Author Topic: 70 challenger dash  (Read 6018 times)

Offline SemiHemi

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70 challenger dash
« on: May 09, 2002 - 08:51:25 PM »
For those of you who have a challenger and have restored one or have just taken off the dash for some reason i have a very blunt question.

How did you get yours off, I'm to the point were i just want to yank it right off its bolts.

Everything was going smooth with the restoration until we got to the dash board so your help will be greatly appreciated

Thanks
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »




Offline camjam

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2002 - 11:34:59 PM »
I knooooow that feeling real well.
First the windshield has to be out.
As I rmember there are about five bolts across the front and back. What you are looking for is a thread protruding from the the underside of the dash. It will have one of those self threading nuts on it.  Most of them are visible from underneath. But some things will have to be removed. The glove box for one. The speaker and the radio all make it easier to find them.
Don't give up they do come out. Just think of how many cars were produced in a day and that all of these dashes went in very quickly. Once you know what to look for and where they are it will be fairly simple.
Good luck.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »
71 Challenger R/T 383 4spd - 1 of 10 known to have been built for canada - restored
70 Charger R/T SE 440 auto - restored


Offline heminut

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2002 - 03:16:37 AM »
SemiHemi, the windshield does not have to come out! There are 2 screws just inside each defroster vent that you can reach through the openings to take out. Don't drop them , or youll have to take your heater box loose to get them out, or listen to them rattle around in there forever. Then unbolt the steering column from under the dash frame and take the 3 bolts out of the flange that seals the column to the firewall. This will allow the column to drop down to the floor. Take your kickpanels off and you will find a bolt on each side that goes into a slotted tab at the bottom of the dash frame. Loosen these up, but don't take them clear out, as the dash frame will slip up off of them. You will either need to unhook the wiring harness from the fire wall and the heater- A/C box and the harnesses going to the dome light & taillights, or (which I feel is the easier way) pull your instrument cluster out and unhook the wiring from it and leave the harness in the car when you take the dash assembly out. Don't forget to unhook the wires from the heater-A/C control, and the control cables from the heater box. The wires for the radio and cigarette lighter need to be unhooked also. I prefer to do it this way because then the wiring harness is then hanging out in the open and is much easier to remove if you need to take it out. You can then tilt the dash towards you and slip it up and off the lower bolts and take it out. I don't think I've forgotten anything, but if it feels like the dash assembly is hanging up when you try to remove it then stop and look for something else that might need to be unhooked. It's really not hard to take out and put back in, but having one person on each end when you're doing it is much easier than trying to manhandle it by yourself.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »
1970 5.7 Hemi Cuda

Offline SemiHemi

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2002 - 03:04:26 PM »
and out it comes.


Thanks
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »

Offline rtse

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2002 - 08:19:47 PM »
i know this is another take on this topic - but since the original poster has his question answered i hope he won't mind- my 70 challenger has an old dash that has cracks in it and since just dashes wants an arm and leg i was thinking of putting on a dash cover has anyone tried this for thier 70? since the dash has challenger stiched in i am also wondering how they get that to show without the cap showing it is a cap? now when i say dash-cap i am talking about the plastic (i think) piece that would cover the existing dash and then look like the original dash did when new ..i have found these and they sell for  $100-$150 much more reasonable(to me..lol)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »

Offline heminut

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2002 - 09:10:51 PM »
I put one on mine about a year ago, and it is warped and has a crack running right through the center now. >:( I thought about trying another one, but I decided to just save my money until I can get it done right.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »
1970 5.7 Hemi Cuda

Offline rtse

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2002 - 04:34:47 PM »
:(  geez thats a bummer well i am glad i asked ....i guess you get what you pay for? i hear just dashes does a great job too although they will not return your vin tag if you send it to them and you have to install it yourself w/ reg pop rivets cause you can't get originals though i suppose a guy could save the tops off the old rivets and weld/soder them on the new pop rivets..hhmmm :-/
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »

Offline rtse

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2002 - 04:37:55 PM »
by the way how did they make the challenger stitching show on the dashcap without letting on its a cap 392?  ??? ???
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »

Offline heminut

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2002 - 05:54:44 PM »
Mine's on my Cuda, but I don't think any of the dash caps have the stitching. None of them have that much detail. Also, the correct rosette poprivets come up on Ebay from time to time, and I believe the same guy advertises them in the classifieds at moparts.com. I would go to the extra effort to get and use the correct poprivets, as a sharp cop will catch the different rivets and while you probably wouldn't loose your car, you could end up with a tow bill and storage until you could prove the tag actually belonged to that car.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »
1970 5.7 Hemi Cuda

Offline rtse

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Re: 70 challenger dash
« Reply #9 on: May 27, 2002 - 09:27:09 PM »
Sharp cop? never saw one of those...lol kidding, also i heard that selling those rivets is illegal and that this guy(s) have gotten in trouble for doing so....not sure if this is true though....
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969 - 07:00:00 PM by 1023595200 »

Offline AustinChallenger

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Re:70 challenger dash
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2002 - 11:22:12 PM »
I put a cap on mine.  It looks good to me.  Not perfect.  If you start looking closely it's easy to tell it's a cap.  It does have texture though.  I couldn't afford to do it the right way (someday).  Still, I'm happy with it.

You can see pic's at my link.
1974 #'s matching Duster 360

Offline rtse

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Re:70 challenger dash
« Reply #11 on: June 29, 2002 - 10:45:44 AM »
kewl page austin! your challenger is the same color as mine, was the install of the dash easy? great cars you have 8)

Offline AustinChallenger

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Re:70 challenger dash
« Reply #12 on: June 29, 2002 - 05:52:02 PM »
Thanks!

The dash cover was easy to install.  I didn't have to make any modifications (i.e. cutting).  I just used steel wool to scuff up the bottom of the cover and then applied the adheasive.  It slid right on.  I laid a towel on the cover and then put a couple of bricks on it over nite.  That's it.
1974 #'s matching Duster 360

Offline rtse

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Re:70 challenger dash
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2002 - 10:24:58 PM »
k i will keep that in mind ...though i have a 70 challenger  that was the only yr they stitched the challenger name plate into the dash and i wonder how they make it look right...but it cant be worse than what i have.... ALOT of cracks sad deal for a rt\se  :'(