Dashboard removal/re-leather
Discussion
The dashboard (sculpted GRP covered in leather) that is - not just the veneered instrument panel.
I followed the steps on BB's web page:
www.ballisticbanana.co.uk/THE%20GRIFFITH%20PAGES.htm
(See 'Dash re-leather')
Apart from the two far right and far left bolts, the '8 bolts' on mine appear to bolt through to the airspace below the windscreen de-mister, but the respective nuts on the right-most and left-most bolts are NOT CAPTIVE! I therefore didn't dare undo the other bolts - as even if they'd come undone, there's no way I could see of getting the bolts back in without the nuts falling down into the depths behind the dash.
It looks from the pics on BB's site that the bolts may bolt into something more substantial - ie a captive nut, or threaded aperture - than just the nuts that appear to be on my car. But I can't really tell as the picture resolution is too low. The car in the pics is a 500 - and mine's a pre-cat.
So - anyone that's taken the whole dash out - were your nuts captive? (!!) - or how did you get a spanner on them if not? Was yours a 500 or a pre-cat?
I can't see anyway of getting to them from the engine bay side - but if I could get to the wiper mechanism I'd probably be in the right place. How do you get to the wiper mechanism?
I followed the steps on BB's web page:
www.ballisticbanana.co.uk/THE%20GRIFFITH%20PAGES.htm
(See 'Dash re-leather')
Apart from the two far right and far left bolts, the '8 bolts' on mine appear to bolt through to the airspace below the windscreen de-mister, but the respective nuts on the right-most and left-most bolts are NOT CAPTIVE! I therefore didn't dare undo the other bolts - as even if they'd come undone, there's no way I could see of getting the bolts back in without the nuts falling down into the depths behind the dash.
It looks from the pics on BB's site that the bolts may bolt into something more substantial - ie a captive nut, or threaded aperture - than just the nuts that appear to be on my car. But I can't really tell as the picture resolution is too low. The car in the pics is a 500 - and mine's a pre-cat.
So - anyone that's taken the whole dash out - were your nuts captive? (!!) - or how did you get a spanner on them if not? Was yours a 500 or a pre-cat?
I can't see anyway of getting to them from the engine bay side - but if I could get to the wiper mechanism I'd probably be in the right place. How do you get to the wiper mechanism?
I have looked at some larger pics I have, It certainly looks like there are captive nuts in the Air/demister/ dash part.
Hopefully pebbledash[url]http://pistonheads.com/members/showProfile.asp?memberId=14946[/url] will be along soon to put you straight
or try dropping him a mail, Thats who done the re leathering thats on the site.
BB
Hopefully pebbledash[url]http://pistonheads.com/members/showProfile.asp?memberId=14946[/url] will be along soon to put you straight
or try dropping him a mail, Thats who done the re leathering thats on the site. BB
Ballistic Banana said:
I have looked at some larger pics I have, It certainly looks like there are captive nuts in the Air/demister/ dash part.
Hopefully pebbledash[url]http://pistonheads.com/members/showProfile.asp?memberId=14946[/url] will be along soon to put you straight
BB
Thanks, BB, will contact him directly - although it sounds as though captives were used on his car.
I know some precats have had the dash leather redone though, so it must be possible - it's just that the way it looks on my car, the dash is bolted up to the windscreen demister panel, then that is bonded to the wiper mechanism box, and so on, thus sealing the nuts in the void and preventing them from ever seeing the light of day again.
Anyone else any tips on getting to the wiper mech?
Cheers.
Still keep meaning to re-write what I did on the dash removal /re-fit to ad a bit more detail, etc.
As far as the nuts in the dash go, the nuts on the 500 are Glassed into the dash, don't seem to recall them being proper Clench nuts but they could have been. As in the article one of mine did fall out (the one on the far right) and fell into the drivers wing.
the far left and right nuts can be got at as there is a gap in the GRP below them (or there is in my 500) the 6 in the middle are sealed in. But thinking logically (if you can with a TVR !!!!) they must be held captive in some way, otherwise the dash would have problems being fitted in the first place at the factory or in the event it needs to be removed etc. my guess is they are captive.
Only one way to find out though
. try just undoing one bolt at a time a few turns, if the nut is not captive it will be loose.
Mark
As far as the nuts in the dash go, the nuts on the 500 are Glassed into the dash, don't seem to recall them being proper Clench nuts but they could have been. As in the article one of mine did fall out (the one on the far right) and fell into the drivers wing.
the far left and right nuts can be got at as there is a gap in the GRP below them (or there is in my 500) the 6 in the middle are sealed in. But thinking logically (if you can with a TVR !!!!) they must be held captive in some way, otherwise the dash would have problems being fitted in the first place at the factory or in the event it needs to be removed etc. my guess is they are captive.
Only one way to find out though
. try just undoing one bolt at a time a few turns, if the nut is not captive it will be loose. Mark
pebbledash said:
On this subject how easy it it (or not) to get to the instrument lamp bulbs? Rich...
