access thru dash for assessory?

[dave egan]

Hi , all, I have done much work over the years on my 930 coupes, but never had to run anything thru the dash until now. I am simply trying to get a small cable thru ,from the cockpit to the forward trunk. Both cars are black/black so everything is really cloaked'' ,as far as seeing where something begins and another ends, in the interior , under dash etc. I tryed following the front-hood cable thru ,but its installed like a "Bank's Vault" , In fact, there is a very large steel plate directly above ,where the drivers knees would be. Part of the ''tub" , or is it removeable?? , Again , looks like armor off a Sherman Tank. Theft prevention , Perhaps?? , I just don't want to start ''jabbing'' away , near all the spaghetti of electrical wires , tubes, etc , etc. Oh , the year is 1988 coupe, with everything and the ''kitchen sink''! , Just the easiest place to get a cable thru the front ''firewall'' is all. Thanks in advance< dave:

[dentist90]

I got a power lead for my underseat sub thru the front where the radio antenna comes in - pssgr side. Find it from inside the trunk. There is even a nice rubber grommet to help protect the wire.

[CHILI]

Not sure about that year, but it might be helpful to put a flashlight in the trunk and then look up under the dash to see where the light is coming through. It would be most noticable when it's dark of course.

[DRACO A5OG]

+1 on Antenna Route

[Quicksilver]

There is no removable plate. If you are going through the dash it is coming out behind all the ventilation stuff.

The foot box area extends forward under the bottom of the front trunk space. To get an idea how it is laid out pull the floor board under the pedals so you can look up where the brake linkage goes. You can see up into the big aluminum master mount. You can use it as a reference and measure from it above and below to get an idea how the 2 areas line up.

[dave egan]

ok , thanks, my car has the antenna within the front winshield, so I'll try and trace that. but the huge steel black plate just covering the entire steering column area, Does not remove , right? It's welded into the cars body , or otherwise permanently attached?

[dentist90]

whoops... I have the fender mounted antenna. Try rooting around the same area in the trunk anyway. You will have to pull back the carpet and remove the cardboard cover to get a decent view in here. Look for wires passing thru the "firewall". It is easier to see the few wires coming from the trunk than trying to see up under the dash.

[3.2 CAB]

Is it just a small electrical wire, or is it actually a "small cable" as you state? Depending on the usage and the type of "cable" being used, will determine if you can use or follow an existing route. If it is a "cable" you might be able to follow one of the climate control cables from the dash into the trunk, if it is just a small electrical wire, you can follow something up the underside of the dash and enter the trunk behind the fuel gauge. A lot really depends on your starting point and the actual type of cable or wire being used. Remember, where there is a will, there is a way. Good luck!! Tony.

[dave egan]

Thanks, guys, Yes, it is a cable, ( a Rennline ''battery-off'' , cable), very slender. From my old race car days , with battery in rear trunk and starter up front , or vise-versa in this case , I always felt more comfortable with a cabin-mount cut-off ,with that large 00 awg starter-cable running thru the vehicle. Also I am working on it in very limited space, can't get doors open very far etc, so that ,and all the ''black'' , (paint, carpet, metal, rubber, gromets , etc etc) , its just hard to see and discern where one thing starts and another begins. Getting wires, etc , from inside cabin , "back", is/ was, always a piece of cake!! dave