Dashboard Removal

Bill77 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-30-2003, 09:26 PM

Hello out there. Does anyone have tips for the easiest way to remove the dashboard from a Spider? I'm doing a complete restoration (and a color change) on my '77 and it's time to pull the panel.

The console came out today -- it was pretty easy. The only tricky part was disconnecting the throttle adjustment cable. I had to disconnect the cable on the engine side and pull it through. Also, the little plastic housing under the console where you pull the "throttle" knob was broken. That explains why the throttle adjustment didn't work very well !

Another question: How does that inside rearview mirror come off? There are no visible screws.

Thanks.

**Toptick** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-31-2003, 06:39 AM

As far as the rear-view mirror goes, when I too mine off (86 Spider), it just snaps off & snaps on at the windshield.

No help here on the dash.

Bill77 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-31-2003, 07:05 AM

Thanks for the info. I'll try to pry the mirror loose and see if it pops.

As for the dashboard, I can see a screw on the driver's side near the door on the underside that doubles as a grounding screw. There's a similar screw on the passenger side, without grounding wires. I'll start with those screws and see what happens. There must be other screws somewhere in the middle.

**ossodiseppia** · #4 (**permalink**) 12-31-2003, 08:30 AM

I'm sure there are two or three brakets on the underside of the dash that hold it to the chassis. Look and see if there is a hole in the glove box that allows you to get to it. If not, then you may have to look from underneath. On the Duettos, there are brackets on each end of the dash. So, I am assuming they are the same on the Kamm-tails.

**Toptick** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-31-2003, 10:00 AM

I wouldn't try to "pry" the mirror off, I'd give it a good "pull". These things are supposed to pop off as a safety measure. I'd grab the bottom of the "stalk" where it attaches to the mirror and give it a good sharp pull. It should pop right off in your hand. To reinstall, just pop it right back on.

Prying sounds a bit delicate, and brings images of screwdrivers wiggling into (and damaging) small spaces. Ugh!

**Roadtrip** · #6 (**permalink**) 12-31-2003, 10:11 AM

See if this picture helps. Two point on the ends and two capture bolts on the underside of the dashboard that slide into some fingers on the firewall. Gauges and warning lights on the center instrument panel should have gang connectors.

Bill77 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-31-2003, 05:37 PM

Thank you all !!!

I had a successful afternoon removing the Dashboard.

First of all, the rear view mirror snapped off just as described. The attachment is sort of like the snap on a coat, only heavier-duty.

Now for the dashboard. Here's some info in case there are others out there who wish to remove the dashboard. I used a set of pliers on the two middle attachments, since the wingnuts were too tight to turn by hand at first and were a long reach up under the dash. The fasteners were easier to reach once the rubber ducts were loosened from the heater box. The two outboard dashboard screws were obviously very easy to remove. The dashboard was then free to move rearward a bit.

Next, the tach and speedo cables had to be disconnected. The shrouded bezels are easily underscrewed from the bottom and removed. The gages are held in with two screws. The tach could be pulled out far enough to unscrew the cable and unplug the wires (I labelled all the wires for easy reinstallation). The speedo wouldn't pull back enough to get my hand behind it. I had to unclip the speedo cable from a clip next to the brake booster to give a little more "slack" in the cable. Now the backside of the speedo could be reached. I would recommend removing the speedo and tach before unbolting the dashboard.

Next, the main wire harness for the dashboard can be unplugged from the body harness. An interesting thing, however, was that the warning lights were not part of this arrangement. They all popped out of their locations in the dashboard and were dangling!! They all look alike, so I will have fun trying to figure out which one goes where. Fortunately, the wire colors are all different, so a wiring diagram should shed some light (no pun intended). There was no connector to unhook these from the body harness -- they were hard-wired. I had to unplug some individual connectors on the dash and leave this group of lights on the car for now. Chalk this one up to Italian "character", I guess. What's even funnier is that these are the same warning lights that have no labels on the dash! You have to get out your Owner's Manual to understand if you have low oil pressure or if the car is merely trying to tell you that your parking lamps are turned on!!! I would recommend that you remove these lights from the dashboard before taking out the dashboard. This way, each light can be labelled for reinstallation. I may install a gang connector to help reassembly.

Overall, removing the dashboard is not very difficult, just a little time consuming. As I disassemble my Spider, I have been labelling every wire and bagging all the fasteners so that things are relatively easy when it's time to reassemble.

Thanks again for the information.