday 9th October 13:43

beano500

20,854 posts

274 months

Wednesday 8th October 2003
quotequote all
Well done, Sir!

MikeyT

16,451 posts

270 months

Wednesday 8th October 2003
quotequote all
I've got to say that looks excellent - well done.

Wish I'd done mine now before I sold it ... it's the only bit of wood in thew whole cabin and looks out of place IMO of you have loads of the Leven bits like I did.

Another

Trefor

14,635 posts

282 months

Wednesday 8th October 2003
quotequote all
Nice!

RichardR

2,890 posts

267 months

Wednesday 8th October 2003
quotequote all
Excellent job, and excellent pics!

oggs

8,813 posts

253 months

Wednesday 8th October 2003
quotequote all


Very nice indeed











But the veneer looked better

ATG

20,480 posts

271 months

Wednesday 8th October 2003
quotequote all
Suits the colour scheme. Good to see a master of TVR yoga in action.

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

254 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
Forgot to add...be very careful with the new Dash if its an Alloy/Stainless one as the edges may still be sharp in places.

Try to get someone to give you a hand when lifting it in place...could be expensive if you dont.

count duckula

1,324 posts

273 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
Looks good,when can I book mine in for fitting ??




Malc

aaandy

726 posts

251 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
Tony,

Agree that it does look very good. My dash is starting to crack a little and I also have black dials so it is good to see that they contrast well with the new dash.

Sorry if I am taking the pi55 a little but it would be great to see a couple of pics from another angle without the glare, before I take the plunge and phone the guys at Leven.

shadowninja

76,253 posts

281 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
very nice!

tbh i thought the black dials on brown dash with the light interior looked awful.






tonyrec said:





knowing my luck it's at this point the rain starts...

roobarb

197 posts

253 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
And so the moral of this story is buy a car with an aluminimum dashboard and save time later....

: For Sale Aluminimum Dash Chimaera, one careful owner.
( the rest thrashed the pants of it )

R&J

905 posts

255 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
Damn fine looking dash Tony,
well done all that effort was well worth it.

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

254 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
aaandy said:
Tony,

Sorry if I am taking the pi55 a little but it would be great to see a couple of pics from another angle without the glare, before I take the plunge and phone the guys at Leven.


Andy,
I will post some better finished pics on here later.

squirrelz

1,186 posts

270 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
What's next then Tony? Alloy windscreen perhaps

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

254 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
Thats it for this year....( ), if you know what i mean

aaandy

726 posts

251 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
tonyrec said:

aaandy said:
Tony,

Sorry if I am taking the pi55 a little but it would be great to see a couple of pics from another angle without the glare, before I take the plunge and phone the guys at Leven.



Andy,
I will post some better finished pics on here later.


Cheers Tony. That would be greatly appreciated.

verysideways

10,237 posts

271 months

Thursday 9th October 2003
quotequote all
Tony,

Great job. Looks yummy!

I had been thinking about ths since that "flash dash" article. My veneer is a mess anyway. Well, seeing yours has convinced me so i shall be on the phone to Leven tomorrow.

VS.

Highlander

48 posts

276 months

Friday 10th October 2003
quotequote all
Tony,

Can you advise on the exact location of the 'elusive' dash top third bolt - I have not, as yet been able to find it !

Thanks.

tonyrec

Original Poster:

3,984 posts

254 months

Friday 10th October 2003
quotequote all
Certainly....

If you get yourself into the position as in my 3rd pic, use your right arm and push it up towards 11 o'clock and you will feel it no problem. Theres nothing else beside it and it points down at an angle (just off horizontal).

You cant simply crouch down and put your arm up because your arm would have to be a metre long to get under the dash itself.

It has a large washer of just over an inch and a very small (10mm) nut in comparison.

The other point to make is that when they are all off, be very careful when removing the Dash itself.
You have to tip and twist the dash from the passenger side and then the elusive one just slides out. Theres not much clearance, be careful or you will make contact with the visible part of the dash.
Easiest way to manhandle it is with 2 people.

Ive probably made it sound hard, its not, just very tricky because you dont want to damage anything.

When i replaced mine, you again have to tilt/twist the passenger side to locate the elusive one back into its hole.

When i did mine it popped back within 30 secs, its that quick.

Hope that ive explained it well enough.

>> Edited by tonyrec on Friday 10th October 13:34