Re: dash removal 1948 custom 8

Posted by HH56 On 2010/7/30 16:27:08

I think it is a tossup as to which would be easier and IMHO, kind of depends on how you prefer to work. As Ross mentions, other things can be accessed with it out. Just dropping it forward will help but there are still areas of difficulty.

Unless you are cutting the old loom, one tedious but necessary step would be disconnecting the old where needed and either pulling the old harness inside the car or disconnect at the cluster so the dash can be removed and wires pulled thru into engine bay. The old will be very stiff, possibly wrapped around steering column brace and may not allow much movement.

Dash is held in by several screws under the bottom windshield molding, the hood release & vent handles, radio bracket, a couple of bolts at the bottom corners and the steering column clamp--maybe one or two others.

Once screws are removed, dash will be loose. Either removing entirely or just dropping forward, be sure and protect the steering column shroud with some padding. It might be necessary to loosen or remove some bolts from the steering box and toe board to allow the column to drop a bit for maneuvering around the steering wheel. Dash is heavy and awkward. You can remove it alone but is much better with a second person.