Have upper dash and passengers forward dash removed.
what is the trick on removing the drivers side? Does the steeering column have to be dropped to facilitate the removal? I have a restoration book but it does not mention how to remove this part of the dash. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

I remember doing my '75 and I dropped the steering column which helps
a bit but not as much as I thought it would. I did get it out but not a job that I'd like to do again. It's obviously a bear getting it back in, especially conneting all the bulbs, etc. Perhaps someone has a better idea.

 

It helps to drop the column. Gives you some wiggle room for getting a hand/arm in there to disconnect the wiring harness, light switch, speedo cable, etc. Go slowly and don't force the panel if it feels like it doesn't want to move. Check to make sure you have all the trim screws out and the harness disconnected from the cluster.

 

Yeah, for sure, don't force the panel as it's 30 years old and I know you don't want to buy a new one.

 

I just finished this project. I loosened the steering column as others mentioned and it helped a great deal to remove the upper dash pad (if you're flexible enough to get to the small crews holding it on the the metal support which runs the length of the dash.)

I took my time and removed each wire carefully starting with the headlight switch and I worked my way towards the passenger side. Take you time and it's not that bad, but don't force it. I did end up cracking mine a little and had to repair it with epoxy.

 

the problem I am having now is disconnecting the speed-o-meter cable from the back. I don't feel a nut just a shaft going throught the back of the speed-o-meter. Is there suppose to be a nut that i can unscrew? and how about the tach. I don't see any connections except electrical and most of them being light sockets. You guys have been a great help already and I believe that I'm close to getting this dash out. thanks again for the help.

 

The speedo cable has a spring clip. Depress the clip and the cable slides off. The tach is electronic and has a connector on the back.

 

Thanks for the rapid reply to my question....first thing tomorrow and will be forging ahead to disconnect the cable..thanks again.

 

To remove the speedo/tach dash I unloosened the stearing column from the cast iron bracket immediately behind the dash, and also, I unloosed, wihtout removing the bolts, the bolts on the firewall flange. This allowed me to push the column down a little further. Also, I remember that the tach and speedo "cans" started hitting the horizontal dash and were interfering. I was able to get a little screw driver down inside and unscrew green plastic tach and speedo housings that attach to the vertical speedo/tach dash." This effectively removes the tach and speedo housings, especially with the speedometer and tach cables remove. With the tach/speedo interference with the horizontal dash removed, the front speedo/tach dash comes out very easily. (I previously pulled the light switch **** out.)

The 69 and up speedo's and tach's have a clip that has to be pressed down to pull the speedometer and tach cable out. The 68' cables screw in and out.

About the pesky gauge lamps on the speedo and tach housing. I cut/clip all the lamp sockets free from the main underdash harness and build a harness for all the lamps inserted in the tach and speedo bodies. The harness I build terminates in a big connector. Similarly, I build a harness for all the lamp wires protruding from the main harness and similarly install another connector. After, installing the dash, I just connnect the two connector halves, and viola, I've connected all the lights in one quick operation.