Dashboard help .................

[Mike Brewer]

Hi all.In the recent cold spell.The dop of the dashboard has lifted.ie both corners .Gutted as it was in very good condition .How diffacult is it to remove to be repaired if poss.Car is a 2.8i.Which has the revised dash 1985 .Thanks Mike

[adam quantrill]

Do you mean the leather has pulled up the horizontal bit (probably fiberglass?) at the corners?

The leather can be undone and stuck back down, but you have to take the dash out, which is a fiddly job, some nuts behind at the ends.

[Mike Brewer]

Hi Adam .The leather cloth on the flat top part of the dash board near the screen vents has come away As tupid question do all the gauges have to come out to remove the dash board .Thanks for your reply.Mike

[adam quantrill]

I'm not an expert in this area but I don't think so, you just pull off the dash fascia but the instruments stay behind.

[Mike Brewer]

Thanks Mike

[Wedg1e]

adam quantrill said:

I'm not an expert in this area but I don't think so, you just pull off the dash fascia but the instruments stay behind.

'Frayed knot, on the orignal style of wedge dash the instruments are on a sub-panel that's screwed into the front of the dashboard itself.

To remove the dash, first break your elbow and wrist in order to be able to get a spanner up behind the speedo, and even worse up behind the glovebox, to slacken two nuts that you will be able to find easier if you have x-ray vision.
Whilst you're in there, disconnect the speedo cable. This involves pushing and turning. Or turning and pushing. Or maybe just unscrewing the wangleflange from the rear of the speedo.
If you have the 'veneered metal plate' type of instrument cover, pull it off. Leave a couple if fingernails behind if you think it'll help.
If it's the earlier veneered plywood instrument cover, purchase Hands Like A Paedophile (TM) from Ebay and remove the plethora of nuts that hold the plywood to the dashboard and lift it away, blubbering like Gazza as half the veneer comes away in your hand.
Pull the air vents out. With luck the foam 'seals' will stay put and not drop down into an inaccessible chasm.
Now you have gained access to the ripply bit of tin plate that holds the instruments in, remove whatever screws/pop rivets/chewing gum that secure it and watch in dismay as the whole lot falls out and cracks the tacho glass on the end of the steering column (you did remove the steering wheel first, so as to have more room, didn't you?).
Label (if you can be arsed) all wires and unplug/unscrew/snap off the various instruments. Realise from the jemmy marks that someone has had the speedo apart before and your car has almost certainly been clocked. Snarl at the wife as she pops her head in with a mug of coffee and a ginger nut. If your wife is not a redhead, disregard last sentence. If she is, can I just say...
Where was I...? Oh yes.
Remove the steering column shrouds. It may also be necessary to loosen the radio console. If it isn't loose already, that is.
Pull the dash towards you to disengage the captive bolts (of which you loosened the nuts earlier, remember? I know, it was hours ago...) and check to make sure you've disconnected any other wires. Yes, like those there, from the courtesy light switches. Ah well never mind, you didn't use them anyway, did you.
Open a door/ window/ the roof and extract the dashboard (which as you've now realised, weighs a lot more than you thought it would).

Reassemble in reverse order. Yeah right. Like THAT ever happens....

[80tasmin]

Quite looking forward to getting at my heater matrix in the spring

Paul

[simonwedge]

Or do it the easy way:

1. Put hammer through 'screen and clear glass away.
2. Repair dashboard to which you now have marvellous access.
3. Phone Autoglass and make appointment for new 'screen fitting.

[SEvans]

If it's an early dash (1983) like mine you can remove the dash,glovebox etc as an assembly. There are 2 nuts at each end/side of the dash which are difficult to get at but you only need to loosen them. There are a couple of tie bars (or maybe just one, can't remember) which you need to take off. You will also need to remove steering wheel and drop the steering column. The whole dash should then pull away. You can then remove speedo, cables etc from the top/back. Once the whole assembly is removed you can remove the dash/clocks by removing the nuts off the back. Always done it this way, never tried to replace the dash/clocks without removing the whole assembly first. There are loads of wires so make sure you label them all up.

