I'm stripping down the body of a '70 442 getting ready to have it media blasted. I've been making pretty good progress but have hit a wall today. I want to remove the entire instrument panel and pad from the car. The primary issue I am having is the headlight switch. The car has AC and I just absolutely cannot get to it. I have read just about every thread I can find on this site on the subject and have found some great advice.

However, I have also found a couple of comments that stated that the instrument panel can be removed with the wiring intact. No details, just that it can be done. This would eliminate the need to remove the headlight switch so that I could get in with the project. I have the Oldsmobile service manual for the car and it has a section on instrument panel pad removal that identifies everything that needs to be disconnected - including of course, the headlight switch! Which gets me back right where I started.

Since it's all coming out, is there a different way to do it? The manual indicated that there are only 4 bolts holding the panel in. Would disconnecting these give me enough "slack" to get at the wires better? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Did you see this thread yet? It has several photos of the back of the dash/instrument panel from a 1970-72 car. John

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

 

John,


Yes I did. In fact, I printed it out and had it in the garage with me. It's great work (and thanks for doing it) but, unless I'm missing something, it still leaves me with the issue of getting behind AC and other things in the way. The service manual, under pad removal, talks about disconnecting all of the electrical connections but again, I can't seem to get to some of them


I have the lower AC duct off, the AC manifold, the tape player, and all of the gauges out. I have some of the electrical connections apart but just can't seem to get into a few places. The manual mentions 4 bolts that seem to secure the whole thing (in addition to the studs you describe) If I pull those 4 bolts, can I get enough slack to get at everything else?

 

The instrument panel was installed on the assembly line with the harness, switches, and gauges already assembled to it, so yes, it can come off the same way. There's no magic, you still need to remove all the fasteners from the panel and pad to the metal dash structure. You also need to remove the fuse panel from the firewall, as well as any connections from the dash harness that go off the dash (ie, dome light switches, rear body harness, radio plug, e-brake switch, etc). Of course, steering column, seats, and everything else need to come out first.