I'd like to have the speedommeter/odommeter repaired. What are the steps to get the speed/tach instrument panel out of the car? I've heard the pillar posts, dash pad, drop the steering wheel, are just a few things to do. Please add any other things or short cuts. I don't want to tear up anything to get to the speedo!

Thanks, Rick in Tennessee

 

Pull the center console, remove both A-pillar pads, lift the dash pad, drop the steering wheel and the speedo/tach panel should fall forward far enough for you to disconnect what you need to to get enough clearance to fit tools in there.

 

It's a very tricky job because everything is old and fragil. Having the Chassis Service Manual and the AIM for your car will help by giving you the sequence and showing you where all the fasteners are located.
Regards,
Alan

 

Here's the way I've done it for 68,69,70 C3's. Remove the rear three door compartment frame (behind the seats). I'd remove the three doors also since they're heavy and can easily cause the thin plastic frame to crack. The only purpose of removing the frame is to access a small bolt that holds the parking brake console to the firewall behind the seats. Remove the parking brake console screws and remove it. Next remove the shift console screws, and pull it back. You may need to remove the shifter plate and pull it up to get to two nuts that attach the shifter console to the bottom of the radio console if you initially can't get the shifter console to pull back a little. Now undo all the screws holding in the speedo/tach dash panel. Next undo the steering wheel cover trim that mates the steering wheel to the dash/tach panel. Next drop the steering wheel by undoing the two big bolts that hold it up flush against the speedo/tach panel. This should allow you to pull the panel out a couple of inches where the headlight switch is. Stick your fingers in there and feel for a small spring loaded button on the switch. Push the button in and you can pull out the headlight switch **** and free the headlight switch from the panel.
Next take out the drivers seat, lay on your back, reach up and undo the speedo and tach cable. On a 68, you unscrew the cable, 69 and up will have a little lever/clip that you push in and pull the cable out of the tach/speedo housings. Also reach up and start pulling out the light bulbs that are in the tach/speedo housings. Now maybe you might be able to lift the panel out -- most likely not. Don't try to ever force the tach/speedo panel because the substrate of plastic is by now very brittle. A soft hand is needed to safely remove the panel. OK...back to the story. Most likely you can't now get the panel out. This is when I remove the tach and speedo from the panel. The little screws that hold it in can be accessed from the bottom and from the top couple of inches that you've pulled the panel away from the dash. If you are still having trouble with the steering wheel, loosen the bolts where it attaches to the firewall, this will allow it to drop more. (I've never removed the dash as suggested above, but removing the dash will allow you to remove the panel with the tach and speedo attached.)

Now with the panel out the rest is easy (finally something is easy). Do the reverse to put the panel back in. Getting the bulbs back in laying on your back is difficult. I build a universal wire harness for all the bulbs, connect them to one connector half, bunch all the firewall harness wires (they are all grey in color) together and connect them to another connector half, with enough wire that the two connector halfs hang below the edge of the dash. When everything is in and back together, I just snap the connetor halfs together and push the excess wiring up out of sight. Oh...if you can try to snap/unsnap the tach and speedo cables from the top instead of from the underneath if the opportunity arised.

 

Rich,

This should show you what you need to know!

http://willcoxcorvette.com/repairand...lp.php?hID=105

If you get stuck, or have a question just email me! I've done this way to many times. We can also repair the speedo and tach for you if needed.

Willcox