With the dash removed from...
With the dash removed from the car, you can place it on a pair of sawhorses face down to start removing the pieces. Keep track of the parts you remove so you can reassemble this thing with minimum frustration.
Let's face it, when you climb behind the wheel of your ride, you're immediately face-to-face with something that could best be described as a necessity. Regardless of the rest of your car, that dashpanel with its lights and gauges is probably one of the most important pieces of automotive equipment you use when you drive. Without it, how do you know what the engine is doing, what your speed limit is, or how the car is functioning?
As with all things, dashboards get worn out. So if you feel that the dash in your ride can best be described as "tired," this article will give you some insight into what it takes to return your dash to quality appearance using simple tools and a little effort. Some of the steps may look a little intimidating, but with patience and possibly a little help from a friend, you can get great results in your own garage. Today's quality reproduction parts and refinished original stuff can a go a long way toward making your dash attractive.
The dash we will show you here came out of a '68 GTX with the car already in the process of a complete restoration. Pulling the dash from the car is best performed by referencing the shop manual for your model year, and once the dash is removed, disassembly will be a lot easier since the back of the components are accessible. That said, follow along as we guide you through the process of getting some dashing results of your own.
To unhook the speedometer,...
To unhook the speedometer, pinch the cable and the tab together and pull.
Just Dash-ing
During our dash rebuild, we were fortunate enough that the upper and lower pads were in excellent condition and simply needed to be re-dyed. If your dash pad(s) are beyond that simple spraying or if re-dyeing is a step you do not feel comfortable taking, Just Dashes is there to help. You can send them the dash pads from your car and they will send them back to you with a complete new foam core and color-correct cover and stitching. The high-density foam that Just Dashes uses as core material is of a higher quality than the original and resists the heat build-up that makes the factory foam expand, causing the covering to crack. Each foam core is hand-shaped, then the vinyl with the original graining and stitching is vacuum formed over the dash, resulting in a perfect reproduction of the original. Many Mopar dash forms are now created, so contact Just Dashes for availability of your dash. Just Dashes, Dept. MPRM, 5941 Lemona Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91411; 818-780-9005; www.justdashes.com.
Using a 7/16-inch socket,...
Using a 7/16-inch socket, remove the eight defroster vent nuts. You'll need a long ratchet and extension with a 3/8-inch socket to remove the dashpad nuts down in the back. To remove the speaker, remove the two nuts from each side using a 3/8-inch wrench and slide the speaker out from under the dash. The speaker will come out with the bracket.
With the dash facing up on...
With the dash facing up on sawhorses, remove the six Phillips-head screws that hold the face trim. Now remove the four screws securing the heater controls (A). Be careful when removing controls and don't pull too hard and yank the wires out of the switch. (If your dash is still in the car, also unhook the cables going to the heater box). Next, take out the three screws from the maplight and remove it (B), noting that the wire going to the passenger-side doorjamb courtesy light is also on this circuit in this model. It must be removed from the doorjamb.
With the dash facing up on...
With the dash facing up on sawhorses, remove the six Phillips-head screws that hold the face trim. Now remove the four screws securing the heater controls (A). Be careful when removing controls and don't pull too hard and yank the wires out of the switch. (If your dash is still in the car, also unhook the cables going to the heater box). Next, take out the three screws from the maplight and remove it (B), noting that the wire going to the passenger-side doorjamb courtesy light is also on this circuit in this model. It must be removed from the doorjamb.
The glovebox door is removed...
The glovebox door is removed by taking out the five Phillips-head screws for the door and the six others that hold the glovebox in place. If you're not replacing the glovebox liner, remove all of the screws because the liner will need to be moved out of the way to remove the door.
Next, remove the face trim...
Next, remove the face trim by taking out the five Phillips-head screws on the face along the top and also the two speed nuts on the backside of the dash at each end.
With the face trim removed,...
With the face trim removed, take out the two bolts holding the radio and the one nut on the back of the radio. Carefully slide the radio out the back.
Next comes the switch panel....
Next comes the switch panel. Remove the five screws on the face of the switch panel and carefully pull the panel out the front. Hint: The pad may seem swollen against the switch panel due to age, but with a little care and finesse, it will come out. When you unhook the wiring, be sure to label all connections clearly.
After you remove the switch...
After you remove the switch panel, you can see and remove the four screws that hold the lower dashpad in place. There are also six speed nuts on the back holding the lower pad.
If you don't have the proper...
If you don't have the proper socket to remove the ignition-switch ring from the dash (if applicable), insert the twin tips of a pair of needle-nose pliers into the notches in the ignition-switch trim ring and turn counterclockwise to loosen.