Dash panel removal

luigi164 · Feb 4, 2018

I want to put this:

Into this:

Question: how can I remove this panel? Is it screwed in from the back or can it be popped out from the front ? Thanks in advance...

67nykr · Feb 4, 2018

Not sure about the dash removal. I'd start by taking out the screws in the upper piece it may reveal how the other comes out.
Where did you get the charging port and is it set up for 12V input?

luigi164 · Feb 4, 2018

Got the port from here:
Dual USB Car Cigarette 12V Lighter Socket Splitter Charger Power Adapter Outlet | eBay

Big_John · Feb 4, 2018

It's more trouble than it's worth to pull that panel.

I would pull out the ash tray assembly and then drop the radio down and out. Then cut your hole from the front and you should be able to secure it in place. This is the back of my '70 dash to give you an idea of what it looks like.

Of course, you could also just replace the cigar lighter with one of these.

Or put one of these inserts in the cigar lighter.

Note proper use of "Cigar lighter" rather than cigarette lighter.

Ross Wooldridge · Feb 4, 2018

Please don't cut the dash - you'll regret it later on.

luigi164 · Feb 4, 2018

Ross Wooldridge said:
Please don't cut the dash - you'll regret it later on.

I knéw this was coming :poke:

....

CBODY67 · Feb 4, 2018

I'll agree, leave the instrument panel ALONE. The answer is staring you in the knee! Make a panel to mount the port and then put it in place of the ashtray itself. There are LOTS of OEM factory ports and panels you can use to do that on late model vehicles. Salvage yard items, but usually a part of an expensive console or similar.

CBODY67

Jon O. · Feb 6, 2018

Big_John said:
It's more trouble than it's worth to pull that panel.

lord willing and the creek don't rise, pulling the panel is possible. I did it recently, so I can tell you everyone here is right, put it somewhere else.
I thought that i might could do this, and while I did get it, I nearly broke a few different things.
If you think you might oughta try it, it can be done if you hold your teeth just right. There is a screw on the other side. Remove all the little screws across the top. Take off the map light, and the 3 other plastic strips/corners. Crawl up underneath the steering wheel and remove the vent line in the way, crush your hand and undo the speedometer cable, undo the radio, undo all the tiny cables (Clock, all the meters), Check double check and pray. You might could pull it out now. Go really realllllllly slow. Don't force nothing. If anything catches, crawl underneath and find it.
Now that you spent all day taking it out, To put it back in do all this in reverse and we will see you next month when you are done!
If you really do need more help, ill be happy to tell you what I remember. But it is a real pain the the behind.

68PK21 440.6bbl · Feb 6, 2018

luigi164 said:
Got the port from here:
Dual USB Car Cigarette 12V Lighter Socket Splitter Charger Power Adapter Outlet | eBay

I know you would like the pretty blue lights but I'd think twice about putting some junk from China from a seller that only has a 97.7% Positive feedback. You will really regret it if it sets your whole dash ablaze. BTW 3.1AMP may be to much for some devices. Check your device manual.

I'm searching BigClive.com's YouTube channel for such a adapter to see if he's tested it at present. Maybe you or anyone else should have a geeez and see what most of this eBay/poundstore China Junk can do.

Jon O. · Feb 6, 2018

Remove all the screws (front and under lip) across. Then remove the plastic parts (The ones you just took screws out of, map light, corners)

These are the screws you are looking to remove by the way.

Unplug everything circled here. ( crawl under the steering wheel and remove the vent running across) For the love of creation double check to make sure you didn't forget anything. The plug circled closest to clock, the pins will break off like they are made of butter so be careful. Undo the ground part of the radio, and the two screws pointed out here, one in each front corner. Slide the radio back and down. Now go to the front, and pull slower than molasses in January. Shine a flashlight back there and make sure nothing is caught or forgotten. You should be able to flip it out from the top and unscrew the two screws to the panel, and pull it out. Cut your hole and do all of this in reverse.

