[chevellelover69ss]

I was wondering how much work does it take to replace a dash pad? I have a 69 Chevelle Malibu coupe. I just ordered one and wanted to replace it myself, but I'm not sure how to do it. If someone would be able to help me it would be greatly appreicated. Thank you.

 

[RT]

You will have to remove all the sheetmetal screws securing the instrument cluster. It will help to drop the steering column a few inches, but may not be necessary. Removing the glove box door will be helpful, but the glove box itself can stay in in the dash. you will, of course have to remove the attatching screws holding the box in place, but you can move it out of the way to get to the dash nuts. There are nuts at the lower edge of the dash panel above the glove box and at the edge nearest the w/s. Remove the w/s pillar post mldg. to allow the dash panel room to come out. Now would be a good time to do any painting if it's needed on surrounding metal areas.
Rich

 

[Rainer]

If you ordered a reproduction pad you may have some extra work getting it to fit, including making some new holes for the mounting studs. Mine did not line up, and it was a PITA. Good luck..

------------------
Rainer Seitz
Vancouver, WA
Team Chevelle Gold #50
ACES #3784

'68 SS396
'70 LS3 400 Malibu
'70 Malibu convertible 350/300hp
and the latest - '70 Malibu 454!

See them all at the all-new Rainer's Hot Rod Shop!
[email protected]

 

[RAMBO]

A couple bits of advice-

1. Figure out how to drop & support your steering column ahead of time. Don't bother trying to get the dash out with out dropping it first. It won't work.

2. Pull the drivers seat or the bench seat.
After you've got the new pad on & you are trying to put the main dash back, laying on your back under the dash trying to reconnect all those dumb dashboard lights sucks really bad if you havn't removed the seat.

3. If you are going to do dash work- do it all while the dash is apart. As you will find out, reconnecting all the guage lights is a pain in the A-double-S. If you ever plan to recondition your main dash face/guage cluster, do it now while its all out of the car.

4. Be careful with the guage cluster ground!
That little bugger cost me two days of headaces! There is a ground wire running from the back of the guage cluster housing to the wiring harness. If you don't have a good ground everything will go haywire (oh I could tell you about my nightmare!) So CLEAN THE CONNECTION POINT!!!!

Yuk Dashboard Work




------------------
Ben Rambow
My '69 El Camino
The El Camino Classics Club

 

[john6066]

did i miss somthing? i thought the question was how to remove and replace the dash pad. these instructions sound like he needs to remove the whole dash board? is all of this necessary? i'm planing a similar job, i might have to rethink.

thanks john

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Bad Papa's '69 Chevelle

 

[Rainer]

John -

68 & 69 pads require the dash panel to be dropped to gain access to the dash pad mounting studs, so its almost as big a job as replacing the dash panel. You're looking at an hour + vs. a couple minutes for a 70-72 pad.

------------------
Rainer Seitz
Vancouver, WA
Team Chevelle Gold #50
ACES #3784

'68 SS396
'70 LS3 400 Malibu
'70 Malibu convertible 350/300hp


See them all at Rainer's Hot Rod Shop!
[email protected]

 

[john6066]

thanks for the heads up.

------------------
Bad Papa's '69 Chevelle

 

[MalibuDreamer]

Whew, im glad i got a 70.

I've put on/taken off the dash pad dozens of times durring the past week while i was finishing my dash.