there must be a way...........

[d p - 400se]

.........to get to the bolt that holds on the veneer panel which houses the speedo and rev counter.

I know there is just one bolt in the middle at the bottom but i just cant get at it, or even see the bloody thing. Ive just spend the last 1 1/2 hrs trying to thread a socket through all the stuff under the dash but with no sucess.

Is there a technique to get at it or am i just plain thick?

[jmorgan]

No help here but mine was left off by a previous owner. I tried to re fit after messing around in the rear but no joy. Left it off in the end. Only way I could think of was getting a spanner and bending it to fit.


Unless you can reach it from behind the center console when its off?

[chunder]

Mine doesn't have a stud for any fixing - just kind of wedges in place !

[FrenchTVR]

Mine has just been pushed in place as well. It is possible to get at the studs.
I used a short spanner and lots of patience. There is very little swing available on the spanner when you eventually get it on the nut.

Good luck

[niva441]

I've still got the scars from removing the nuts fraction of an inch at a time. It's not an impossible job, but it just seems that way at the time.

I ended up using a small spanner and persevering.

If I could have moved the heater hose jubilee clips it would have helped (but that was only possible with the dash panel out).

[rev-erend]

I spent ages trying to undo mine - then mentioned it to Austec who removed the nut and let it loose for me..

So it's possible.

I'm sure it's easier with a leed light and a mirror.

[h2dca]

I ended up dropping the complete steering column, gave easy access for a combination spanner/socket but remember how the spacers go back on the column.

[redcar]

This is how its done, its a shite job. If yours is the same as mine which it sounds like, there are 3 fixing bolts that hold the metel back plate in place, 1 in middle that you've found and one in each top corner and then 4 small nuts and bolts holding the veneer plate to the metal plate. The really difficult bit is getting to the 3 main bolts, you have to lay upside down in the footwell and force your hand up either side of the steering column to remove wing nuts, mind you dont pull wiring off terminals. Then it will extend about 2" at the top and about 1/2" at the bottom. To remove the veneer plate is easy but to refix it is a Bast--d because the bolts are not captive and are between the two plates (you'll see what I mean), I found the only way was to wedge rubber between the two plates over the bolts to hold the them in place so you can tighten, it took me about 2 1/2 hous just to figure a way of refixing. A painful nasty job, good luck.

[350matt]

far far easier to remove the entire dash panel 1st, you have to undo the 2 dash nuts bolted to the underside of the windscreen, these are failrly easy to get to, tehn unclip various electrical connections and you cvan thne get the dash veneer screws to your hearts content

Matt

[rev-erend]

Matt's solution sounds real easy ..

[dickymint]

And what ever you do, don't put them back on!
Its a Wedge so Wedge it in

[jchase]

On me 280 fhc...I cut all the wires to the dash instruments and installed a multiconnector. Then I removed the steering column, and wheel in one go, then undid the two nuts holding the dash on. All in all 1.5 hours to totally remove the dash the first time. 45 minutes the second, and then the other five times only took 30 minutes each (! )

have fun!

[gsx600]

Would like to know how it was wedged in as just about to put mine back, was thinking of some sort of velcro system but maybe too large a gap between instrunment panel and top plate.

[HeyAndy]

Hi guys - I had the same problem and decided to remove the entire dash which is in need of a re-trim. One tip to make life easier - remove the steering wheel!

[d p - 400se]

Got the panel off after much F'ing and blinding on Saturday. My veneer panel is held on by three bolts, not one as shown in the picture in the bible (same as recars presumably.
I dropped the steering column to get to the centre bolt but even then it was a right pain. When i get the wood back i will only be reattaching with the two bolts at the top.

Thanks all for your help.