Dash top bolts

[QBee]

I need to take my dash top off to find a fault.

I cannot currently lay my hands on my Steve Heath book.
I am fine with the passenger side ones, but cannot remember which direction the driver's side bolt points in.
Normally it wouldn't matter, as most things can be accessed to some degree without touching that bolt, but in my wisdom I installed an extra gauge to the right of the speedo, and that's where my problem lies.

So advice please. In which direction do I need to pull the dash top to free it from the offside bolt, without damaging anything?

[Sir Paolo]

I found the best way to locate it was to sit with on the ground with your back against the door and slide your right arm up under the dash.
You know when you’re in the right area by feeling around the trunking to the air vent (to the right of the steering wheel).

The nut is effectively in a mirror image location to the one on the passenger side, so imagine you are heading towards the air vents for the windscreen.

If you’ve undone the other two, no doubt you’ve used a ratchet spanner?

Just be careful not to over tighten upon reassembly- the dash cracks easily

Good luck

[QBee]

I undid the other two several years ago and never did them up again, but never found the third one on the right.
You are correct, I used a ratchet spanner, 10mm IIRC.
At that time, I managed to lift up the left hand side far enough to get to the heater control box.

This time I do need to undo the third one, because my issue is with bad contacts on the back of my AFR gauge, but I know it was undone about three years ago when the dash top was removed to fit a new dash.
My dash is now CF wrapped, but the advice about care on tightening the nuts is good advice, thank you.

I was more wondering in which direction to pull the dash top once the nut is off, and if I need to be careful that side not to rip any leather.?

[Classic Chim]

I spent an age trying to find mine, it turned out it had been ripped out by someone before me. If both the l/h side bolts are out id pull it away from screen and towards the centre of the car. I replaced the r/h side bolt with Velcro.

[WOO5IE]

When I removed my dash some years ago I replaced the nuts with wing nuts M6 I seem to remember.
Makes it easier to find them when feeling for them and for reinstalling.
I seem to remember that the stud faces inwards towards the driver seat.

[QBee]

Thanks guys - all much appreciated. I will give it a go.

[Belle427]

The bolt is fixed to the dash so faces the front drivers wheel roughly.
I took that one out on mine as it’s a pig to guide back in without marking the dash leather.
I rely on just the one bolt passenger side front to hold mine in, no real issues and you can’t hear any rattles anyway!

[blaze_away]

If you struggle I find removing the steering wheel gives much better access. to get your hand easily in the right position. Just mark where its position when you take it off so you can put it back in same place.

[QBee]

blaze_away said:

If you struggle I find removing the steering wheel gives much better access. to get your hand easily in the right position. Just mark where its position when you take it off so you can put it back in same place.

Is that the 6 screws, or is there more to it than that, Frank?

[Riff Raff]

QBee said:

Is that the 6 screws, or is there more to it than that, Frank?

Just the spade connection for the horn push.

I had mine off at the weekend to replace the brake light switch which had broken in half.

[Zener]

The one on the O/S facing the brake master cylinder can be cut down to avoid butchering the dash board vinyl/leather a little trick is before fitting put a little loose fitting hose/sleeve over the 6mm studs to further protect , removing the dash top really is one of the easier TVR jobs IMO, also a good call is replace the nuts with M6 knurled thumb nuts https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32869106252.html

[blaze_away]

QBee said:

blaze_away said:

If you struggle I find removing the steering wheel gives much better access. to get your hand easily in the right position. Just mark where its position when you take it off so you can put it back in same place.

Is that the 6 screws, or is there more to it than that, Frank?

As Riff Raff said, just those 6 screws and the spade connector for the horn push, really just a 5 minute job.

Little tip though, hammer (lightly)the allen bit into the screw heads to avoid them slipping.

[Riff Raff]

Zener said:

The one on the O/S facing the brake master cylinder can be cut down to avoid butchering the dash board vinyl/leather a little trick is before fitting put a little loose fitting hose/sleeve over the 6mm studs to further protect , removing the dash top really is one of the easier TVR jobs IMO, also a good call is replace the nuts with M6 knurled thumb nuts https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32869106252.html

The hose trick is a good idea. I'll do that the next time. That said, I'll still cover all the likely points of contact with gaffer tape (2 or 3 layers thick) before taking the top our or putting it back . I also get Mrs Raff to sit in the passenger seat to balance the nearside end of the panel while I wriggle the pads that are glued to the underneath to support the back of the instrument panel past the top of that.

I'll also get some thumb nuts. I've been using wing nuts, but the problem with those is that, for me anyway, I can only just about get my fingertips on the drivers side stud, so I end up dropping 3 or 4 into the voids in the back of the dash before I can get one to thread. They tend not to fall out, but get stuck until you start to corner enthusiastically, or like last weekend on the top of your head when you have to do anything in the footwell.

[s p a c e m a n]

There's one for sale on eBay with a load of pictures so you can see the angle of the dangle

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273551620635

[Steve_D]

My dash has an M8 bolt in the dash top drivers side facing forward but angled at about 45 degrees out towards the wheel.
Second M8 bolt again in the dash top but facing directly forwards and above the passengers knees.
Last one points down and passes through the lower dash section close to the tunnel.


So the action to fit it is drivers side bolt first with the dash top high and at an angle across the car. Swing to nearside in to locate its bolt then drop the top down so the last bolt locates. This last bolt is the only one with a fixing (wing nut).

Steve

[Zener]

Steve_D said:

My dash has an M8 bolt in the dash top drivers side facing forward but angled at about 45 degrees out towards the wheel.
Second M8 bolt again in the dash top but facing directly forwards and above the passengers knees.
Last one points down and passes through the lower dash section close to the tunnel.


So the action to fit it is drivers side bolt first with the dash top high and at an angle across the car. Swing to nearside in to locate its bolt then drop the top down so the last bolt locates. This last bolt is the only one with a fixing (wing nut).

Steve

M8's you sure Steve? .............

[QBee]

Zener said:

8's you sure Steve? .............

Wot? Are you saying he's Steve No-M8s?

[Zener]

QBee said:

Zener said:

8's you sure Steve? .............

Wot? Are you saying he's Steve No-M8s?

He might be if he as quoted an incorrect size my estimations of him have gone right down the pan i'll tell you

[Steve_D]

Zener said:

QBee said:

Zener said:

8's you sure Steve? .............

Wot? Are you saying he's Steve No-M8s?

He might be if he as quoted an incorrect size my estimations of him have gone right down the pan i'll tell you

I'm 71 so allowed to make a mistake now and then.
M6 bolts...all three.

Steve

[Zener]

Steve_D said:

Zener said:

QBee said:

Zener said:

8's you sure Steve? .............

Wot? Are you saying he's Steve No-M8s?

He might be if he as quoted an incorrect size my estimations of him have gone right down the pan i'll tell you

I'm 71 so allowed to make a mistake now and then.
M6 bolts...all three.

Steve