help:removing dash 72 cutlass

[blowitup]

Looking for instructions or steps in removing dash assembly for 1972 cutlass supreme.Want to paint black.
Thanks Scott

[rocwal]

Hi. Its been awhile but , upper and around the inside edges of dash should have several nuts to be removed , on bottom sides where it fastens to door frame should be couple bolts , remove the wire harness ,lights, wiper, etc and speed cable from insturment panel and heater selector remember to mark your vacum hoses, should lower the steering colum makes it easier . If you want to paint the metal dash the windshield should come out . And a manual would sure help.
If you need more let me know and I'll check the manual .

rocwal
Dan B

[hamm36]

The nuts are 11/32", if you are removing the pad. The two studs on the furthest sides of the pad are just pushed in to clips, no nuts. I removed the heater/ac switches first. I did not want to mess with the vacuum lines getting messed up.

[2blu442]

Hello Scott
Be careful removing the end studs that hamm36 described, I've broken a couple off being too forceful. The following are links to photographs I took of the fastening points of a 1970-72 dash. (I intened to post links, but I did the photos by accident!)

I believe this was one of those studs, but it came out of the plastic and stayed in the metal dash


Passengerside below the vent


Above the glove box, passenger door side


Above the glove box, radio side


Between the radio and glove box


Broken stud above the headlight switch and outside the vent


Between the headlight switch and windshield wiper switch


Between the heater controls and the radio


Between the steering column and the heater controls


This was a stud I broke off, above the headlight switch and outside the vent


Between the windshield wiper switch and the gauges.

[oldsdroptop]

I have done this once....I guess it's a right of passsge (kinda like rebuilding carbs filled with rust on 20 year old japanese bikes) The right ones are MUCH easier to reach when you pull the cardboard glove box out. The rest you have to feel around with your fingers and search out but 2blu has done an awesome job with those pics of his (keep up the good work!) I found pulling the head switch away (which involes holding in the pushbutton on the oustside the headlight switch box and pulling out the entire shaft for the headlight controls (it sounds like fun...and really.... it is!) and when you get the shaft off you can turn the funny nut with 4 slots in it to completely pull out the headlight switch. the pics 2blu shows have the left stud broken off...this is common since it is absolutely the hardest stud to get to out of all these bolts. I have found a great trick to lay a beady on them is to take 1 of those mirrors with the telescoping shaft and ball swivel end and use it with a flashlight or something similar to light up under the dash. And then you can actually look where you are trying to get your 1/4" drive rachet and deep well socket with a 6" extension and possible the swivel adapter. My dash had a small line of brown where the trim shop painted the dash and never pulled it out so they missed the very front edge....which really isn't that noticiable UNLESS YOU LOOK AT THE DASH THROUGH THE WINDSHEILD!!...other than that.....you'd never notice it...lol..hope this helps....I know I really made it sound like disarming a nuclear warhead, but afterall....it's pretty close.....good luck let us know if you get stumped.....Oldsdroptop

[oldsdroptop]

sorry...I forgot 1 thing in the last message about removing the bolts on the left side of the dash. On the left side you have to remove the 3 guage bezel which is held on by philipshead screws. After you remove the bezel take out the Fuel guage (which the reason we all know it is so big is because Oldsmobiles are so fuel effcient) remove the fuel guage and this makes a great hole to insert your hand to get to the aforementioned left hand bolts. After you remove the headlight switch you can easily get to these bolts. I would like to mention that the oversized clock makes a great place for a sun super tach 2 as I have shown in thumbnail pic shown below. Good luck with the dash project!! Oldsdroptop

[blowitup]

Thanks for the reply's.took about 1 hr. to remove and 3hrs. to install,but well worth it.