Padded dash board removal...

[hillclimbmanic]

I am having my 400 re-upholstered in black and tan leather...How on earth are you supposed to remove the dash? The bolts are all turning, and rusted! Any ideas??

Manic

P.S. NOT the gauge dash; the padded thing it sits in!

[davemac250]

Can you get a photo?

Do you mean the rear most 'bar' that sits under the screen?

Or the T section the dash sits on?

[hillclimbmanic]

davemac250 said:

Can you get a photo?

Do you mean the rear most 'bar' that sits under the screen?

Or the T section the dash sits on?

The big padded thing that the glove box is in.!!!

[davemac250]

There are two bolts that have non- captive bolts on the outer edge, you need to get behind the dash with a spanner to get the nut. The rest should all be captive bolts and come out without too much problem.

The wiring isn't too bad, the ventilation is a joke.

You'll need two people ideally as once th dash start to come out it drops and makes the remaining bolts harder to get out.

[davemac250]

Does that help?

[hillclimbmanic]

davemac250 said:

Does that help?

Yes it does, thanks! I didn't realise that the inside ones are captive; the outside ones are rusted, and are a b*****d to get a grip on. At least it means less bolts to hassle over!
Thanks again

Manic

[jeboa]

Just out of curiosity - how do you remove the dash part directly under the screen. My leather has started to come away slightly, I had a quick look a while back - but it looked like a lot work to remove.

[carsy]

Think the windscreen has to come out.

[jesfirth]

I had the same problem getting my dash out. I the end I just used brute force with a long screwdriver and simply repaired the fibreglass afterwards. The hole was only the size of a 50 pence piece. Saved me hours of faffing around.

[jeboa]

carsy said:

Think the windscreen has to come out.

Urghhh....that sounds like another one of those "I'll get round to it another day jobs...."

[hillclimbmanic]

jeboa said:

Just out of curiosity - how do you remove the dash part directly under the screen. My leather has started to come away slightly, I had a quick look a while back - but it looked like a lot work to remove.

The screen does indeed have to come out.!!

The front dash is part of the body, moulded in one...My trimmer is going to put the leather and padding in, before the screen goes back in...

Manic