Dash Removal with glove box in.

[Pinbill]

Hey Everybody,

The Vintage Dash is going in. I wanted to wait till this winter to do it, but I started having some electrical troubles. It seems better to do everything at once and be done with it. My right front blinker is out, so the switches on the stalk are getting rebuilt. My fuse box got hot on the parking circuit. I got an MSA fusebox and updated parking and headlight harnesses. I am going to clean and inspect all the wiring and clean the light connections.

First I need to get the dash out. I am everything under the dash disconnected. It is ready to except..... the glove box liner. This is my first Z. I was surprised to see how cheap it was. The glove box liner is original and in good shape. I feel like I should keep it in good condition. I removed the glove box door and trim. Then I tried to get the liner out, but stopped before I damaged it. The Climate Control cables and the wiring on the far right side are disconnected.

Can I get the dash out without pulling the liner from the glove box?

Bill

[SteveJ]

You should be able to.

[cgsheen1]

Sounds like you have a 240Z but in any case, the dash frame to body connection points are well away from the jockey box (now you see how old I am - almost no one calls them a jockey box anymore). Most of the rest under there bolts to the body independently. Once you disconnect things like the speedo cable, wiring to the door buttons, flasher, stop lamp switch, switches on the steering column, remove the center panel, disconnect wiring to the console, loosen up the fuse box, disconnect the blower motor wiring and the ductwork to the side vents and defrost, remove the steering wheel, drop the steering column, you'll almost be able to pull that dash right out!  

Edited June 1, 2022 by cgsheen1

[Pinbill]

Yes, it is a 1971 240z with a 8/71 build date. Thanks for the replies.

These cars are so easy to work on. I still can't believe it. Dash is out. The clock is headed out to Z clocks next week.

I am hoping to keep the dash bulbs non LED but change them out. MSA doesn't stock dash bulbs. They said they can't find a bulb worth selling. I don't want to put crap bulbs all the way under the dash. Does anyone have lead on quality replacement dash bulbs for a 1971 240z.

Thanks for your help,

Bill

 

 

 

[Namerow]

If, instead, you decide to pull out the glovebox liner first, these are the notes I wrote down after getting the liner out of my 70 Z's dash:

• Grasp the centre of the front lip of the liner’s roof panel, then pull the lip outwards until the top corners of the liner clear the inside corners of the dash opening.  One corner may clear before the other does.
   
• Now continue pulling the liner Roof through the dash opening by about 1”, pivoting the liner on its front lower edge in the process.
   
• Working from behind the dash, push the lower corners of the liner inward so that the liner's floor panel buckles.  Keep pushing until the lower corners of the liner clear the lower lip of the dash opening.  Work from side to side.  Push the lower corners of the liner out of the dash by about ½”.  However, keep the front edge of the liner’s Floor resting on top of the lower ledge of the dash opening.
   
• With both of the liner’s lower corners now free, resume tilting the liner out from the top until the entire liner comes free.
   
• Throughout the process, the front edge of the liner Floor rests on top of the lower ledge of the dash opening.

Good luck!

[Av8ferg]

I put my vintage dash in a few months ago. You can Leave the glove box alone until you get the dash out.  Like stated above it’s not attached to anything but the dash frame.  Once the dash is out it’s easier to put the box out from the back.  

[Pinbill]

My new dash is attached to a junk frame for long term storage. I can see where all the screws are so it seems like its pretty straight forward.

How was your experience installing the vintage dash? Is there anything I should look out for when I do mine?

 

I want to replace the dash bulbs while I am in there. MSA doesn't stock a quality replacement. I don't want to replace my bulbs with garbage ones.

Did you replace the dash bulbs? If so, where did you source them?

 

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

 

Bill

 

[SteveJ]

I used LED bulbs on the dash. 

It's a lot easier to replace the bulbs with the dash out, but if your arms are not thick or short, you can replace the bulbs with the dash installed.

 

[Pinbill]

Have the LEDs held up OK? The price is pretty cheap. I am nervous that a bulb will go out shortly after I install the dash LOL.

 

[SteveJ]

No problems so far.

[cgsheen1]

Same here, I broke down and installed LED gauge bulbs last October. I bought the ones on Amazon with the frosted plastic domes. Much brighter gauges and they dim with the stock rheostat.

If you're still looking to buy incandescent, you might try an aircraft supply place like AircraftSpruce.com. Many general aviation aircraft are old, and certified aircraft uses mainly old tech so there are a lot of old aircraft gauges still being used - they all need bulbs. I think that place has a fairly large selection of GE incandescent bulbs.

Edited June 7, 2022 by cgsheen1