I can't guarantee that you can do it.
However I can guarantee:
-Mangled hands
-Frustration
-Aches and pains
-Something WILL break
-Cursing
-Not being able to see
-When you are finally done with the struggle of putting it all back together, being happier than a possum eating sweet potatoes until you find out you forgot the one little bitty thing that is the hardest to get to.

~BEWARE~
The 8th world wonder is not breaking something in this process

CBODY67 · Feb 6, 2018

Consider that on the assembly line, the complete instrument panel is assembled "off line", as a complete assembly. When the matching car comes down the line (no interior at this point), two assemblers walk the assembly into the front floor of the car, then put the attaching bolts in and secure it to the car's structure. That gets "it" there and in the car. All wiring is already there and dangling from the assy. Other labor ops get the hookups completed at other work stations.

When we did the Superbird restoration, that's how we did it. Have the assembly on a work bench, walk it into the car, put the bolts in, tighten them, then get other things ready for installation. No front seat, but we did have the carpet/padding in. The hvac items were already installed. The steering column was not there. Nor was the windshield.

I realize that B- and C- instrument panels are completely different, but I suspect how they get into the vehicle at the assembly plant is similar. Once you know how things happen on the assembly line, it can help with doing things "not according to conventional wisdom" out in the world. The key is "sub-assembly" done "off-line" rather than trying to do it all on a moving assembly line, in a specified period of time.

CBODY67

luigi164 · Feb 7, 2018

Jon O. said:
View attachment 166826
Remove all the screws (front and under lip) across. Then remove the plastic parts (The ones you just took screws out of, map light, corners)View attachment 166827
These are the screws you are looking to remove by the way.
View attachment 166828
Unplug everything circled here. ( crawl under the steering wheel and remove the vent running across) For the love of creation double check to make sure you didn't forget anything. The plug circled closest to clock, the pins will break off like they are made of butter so be careful. Undo the ground part of the radio, and the two screws pointed out here, one in each front corner. Slide the radio back and down. Now go to the front, and pull slower than molasses in January. Shine a flashlight back there and make sure nothing is caught or forgotten. You should be able to flip it out from the top and unscrew the two screws to the panel, and pull it out. Cut your hole and do all of this in reverse.

I can't guarantee that you can do it.
However I can guarantee:
-Mangled hands
-Frustration
-Aches and pains
-Something WILL break
-Cursing
-Not being able to see
-When you are finally done with the struggle of putting it all back together, being happier than a possum eating sweet potatoes until you find out you forgot the one little bitty thing that is the hardest to get to.

~BEWARE~
The 8th world wonder is not breaking something in this process

Thank you for this very good info..Now I'm sure I'm NOT going to pull the dash !! I like working on my car but crawling under the dash is getting harder on my age

Jon O. · Feb 8, 2018

luigi164 said:
Thank you for this very good info..Now I'm sure I'm NOT going to pull the dash !! I like working on my car but crawling under the dash is getting harder on my age

It certainly isn't an easy task. I would take everyones advice and put it in the ash tray unless you smoke. Then you could always make a small box and mount it under the dash and wire it into the lighter. You also may be able to do it by removing the radio, pulling out the ash tray and reaching your hand behind and doing it by feel. I actually need to do this myself, so I may be able to give you pointers there.
By the way, you have a nice car. Don't end up doing a half-*** job on it.

luigi164 · Mar 11, 2018

Today I got the panel out..Did it without removing the dash

With a little help from my cheap *** chinees endoscoop-camera I was able to look behind the dash and removed the two scews that holds it. Only removed the radio and the ashtray...
Next job is to cut the hole for the charger ( yes I'm gonna do it :poke:

)
Also have plans of putting a neodymium magnet behind it so I have a hidden spot to stick my GPS to..

Jon O. · Mar 11, 2018

Good for you! I found out later about removing the radio when I had another problem with mine. Be careful, plastic that old will be brittle and hard to cut. Good luck, glad to hear you got it.