Can someone please point me in right direction on how to remove just the dash pad on this car?
I have searched the site for couple hours now, and found some usefull info, but not step by step how to take just the Dash pad off.
This is where Im at so far :



THx for the help in advance.
Jim

 

Here's an old thread with photos from the back of two dashes. The pictures show where the fasteners are located. And warns of where you need to be gentle prying off a stud that has no nut on the backside. After you check out the photos let us know if you have any more questions. John

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...2-cutlass.html

 

So when are you coming up to help me take that sucker outta my car??

 

But Allan, all the spare parts are down here. You need to bring the car down here so we can work on it

 

Gettin my keys outta the cupboard buddy! BTW one of the newbies is looking for a dashpad. He's way closer to Scott and Eric, but if you want to jump in, here's the thread https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-any-help.html

 

OK, I'll be watching for your car to come down the street

Yeah I saw that and your right. If Eric or Scott have something they can save him $$ on the shipping costs. John

Sorry for yammering back and forth with Allan in your thread Jim. Did the pictures answer your questions?

 

Thx for the help fellas.
Yes, I found that thread in my research, but wasnt sure if that was how to take off only the Dash Pad. Not trying to take the rest of it off.

But after a good 2 hours wrestling with it, it looks like that Dash insert part is coming off too with the Dash pad. Guess you cant help that. Al;though it oes have A\C, all the vacum hoses are off alrady, and much of ducting is gone.

I have it all hanging by a thread or two now. So I got to figure out which part is still attached, even though it clearly is almost off.

One question about Wipers pigtail. Is that supposed to come right off, or is there a trick to it? The top of pigtail wants to come off, bottom wont budge.

 

Well I got that sucker out!!! Till the wee hours in the morning. Learned a helluva lot. That was a very royal pain in the ****! After I took it out I swore there'd be no way I'm gonna get it back together correctly. But after I was done, I sat there tired as hell and analyzed everything that I just done, looking at that spaghetti bowl of a mess, and stared her down until I got everything in my mind right. Now I don't think it will be actually that bad.

Got a few wires that I will have to ask you guys about especially all those orange ones near the cig lighter. I will take pics. Some stuff has been cut under there, or just dangling and I need to figure out where they go , where their home is. I think 1 of the orange wires is for the cig lighter, which was broken off in the back on this lighter

 

Post questions when they come. Another thing that might help is to have a copy of the wiring schematic from the Chassis Service Manual. If you don't have one go to wildaboutcars and look at it there. John

 

Jim, the orange leads - one will be for the cigarette lighter and the other will be for the courtesy light that goes below the ashtray. Look at dash from below and you'll probably see a cover plate to hide the hole for the light option.
Show us a pic of the pigtail that won't undo? You sure it's just not sticking? Lift the securing tab and wiggle like crazy in all directions - up down left right while maintaining steady outward pull?

 

Well, I had a nice long post with details and it just got all wiped out due to Router hiccup when posting...NICE!

I got the pigtail off, it was just really stuck hard. I couldnt even get it off after dash was 3\4 off. But she couldnt resist forever!

Quick question, can you install the Dash Insert first, and then the new Dash Pad? Or is that a no-no, or presents other issues when trying to attach them together again when on the car again?

Will re-write what I lost later.
Thx for all the help.

 

When I'm writing a long post I'll either do a "copy" before hitting submit or open another window of Classicoldsmobile to make sure I'm still logged on. I'm not sure, I think you can also do the back arrow and sometimes you'll get your message back.

I'm pretty sure you have to mount the lower dash assembly to the pad before installing it. I've never tried that though so if someone else has suceeded with attaching them while aparts please speak up!


John

 

Jim, the dash insert gets fastened to the dash pad first. Otherwise I don't think you can do it. Take a look at the AM on page 102.

I also had some posts ready to go and hit 'submit'. C.O. server balked and blanked the whole screen. It worked on my last post, but not the previous 2. Personally? I think you got those electrical gremlins from your car and uploaded them to this site.....

 

Thx for the input

Yeah, I think it was C.O. server too as I had other Internet stuff going on that wasnt effected. This isnt the first time either. On longer post I usually do copy it, but not this time. Oh well.

Going to hunt down a headlight switch and new cig lighteras a MAW . Seen both at local parts store. Just picked up an original 442 cig lighter ****, and I'll throw that on the new aftermarket cig element.

Debating whether to dye the dash. I did it up with some Black Magic and it came out pretty nice, but it definitely could use a bath in black dye.

I got new glass (plastic) for the cluster group, new face for the fuel gauge, new repop tick tach, new woodgrain veneer for the cluster beezel, some other stuff to go into the Dash project.

I might experiment with installing Dash in 2 pieces, just to know if it can be done.
Will begin posting pics of everything today\tonight.