Question for you gen 1 vets. Anyone remove the dashboard on one of these? Need to get the one from my parts car.
What year is it? They are all about the same, as far as removal goes, but if you give me the year, I'll post the drawings from the service manual and parts catalog for it.
Provided the screws in the bulkhead connector come out properly, a dash can be removed in about an hour and half or so. The most difficult part is disconnecting all of the wiring, including that aforementioned bulk head connector, there's also several connections across teh dash that will need to be disconnected, depending on the number of options you have.
I don't have the 85 Service manual. 88 is my oldest. Hope these help thought. They are from the parts catalog 82-91.
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Yeah , been there done that - but it was ages ago and not much fun as I remember. Pulled one out for parts . I do remember I had to be extra careful to try and keep from cracking it during removal. As old as these cars are - baked so long in the sun it will crack on you somewhere just from the flexing as you move it around. Take your time & bribe you a helper if you can come removal time. Getting up and over the shifter is the tricky part. Best to remove the seats & steering column and just get it out of the way. BE careful with the HVAC controls - that stuff is old and brittle Yeah - it will have to be completely removed to get the dash assembly out of there. Most importantly - if it sticking somewhere take a break and come back and search around - you got a fastener hiding and fighting it will just break something somewhere.
They have fancy machines to install those buggers easily in the factory!! We ain't so fortunate.
While you got it out if you need to pull a front door or make adjustments - that is definitely the time to act . The upper inner bolts are hidden behind the dash and you just got to pull the dash back to get to it. I'd strongly recommend you'd consider replacing the heater core while you have the easiest access you'll ever have to it now - too. They don't cost much nowadays and it'll save you a headache during one of your tomorrows.
Good news is you don't have NO worries of an air bag blowing up in your face - now that is a nice old school treat!
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Good thing I will need to remove the steering column since I am keeping that for my car. According to the records for my 87 the heater core I think was already replaced, and cooling system meticulously maintained to where it had the cooling system flushed before I bought it, as well as an oil change. I'm ok with removing the front seats if I have to and just bolt them back in later. I better get my shots for all the crud I pulled from the car lol. I'll pull out the HVAC controls so I don't damage it since I need them for the a/c conversion.
At the top of the dash- defrost vents to be exact, I see bolts. Are those just to hold the vents in place or do they need to be pulled in order to pull the dash?
Matt Manter wrote:
At the top of the dash- defrost vents to be exact, I see bolts. Are those just to hold the vents in place or do they need to be pulled in order to pull the dash?
I believe you have to take the defrost vents out and there are maybe two screws on each side holding the dash to the bulkhead.
PS; You can see the screw holes pictured on drawings of the dash in shots 05A and 06. Look close at the defrost vent openings.
The screws in the defrost vents hold the top part of the dash in, there are 4 screws up there that need to be removed, 2 10mm nuts at each lower corner of the dash (the studs point forward), and a brace behind the glove box held on with 10mm nut and bolt.
The steering column also has to come out as mentioned, since part of the dash bracing is sandwiched between the column and the column support.
The heater core can be replaced without without the dash in place with the same amount of effort, since the heater core access is below the dash. Also, if you're swapping to AC, your existing heater core will not transfer over, they are different.
I'm actually doing the same swap on my Skyhawk this winter, but I'm also swapping to a T-type interior from the base interior that it has now, so my dash has to come out for that anyway.
Thanks for the info on the heater core. I'll buy a new a/c heater core. The steering column will be pulled from the parts car anyway so it won't be an issue. This will be both fun and annoying at the same time. But still will be good to try.
That’s really helpful thanks. I’ll have to put down some plastic or something on the nasty carpet and go from there. If I saw in that link there are no covers on the courtesy floor lights? Saw the pigtail on mine taped up and thought of putting the bulbs in since the kick panel had the cut out for it.
I did exactly what you said with those light sockets in the Pontiac. Mine were Covered up as well. GM made you pay extra for them to give you some bulbs!
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Orlen Brown wrote:I did exactly what you said with those light sockets in the Pontiac. Mine were Covered up as well. GM made you pay extra for them to give you some bulbs!
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I haven’t checked the 85 parts car but I don’t think it even had the cut outs. My sedan is a base model and only option was AM radio and yet it had a glove box light while the 85 parts car which is a CS did not. Go figure lol. Still nice to have all the goodies to make mine a CS clone basically lol.