I replaced the 2 washers at either side with 2 drilled core plugs. As these are slightly concave it makes it easier to slide the dash into position. If you tighten the nuts so it just grips the dash it's possible to then pull it out without having to loosen these nuts again. Cheers Steve

[Solitude]

simonwedge said:

Or do it the easy way:

1. Put hammer through 'screen and clear glass away.
2. Repair dashboard to which you now have marvellous access.
3. Phone Autoglass and make appointment for new 'screen fitting.

Thank god i'm not the only one who would consider this !

[hallsie]

Wedg1e said:

adam quantrill said:

I'm not an expert in this area but I don't think so, you just pull off the dash fascia but the instruments stay behind.

'Frayed knot, on the orignal style of wedge dash the instruments are on a sub-panel that's screwed into the front of the dashboard itself.

To remove the dash, first break your elbow and wrist in order to be able to get a spanner up behind the speedo, and even worse up behind the glovebox, to slacken two nuts that you will be able to find easier if you have x-ray vision.
Whilst you're in there, disconnect the speedo cable. This involves pushing and turning. Or turning and pushing. Or maybe just unscrewing the wangleflange from the rear of the speedo.
If you have the 'veneered metal plate' type of instrument cover, pull it off. Leave a couple if fingernails behind if you think it'll help.
If it's the earlier veneered plywood instrument cover, purchase Hands Like A Paedophile (TM) from Ebay and remove the plethora of nuts that hold the plywood to the dashboard and lift it away, blubbering like Gazza as half the veneer comes away in your hand.
Pull the air vents out. With luck the foam 'seals' will stay put and not drop down into an inaccessible chasm.
Now you have gained access to the ripply bit of tin plate that holds the instruments in, remove whatever screws/pop rivets/chewing gum that secure it and watch in dismay as the whole lot falls out and cracks the tacho glass on the end of the steering column (you did remove the steering wheel first, so as to have more room, didn't you?).
Label (if you can be arsed) all wires and unplug/unscrew/snap off the various instruments. Realise from the jemmy marks that someone has had the speedo apart before and your car has almost certainly been clocked. Snarl at the wife as she pops her head in with a mug of coffee and a ginger nut. If your wife is not a redhead, disregard last sentence. If she is, can I just say...
Where was I...? Oh yes.
Remove the steering column shrouds. It may also be necessary to loosen the radio console. If it isn't loose already, that is.
Pull the dash towards you to disengage the captive bolts (of which you loosened the nuts earlier, remember? I know, it was hours ago...) and check to make sure you've disconnected any other wires. Yes, like those there, from the courtesy light switches. Ah well never mind, you didn't use them anyway, did you.
Open a door/ window/ the roof and extract the dashboard (which as you've now realised, weighs a lot more than you thought it would).

Reassemble in reverse order. Yeah right. Like THAT ever happens....

Now that made me chuckle!!

Nice one Wedg1e..

Ditto for the ginger nut

Stu

[Solitude]

Alternatively, take the car out for a spin (make sure you know where the accident black spots are located in your manor) around 3am with a wing man to check for oncoming.
Tear the arse out of your car like you always dreamt of doing, have fun and when youv'e finished "lose control" at around 15mph causing minor front end damage.
Your insurance company will write off the car and weigh you in with enough dough to purchase a car WITHOUT a fd dash, get your wing man to purchase your "Wreck" from Dougless Valley and hey presto!!

Then with the spare money, repair your car, remove the dash from the new car and re..........

I think you get the picture.

Keep it dark tho.....they'll all be at it !!!


Hey presto

[MJG280]

Either first disconnect battery as Mr Haynes always advises or check that you are insured for fire.

Mine is a 81 so don't know if the rest of this is relevant. Mine is held in place as mentioned by two captive bolts either corner. Passenger side is easier to get too than driver's. I removed the seats so I could get nice and comfy with torch and mirror. I replaced the nuts with butterfly nuts and glued some glass/sand paper either side of the slot to help the grip. The first time was about 2 hours now about 15 minutes including dropping the steering column and taking the cover of the central binnacle. I was able to drag the dash forward enough to reach the speedo. Hopefully the picture gives a clue where the slot is