Can't you get a hand in via the radio aperture? I only want to switch the rev counter buld to a more powerful one and I do have little hands! 
Rich...richb said:
richb said:
On this subject how easy it it (or not) to get to the instrument lamp bulbs? Rich...
The Instrument pannel has to be removed
you would have to remove the craddle that the radio is in as well, far easier to drop the stearing wheel down and remove the pannel, remembering to be carefull of the leather.. i find it easier to bend the das slightly on removal to make it easier to fit.
Not had a chance to try again yet. I undid the lefthand most bolt OK - and then realised the nut was held in place by light rust to the washer and the washer to the leather by 13 years of having been held tight against the leather by the pressure of the bolt being done up. When I put the bolt back in, the nut dropped off...
So I was concerned that by a similar fluke I might get the middle bolts out, and then lose them on reassembly!
Yes you're right, I can get a spanner on the left and right most nuts (just).
At the moment I'm working on Griffter labour-saving technique #9953281 to re-stick the leather (same bit that you did pebbledash) without removing the dash. But as with previous labout saving efforts this may in fact tun out to be anything but...
I had assumed that if the nuts weren't glassed in, the dashboard must have been bolted up and the wiper mech box section glassed on later or something. Who knows?
I'll have another go and let you know - thanks for your help.
So I was concerned that by a similar fluke I might get the middle bolts out, and then lose them on reassembly!
Yes you're right, I can get a spanner on the left and right most nuts (just).
At the moment I'm working on Griffter labour-saving technique #9953281 to re-stick the leather (same bit that you did pebbledash) without removing the dash. But as with previous labout saving efforts this may in fact tun out to be anything but...
I had assumed that if the nuts weren't glassed in, the dashboard must have been bolted up and the wiper mech box section glassed on later or something. Who knows?
I'll have another go and let you know - thanks for your help.
griffter said:
At the moment I'm working on Griffter labour-saving technique #9953281 to re-stick the leather (same bit that you did pebbledash) without removing the dash. But as with previous labout saving efforts this may in fact tun out to be anything but...
Humm Tried that a few times, even to the extent of drilling a ferw holes in the GRP bellow the area, ie above the glove box and squirting glue in with a syringe, but it soon unsticks, I mean a few days, not only that the old glue ones you have tried, makes marks in the leather. best advice is to bite the bullet and take the dash of.
P.S. neithre the left or right had nuts on my dash were held in by much, but the center ones seemed ok.
Take a few pics of the dash with the leather pulled back and the weights etc on it, as thats the bit i forgot to document.
If you are close etc, i don't mind leanding a hand if you like. having done it once, its not that bad. but it did give me a few moments the first time
pebbledash said:
Hows the dash going?
Have unscrewed and screwed in one of the central bolts - looks like the nut's captive. It definitely isn't captive on the far right or left nuts, but I can get a spanner on these. If I don't get the opportunity tonight (unlikely) I'll bite the bullet and undo the lot at the weekend, then I've got Monday - Wednesday off to clean and feed the leather, stick the carpets down, fiddle with the dash electrics and fuse box etc etc! I'll report back next week. Cheers so far.
May I offer my great thanks to pebbledash for encouraging me to go ahead and take the dash off, even in the face of my doubt as to whether I'd 'lose my nuts'. Words of encouragement supplemented with answers to my detailed questions have led to me now having the thing out in one piece, with no nuts lost.
Without removing it I'd have been unable to satisfactorily access the incredible tangle of defunct wiring which was the all-singin and dancing Clifford alarm originally fitted at the dealer. It was still 'live' in places - giving the windows selectable one-touch up/down control, and dead in others where it used to perform auto door opening (yes, OPENING), sense every physical parameter known to man, auto wondow closure etc...all it dodn;t do is make the tea! I even found a long-defunct tracker in the door catch void. Anyway, all successfully de-installed now, interior lights/current alarm senser re-wired, dead courtesy switch identified, wiring tidied no end, damaged loom fixed...it's been a busy few days. Once again thanks to paebbledash.
Now my next conundrum: I was going to re-stick the original leather where it's lifted, but am now thinking of a re-cover in black alcantara. Opinions?
Cheers, Ben.
Without removing it I'd have been unable to satisfactorily access the incredible tangle of defunct wiring which was the all-singin and dancing Clifford alarm originally fitted at the dealer. It was still 'live' in places - giving the windows selectable one-touch up/down control, and dead in others where it used to perform auto door opening (yes, OPENING), sense every physical parameter known to man, auto wondow closure etc...all it dodn;t do is make the tea! I even found a long-defunct tracker in the door catch void. Anyway, all successfully de-installed now, interior lights/current alarm senser re-wired, dead courtesy switch identified, wiring tidied no end, damaged loom fixed...it's been a busy few days. Once again thanks to paebbledash.
Now my next conundrum: I was going to re-stick the original leather where it's lifted, but am now thinking of a re-cover in black alcantara. Opinions?
Cheers, Ben.
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