On Wed, 18 Dec 1996 01:09:08 +0000 Brian Hoxie <B.Hoxie@worldnet.att.net>
writes:
>My 77B has spent most of it's life in central AZ, so it has a minimum
>of
>rust, but one seriously baked dashboard. At one of the sales over the
>last
>year I bought a replacement dash and am ready to install it for my
>winter
>project. How do I proceed? What's involved? What are the pitfalls?
>What
>else should I do while its out? I have the standard manuals and
>can/have
>read them, but I'd like the advantage of a little experience to go
>with them.
>
>thx
>Brian
>Brian Hoxie
>B.Hoxie@worldnet.att.net
One thing to know from the start is that this is no easy job! - the
manuals are quite adequate for the pure step by step procedures although
they do minimise some of the difficulties you will encounter.
Here are a few comments based on experience, some of it painful! based on
changing the dash in my 72 (my 69, also an AZ car - God bless 'em, seems
to have worn a hard top most of its life)
1)removal of the steering wheel/column was dealt with about a week or so
back.
personally I didnt do it! - using a very fine fretsaw, superglue and
vinyl paint you will spend far less time "adjusting" and restoring the
dash around the column than you will replacing ujs and having the car
towed so somebody can put it all back! - plus
it is an obvious cut and i defy anyone to notice later!(preparing for
incoming on that one!)
2)Mark every wire as clearly as you possibly can whilst disassembling,
better to write an essay than have one or two left over! twist
extension wires to them as well to make them artificially longer so
you can more easily "sort" them and keep them to one side or the
other.
3) remember to change EVERY bulb for new ones and remember to test EVERY
one of those new bulbs
4)Ensure all the guages and switches are fully working and clean all
connections to
bare metal.Personally would change choke and speedo cables just in
case and
make sure oil pressure guage connection not corroded (mine was)
4)The only way to restore or replace the vinyl between the base of the
windscreen and the back of the dash is with the dash off - dont
forget this item, if the dash is THAT
far gone then this piece almost certainly needs replacement.
5)when replacing use wire connectors rather than solder in all cases,
initially
it takes longer but it makes errors easier to "undo" and it will be
highly appreciated
if you ever need to change the windscreen (THE MOST MINIMIZED JOB IN
ALL THE
MANUALS!!)
6)All the above notwithstanding, if it is only the top of the dash that
is unacceptable
(the vertical portions not getting as much sun) it may be possible to
use a dash
cap, plus a bit of filler if any significant holes! - These are only
about $50 and take
an afternoon to install. vinyl paint and/or Armorall will bring back
practically anything
to a shiny black and I have found the result quite acceptable - just
a thought.
hope this helps - Ill be interested to hear others experiences with this
too!
mike robson
69 roadster (dash just fine but all the bulbs gone so it has to come off
oneday)
72 roadster (been there done that )
73 BGT (dash fine, its the bloody engine i cant fix!)
|