350i wedge dashboard restoration

[brianpV8]

Hi can anyone advise?????

Starting to restore my 89 350i. Most of the bad bits are inside, veneer peeling and carpets rotting etc so the question goes.........

How do i get the metal dash panels out after i've peeled of all the wood? The bible says there are nuts on it 3 i think but i can't see any!

[grahamw48]

Try here too:

www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk

There is an article on re-furbing your dash.

[brianpV8]

Thanks but that doesn't tell me how to actually get the steel plates out of the dash itself!!
Is there anyone who has done it recently?? I know if i force it it will break!!

[convert]

You have to reach up behind the dash itself.

I think I used a small ratchet and a 10mm socket, but it's a couple of years ago

[ed_crouch]

There are some nuts behind the dash hidden in amongst the instruments. You must undo these, and then the panel pulls off to leave another steel panel behind which actually holds the gauges in. Its a slightly daft system, and I might change it on mine. Eventually.....!

[brianpV8]

Magic guys cheers for that! I knew it would be a pain in the arse job!!

[Wedg1e]

On my '87 car the 'veneered' instrument panel just pulls off. There are studs welded to the back of it, they merely push into plastic bushes pressed into the steel panel behind, that carries the instruments. That panel is held to the GRP dash by self-tappers.

Similarly, the radio 'veneer' panel is held in by the Will of Allah... and some double-side sticky tape

By this era, the stuff that TVR were using resembles Formica.