Hi All,

New to the site. Restoring a 1968 Cutlass Supreme - 2 door hardtop and looking for some instruction on how to remove the dash (no A/C). Here is a picture of what i'm working with:

Any pointers would be great.
Thanks,
Dan

 

It's a royal PITA to remove, but if you have patience it can be done. I would remove the radio because there is going to be a couple of studs with nuts on them that you have to be able to remove. My car is an a/c car so I had to remove all the ducts. All the nuts you need to remove is going to require you laying on your back. Make sure you have a really good light that you can stick thru the glove box opening so you can see those studs and nuts. You may also want to remove the steering wheel.

Your first step would be to get a Oldsmobile Chassis Service Manual (not a Chiltons or Helms or other, a factory service manual). This will give you pictures of the location of the fasteners. Your best bet, without the pictures is to take out the front seats, put towels over the seat studs, and lay on your back under the dash and feel for the nuts that hold the dash on. I believe they are 5/16" nuts. You'll want a 1/4 inch ratchet with 3" and 6" extention. If you remove the plastic panel (where the lighter, ashtray, radio, etc are located) be careful. There is a nut just to the right (as you're looking at it) of the ashtray that a lot of people don't realize is there and they think the panel is just stuck, so they pull on it and break off the stud giving them a nice hole in that panel.

Check ebay or your local swaps for the Chassis Service Manual. If your doing wiring work you'll want one anyway.
Here is a thread on this site that is helpful also. https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...removal-37820/

 

Hi Gary,

Thanks for the info. For removing the plastic panel as you suggested, is that the only nut (beside ash tray) that fastens it to the dash or are there others in behind? And once i remove the nuts, do you suggest using a flat head screw driver to pop it off?

thanks,
Dan

 

Hey Dan

There are several nuts in that dash. I believe there are about four and the top and about four or five down lower. If you can start on the passenger side first you can see the upper and lower nuts. There are a couple more in the middle upper and where the heater control is. Don't pry on the dash because you might break the lower plastic. Once you have removed all the nuts you should be able to wiggle the dash out. The one that is probably going to give you the most trouble is going to be the one on the left side of the dash where a vent would be is it were an a/c car. You will probably have to move the dash harness around if the wires are in your way. Also if I were you I would remove the steering wheel to keep from damaging your dash.

Please remember with a good light you will be able to see those nuts.

 

This assembly manual illustration pretty much shows you everything you need to know. The most important thing to know is that center post labeled "pushed in post" doesn't have a nut on it because it's held in with a friction connector. You need to put a solid punch against the back on it and hit it sharply to get it to release. I use a piece of threaded rod. Do that one last. I use a couple 1/4 extensions of varying lengths and at least one universal to reach the speed nuts. It's been over 10 years since I've done one but I seem to remember that removing the two bolts out of the steering column al letting it drop down made it a lot easier to get the dash out. You've got a good start because your seats are out. FWIW don't try to take the dash pad off until you remove the whole assembly. The factory assembled this as one unit with the gauges , heater control, switches, etc already attached

 

I really like that red interior.