Hi , my dash pad surround the bezel is majorly cracked and an eye sore. Every the else is fine. Is it difficult to replace ? I remember looking into it years ago and tech told me I had to remove the steering wheel and dash. Ugh. Just for a pad seems extensive and risky.

 

Replacing a dash pad in a 66/67 Cutlass/442 is not terribly hard but it does take patience and the ability to remove fasteners without being able to see them. Start by disconnecting the battery, then unplug the engine harness and front end wire harness from firewall plug, then unscrew fuse block from inside firewall. To make under dash work far more easily acomplished I advise to remove the front seat to make under dash access much easier on the human body! It is better on dash wiring harness to not try unpluging everything from the back of the dash while dash is still in car, the main no no is the main round plug centered between the gauges, the pins are VERY FRAGILE. Speaker wires and under dash courtesy wires need to be disconnected from radio and bottom of dash. Then remove steering wheel cover on under side of dash and then loosen 2 nuts holding steering column to dash. Then remove the 7 nuts holding the dash pad to the dash, then you can remove dash pad and plastic dash in one piece with harness as one. Once you have dash removed and sitting on the work bench face down then very carefully remove nuts from studs that hold plastic part to padded part on dash. You will probably find that there will be a broken stud or two on the back of plastic part of dash because of the age of the dash. Once you have separated the two parts of the dash and have repaired the stud bases on the back of plastic dash you then reverse the process and reinstall dash , fuse block, under hood wires, etc. Not a piece of cake but it can be done, remember someone with the same number of hands and eyes originally assembled it.

 

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...torial-122844/

 

Thank you. I read through these. I would like to get these done. The old pad is such an eyesore. One thing challenging is folks have differing opinions on how to do this. One thing that is worrisome is that pad is just cosmetic and hate to mess with stuff that work but I have been putting this off for 7 years.

I can see why this is not too hard if you know what your doing.

Some questions for clarification please:
1) All work is done in the interior correct? When mention firewall, just want to make sure nothing is done inside engine bay.
2) Do you have to remove the steering wheel casing and remove steering wheel column? Remove steering wheel too? Some say do some say don't have to.
3) Do you have to remove the ignition switch? I see you use paper clip to remove, but did not see how to reinstall.
4) Why do you have to loosen the fuse block? I take it its the block by your left foot when driving?
5) Do you have to remove the dash board from the car? I can see why this make it easier as it seems impossible to remove nuts while dash is still installed.
6) Do you have to remove or loosen any heating control equipment or it as simple as disconnecting?
7) Do you have to remove the glove box ? By doing do does that make it any easier?
8) Is it advisable to first remove screws holding whole dash in place while the electronics are connected and then once you have all the screws removed, you gently pll the dash from its secured location and then while it has space, you then disconnect electronics (aka wiring harnesses ) from dash. A little confused of what to disconnect first and what to disconnect once dash is dislodged.
9) Do I need to disconnect the speedometer cable?
10) Do I have to remove the radio or just disconnect the front **** and under dash connections?

My apologies for the littany of questions. This seems a little complicated but would make the aesthetics so much better.

 

1. Yes, but you might want to do other things while you are in there.
2. No, but it will be in the way. It will either be in the way, or you can remove the seat, or you can remove it. You will have to lower it some. MIND the indicator cable if it's a column shift auto.
3. It clicks in. That's not the switch, that's the lock cylinder.
4. I think it either blocks access, or blocks a bolt.
5. Yes.
6. I think you undo the cables from the heater box.
7. Yes, glove box is first.
8. Remove what you can, unbolt, slide out a little, get the rest.
9. Absolutely.
10. Radio comes out second, after glove box.

This is not an easy job. It will take a long time, especially for a new guy, and you'll have to get more tools. Expect to spend at least a weekend. This is not a "I fix this" job, it's a "I will fix all ten problems in this area while I am here" job. There's a sticky thread on removing one of these somewhere here. I would recommend, before diving in, figure out everything you want to do to the car in this area first, and do it all.

 

Thank you Koda! For clarification I do have a column shifter.