Dash cluster wiring harness

[David_Lee]

I am slowly removing everything from the dash, like the ash tray, glovebox and steering column. I now want to pull the entire dash, My confusion is the wiring harness to the gauge cluster. Does it come aff at the cluster or where?

Thanks

[4Cruizn]

The harness does unplug on the back of all the gauges but not necessary to pull the whole dash assembly out.   

[David_Lee]

The harness does unplug on the back of all the gauges but not necessary to pull the whole dash assembly out.   

I am going to strip the entire frame and do a repaint

[Jamiez]

I had this in my bookmarks in case I needed to pull the dash.  Never tired it myself, but maybe it will help

http://v8tvshow.com/content/view/717/1/

[David_Lee]

I had this in my bookmarks in case I needed to pull the dash.  Never tired it myself, but maybe it will help

http://v8tvshow.com/content/view/717/1/

thanks that's exactly what I was looking for

[burdar]

David, save yourself a lot of time and STOP taking the assembly apart while it's in the car.  It is sooooo much easier to just remove the entire assembly and pull it apart on a bench.  It's very easy...

Disconnect the engine compartment wiring from the main bulkhead connector...then take the two nuts off the bulkhead connector bolts.  The tach wire(if equiped) is a separate wire that goes through a hole in the firewall and needs to be disconnected.  Drop the steering column(remove the studs holding the column as they will get in the way of removing the dash assebmbly)  and unplug the speedo cable from the back of the cluster.  While your under there, disconnect the two air door cables at the heater control bezel.  Remove the kick panel trim and disconnect the wiring going to the E-brake mechanism, door switches, consol light, high beam switch, tail light harness exc.....  Disconnect the blower motor wires and unplug the antenna from the radio.  Finally, remove the A-pillar trim.  All you have left to do is remove the 6 dash assembly fasteners.

There are 4 small bolts down at the base of the windshield and two behind the kick panels.  That's it...everything else is easily accessable with the assembly on a bench.  You can put the whole thing back together on the bench and install it as a complete assembly...that's how the factory did it.

I just got done doing this so let me know if you have any questions...everything is still fresh in my head.  It only took maybe 10-15 minutes from the time I took the assembly off the stand, to when it was bolted up in the car.

[David_Lee]

are the four bolts under the dash?

David, save yourself a lot of time and STOP taking the assembly apart while it's in the car.  It is sooooo much easier to just remove the entire assembly and pull it apart on a bench.  It's very easy...

Disconnect the engine compartment wiring from the main bulkhead connector...then take the two nuts off the bulkhead connector bolts.  The tach wire(if equiped) is a separate wire that goes through a hole in the firewall and needs to be disconnected.  Drop the steering column(remove the studs holding the column as they will get in the way of removing the dash assebmbly)  and unplug the speedo cable from the back of the cluster.  While your under there, disconnect the two air door cables at the heater control bezel.  Remove the kick panel trim and disconnect the wiring going to the E-brake mechanism, door switches, consol light, high beam switch, tail light harness exc.....  Disconnect the blower motor wires and unplug the antenna from the radio.  Finally, remove the A-pillar trim.  All you have left to do is remove the 6 dash assembly fasteners.

There are 4 small bolts down at the base of the windshield and two behind the kick panels.  That's it...everything else is easily accessable with the assembly on a bench.  You can put the whole thing back together on the bench and install it as a complete assembly...that's how the factory did it.

I just got done doing this so let me know if you have any questions...everything is still fresh in my head.  It only took maybe 10-15 minutes from the time I took the assembly off the stand, to when it was bolted up in the car.

[burdar]

No, they are on top.  Just look in the defrost vents and you'll see them.

[David_Lee]

No, they are on top.  Just look in the defrost vents and you'll see them.

I found the four bolts on top, is there a secret to get them out with a socket with the windshield in. My ffront windshield is cracked so if I have to I can remove it but I rather not

[burdar]

With the windshield out they are a piece of cake.  With the windshield in, you have to use a swivel and it still sucks.  Keep the two large bolts at the ckick panels tight until you have the top four out.  Once the four small ones are removed, you can loosen the side ones.  You don't need to take them out though.  The dash will pivot on them.

Put it back in the same way.  Set the frame on the larger side bolts and pivot the dash up into place.  You can't do that if the studs for the steering column are still installed.  Make sure those are removed.

[David_Lee]

With the windshield out they are a piece of cake.  With the windshield in, you have to use a swivel and it still sucks.  Keep the two large bolts at the ckick panels tight until you have the top four out.  Once the four small ones are removed, you can loosen the side ones.  You don't need to take them out though.  The dash will pivot on them.

Put it back in the same way.  Set the frame on the larger side bolts and pivot the dash up into place.  You can't do that if the studs for the steering column are still installed.  Make sure those are removed.

I guess I will be taking out the windshield soon. These are glued in right?

[burdar]

Some cars used butyl tape but my 73 used urethane.  Since your windshield is cracked, you really don't have to be very careful.  Still, the best way is to get some piano wire, and use it as a saw.  Move it back and forth between the window and the body, all the way around the glass.  You may be able to get a kit at a parts store that contains the wire and maybe a knife. 

[GranCuda1970]

My origional was cracked and it was in there pretty good, you will want to be careful when removing use a guitar string ot gripped rope/cable tool to cut the seal all the way around and have two people remove the glass they break easily and chip along the edge if weighted to hard on any of the 4 corners. luckily you can get a proper tinted repop if the worse happens.

[David_Lee]

My origional was cracked and it was in there pretty good, you will want to be careful when removing use a guitar string ot gripped rope/cable tool to cut the seal all the way around and have two people remove the glass they break easily and chip along the edge if weighted to hard on any of the 4 corners. luckily you can get a proper tinted repop if the worse happens.

I had fishing wire that works real well to remove windshields. This windshield is really sun-baked and it cracked even more as I took it out. I discovered more rust damage that needs to be repaired. I will be a champ at welding by the time I am done

[burdar]

Yes, I built the stand at work.  I just made two "T's" and cut some angle braces for each one.  I held the pieces together with metal truss plates.  It cost about $12 in matierals.  I disassembled the dash upside down on a bench.  I reassembled 95% of it on a bench too.  I mounted the frame to the stand in order to sand and paint it. 

It's nicer to just set the assembly on some old blankets on a bench to tell you the truth.  I had most of the dash assembled before I got my speakers back from being re-coned.  Idealy, I would have installed the speaker first and then fliped the pad over to start reassembling everything else.  The stand isn't really needed IMO.