I want to clean the inside of the dash cluster lenses and the faces of the gagues. I have managed to get the top of the dash (pad) off but am unsure how to get the face of the dash off. Any suggestions?

Can't help you with disasembling a gauge dash, but...

A word of warning when cleaning the gauges: my '70 sweep style speedo had the numbers/lettering silk-screened on. Meaning that it is very delicate, if you wipe it with a cloth it will come off. I accidentally did this and ruined a sweep speedo (fortunately I have an extra). The lines/numbers were too small and precise to be redrawn with this finest paint pens I could find. I don't know if gauges are the same, but be forewarned.

David,

There is no dash face... it is the whole dash.

You can remove all of the bolts holding the dash to the body, and simply tip the dash forward to get at the pod. This is easiest done with the steering wheel removed and the steering column allowed to drop down. There is a hidden bolt which can only be gotten at with the steering column dropped out of the way. The Fisher Body Assembly Manual is invaluable for this task. Rock it forward and you'll be able to get at the bolts that hold the gauge pod in place. Be mindful of the dash vent ducts.

The gauge pod has one large clear plastic lense which can clean up pretty nicely with Novus Plastic Polish (there are three products which work like three steps of sandpaper: Fine, super fine, super super fine.) Results can be very good with lots of elbow grease and work. Put a movie in that you've seen a hundred times while you're working. I tend to watch Mad Max or the Road Warrior for tasks like this.

Concerning the faces of the gauges. Buck is right, be extrememly careful with them. Try not to get them wet. First try dusting them with a clean, soft bristle brush. For denser crud carefully try to scrubbing with a dry Q-tip. Liquids *WILL* ruin the face. If the faces of your gauges are too far gone (rusty pits and such) you may want to have them refurbed by professionals... *not cheap*, but possibly worth the effort! Try D&M:
http://dandmrestoration.home.mindspring.com/
or other resto shops as listed in Hemmings.


Overall this job can be a bear, but is do-able for the average joe. My suggestion is that you should take the dash completely out and do EVERYTHING you've ever wanted to do to the dash at the same time. Clean it, paint it if need be, get that non-working dash clock fitted with quartz movement, redo that firewall insulation pad, install the dash insulation pads if yours are toasted, fix or replace those tired Astro vents and kick panel vent cables. This is a good opportunity to clean up that climate control faceplate as crud can get behind the plastic and show up against the black paper.

Amazing how all this stuff snowballs!