how to change a dashboard

Post Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:47 am

Sorry mods not a double post!

i am thinking of buying a second donor car to swap the good bits off then resell (at a slight loss!!) so i would want to change the dashboard as mine is cracked. i have taken the instrument cluster out before but what else should be done to change out the entire dashboard, and is it very difficult and fiddley or just time consuming. If it makes any difference they both have air condition.

cheers guys

mr lee

Guest · Post Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:20 am

G'day mate, I just did the dashboard swap myself. It's fairly easy as long as you take your time and bag everything (Nuts / Bolts etc) into labelled groups as you go. I found this link a huge help aswell. The finished product is definately worth the effort. Go on give it a go...

http://www.strictlyeta.net/technical/dashboard.html

Post Tue Mar 22, 2005 5:54 am

cheers Bro, not gonna buy the other car but a trip to the scrappies is on the cards.

mr lee

Guest · Post Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:24 am

No worries, the scrappies can be a gold mine on a good day... Are they AC Schnitzer rims on your cab? If so what size are they and what size tyres aswell..?

Post Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:31 pm

lol, label and bag everything you say... so pulling the dash out without labelling anything and throwing all the small stuff in a lunchbox is a bad idea then?

Can be tricky getting the dash out, I had a lot of problems with it clearing the steering column and getting the little clips off the heating control wires was comedy entertainment..

Good luck with it.. oh and nice link btw, perhaps I should have read that 1st

Post Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:49 pm

Clears the column OK.
Leave the whole heater, clock, radio, etc. panel in place in the car - no need to swap them. Unscrew the screws top and bottom.

Post Wed Mar 23, 2005 5:15 am

Cheers guys, the scrappies have a good un so will get into it today, dont need heater controls but will see if i can blag it.

Yes they are AC shnitzer rims with spokes painted black as they were tatty when i got them so sent em to the spray booth and am happy with what is a unique (at leats here in Bahrain!!) look. they are 16inch with 205/50 - 16 bridgestones Grid II, i had 225 at first but they rubbed the rear arches and front on full lock.

mrlee

Guest · Post Wed Mar 23, 2005 9:28 am

Well done, nice rims. I wouldn't have tackled the dash swap job myself if it wasn't for that link I posted. Make sure that once you've got the new one in that you look after it with lots of auto vinyl / rubber rejuvenation spray applied at least weekly. Yes the whole heater control section stays in the car. Just remove the knobs, switches and the top and bottom 4 screws. The panel should pull out from the controls. My dash came out fairly easy even with my Momo steering wheel still on. Just had to work out the best angle. Good luck...

Post Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:29 am

Just so happens I did mine yesterday! I used the following link as a guide and it has lots of pictures to help you out....

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ecdeegan9/das ... ard_1.html

The whole thing took me about 8 hours but I did wire in a new stereo and an OBC at the same time. The trickiest bit is manouvering the old one out and the new one in.

Post Thu Mar 24, 2005 5:26 am

Got the dash out of the scrappie yesterday only took half hour but i didnt care about his trim! never would have known to push down to clear the A pillar clips so the post excellent, now to get it back in!!! reckon it could be a one man job so sir you may have to tip your hat after all!!

mr lee