How to remove instrument panel

JMed

I am trying to remove the wiring harness as intact as possible but I’m having a hard time removing the instrument panel where the gauges are. Does anyone know the correct way to remove it? There is very little room for my hands and I don’t want to break or force anything. I have the procedure book for the ’52 but it doesn’t talk about interior.

On the other hand, would it be easier to remove the entire dashboard? Any procedures for that? I’ll have to remove the dashboard anyway to re-do the vinyl top and new paint.

As always, thanks for all your help.
Jairo

dave s

Remove speaker cover and speaker. Reach behind cluster and will find four 3/8" head nuts. Remove nuts and cluster will pull right out. Speedometer cable can then be removed, along with wiring harness.

[Deleted User]

Removing radio helps get to other items back there too,
Roger

JMed

Great, thank you both! I'll try that tomorrow.

Jim_G

Jairo -

Did removing the speaker work for you?

Jim G.

SuperDave

An interesting tid bit.. The 48-50 complete dash can be unbolted and removed from the car leaving only a stiffener that runs from door jamb to door jamb. Just a few screws under the defroster vent molding removes the top and front panel. It helps greatly to have the windshields out too!. But the 51 I worked on has some spot welds under the molding on the outer ends of the upper dash panel that prevents removal of the top panel. Looks like they fastened it with screws, then welded it..??

[Deleted User]

How about in the 46 Commodore 8? I've removed what i thought were all the retaining bolts for the radio, got the factory speaker out, but now nothing will move. I thought the radio would just pull straight out but it won't budge and I dont want to break anything. Looked in the procedures manual but didn't find anything other than it saying to remove the radio remove the couple of bolts under the dash which it attaches to. I did that, still nothing. (

lostmind

I seem to remember a support bracket in the back of the radio.
Reach around behind and slide your hand across.
Careful for sharp edges.

[Deleted User]

You are correct, I disconnected that too. Won't budge.

[Deleted User]

Did you remove the 2 nuts behind the control knobs?

[Deleted User]

I should mention the car has weathermaster installed, which blocks access to most of the under dash stuff

Ric West IN

Those "nuts" appear as plated flat washers with two small holes opposite each other. I've used the "needle nose" pliers to unscrew these.

"Ric"

[Deleted User]

Thanks Ric finally got that figured out! Tricky little buggers, those Hudson makers!

[Deleted User]

Spanner Nuts ..............

JMed

Hello gentlemen, for some reason I stopped getting notifications and missed the question. That aside...

Yes, removing the speaker worked except for the two nuts on the far left. But after removing the other nuts it was earier to figure it out.

Below is a pic as of today. I still have to remove the door open/close sensors, tail lights, fuel sending unit, and maybe one or two more wires. Then I'll be able to re-create the wiring harness and will also have better access to remove rust and start priming.

Removing the dashboard seemed much more complicated than I first thought so I didn't chase it that much. Although I will need to take the top of the dashboard off to replace the vinyl piece.

As always, thank a bunch!
Jairo.