Replacing Center Dash Trim (3 piece kit)

[RG5]

This is a write up of installing a centre dash trim kit in a RHD 1985 Carrera. The sections that I replaced are the glovebox trim, the panel surrounding the passenger side vent and the largest section from the steering column to the glovebox (with cutouts for the stereo, ventilation controls, various switches, etc).

Some of this was inspired by a 2005 thread by BigKenSteele who did a similar writeup. Some of this is included below.

Dash disassembly

The first stage is to remove everything back to the bare dash. This is the order I did it in, as I stated on the passenger side first.

1. To access the glove box bolts and to get the LHS vent trim off, you need to remove the knee pad. There are two bolts, one at the LHS where there is a bend in the pad and the other a couple of inches from the other end. Reach under below the kneepad and on from behind you can access the bolts remove with a 8mm socket.
2. RHD car – you WILL NOT be able to remove the LHS screw unless you remove the glovebox compartment which is the only way to access the LHS bolt. Also, you need to do this to prise out the LHS vent trim – this is almost impossible to get out from the front as there are little metal tabs on the other side holding it in place. I prised these free using a small screwdriver.
3. Glovebox door. Removing this is optional. I did the job with the door in place, but later looked into removing it or at least working out how it comes free as I wanted to adjust the vertical positon of the door to reduce the gap between the kneepad. The door is held on with four bolts on the lower edge of the sub-dash. There are two facing you and two behind the leading edge. These can be removed with a 8mm spanner. Note that with the door removed, there doesn’t seem to be much room to move the vertical position. I used a couple of washers later to drop it a bit. However the bolt holes don’t allow much play unless you enlargen them with a drill.
4. I then moved to the drivers seat (RHD car) and removed the steering wheel. Remove the hornpad and disconnect the horn wire. At this point I would recommend disconnecting the negative terminal on the battery to avoid the horn going off. To get the wheel off you need a 27mm socket. Undo this large nut and the wheel pulls off.
5. The steering column black plastic surround comes off by removing the two screws in each side where the upper and lower sections meet. From the front, look inside and there are four little screws that need removing, plus another two towards the top holding a white plastic section with a metal strip on. Note also that the lower RHS screw position holds a brown (earth?) wire that originates from the wiper switch. Remember where this goes. It is very helpful if your screwdriver is magnetized to carefully extract the small screws.
6. From the main section, remove the 1. remove defroster and fog-light knobs and bezels. The bezels just screw out, as do the knobs. I used a some stiff wire to put into the holes on the bezels in order to get a grip to unscrew them.
7. Remove the fasten seatbelt lights by carefully prising it out from the dash. The whole switch will put out and you can release the cable from the back of it.
8. Remove the cigarette lighter by putting two fingers into the lighter lighter itself and turning counter clockwise. The inside of the lighter (and the plastic bezel around it) will screw out of the assembly.
9. Remove the radio
10. Now for the HARD PART. The final bit of remaining in the central section is the ventilation control panel. Some argue that does not have to come out completely. This is true if you are game to manoeuvre the glued trimpiece around the vent fascia, but I foresaw problems with this as it was such a tight fit to get it around the control unit, so I decided to remove it. Also, if you don’t remove it, you can only pull it out a couple of inches as the cables attached to the vent control levers preclude you from pulling it out anymore.
First, you need to take out the 10mm bolt holding it to the firewall. This is behind the ashtray attached to the firewall and is mounted on two thick rubber washers. If only it was that simple. Mine was threaded and would not back out. I ended up cutting the bracket just above the nut with a Dremel.
Next remove the tree light globe plugs on the back of the control unit. There is one on the RHS for the fan light and the other two are on the bottom. This is a good chance to replace the globes. They are 12v 1.2w.
Disconnect the brown earthwire from the control unit rear upper lever to the common mounting point for earthwires on the firewall to the rear and right of the vent unit. Follow the main wire to the left of the vent unit and you will see it is actually plugged into the firewall via a dedicated 5 pin plug. Pull this out. Next disconnect the wiring from this lead that also goes to the swich on the glovebox door (upper RHS) which is the cancel switch for the glovebox light.
Now, to get the unit out from the dash, you need to go to the front trunk and behind the cardboard panel at the rear that covers the blower hardware, there are three control cables that go through the firewall and connect to the three levers on the vent control unit. Tug the cables from inside the car so you can see what are the relevant cables from the trunk side. There are two on the front side (one on the LHS and RHS and one at the right rear. The cables are attached with a 7mm bolt and a spring clamp. Mark the position where the actual metal internal cable meets the bolt head with a marker. Label the cables so you know where they came from. Now disconnect them and pull them through from inside the car, one at a time. At this point, the vent control unit can now be removed. Now is a good time to lube up the levers with a bit of grease and give the unit a good clean prior to reinstalling it.
11. At this point, all the hardware should be removed and it is time to remove the actual dash trim pieces. Pry off using a flat scraper. You can add a bit of heat using a heat gun or hair dryer if they are hard to get off. This will leave a lot of glue residue.
12. Clean the dash back to the clean metal. I tried lots of things to get what looked like contact cement off. The best thing I used was WD-40. This penetrated the old glue and softened it, so that it could be ‘buffed off’ using a terry towel. This was a painstaking process, but I was able to every single molecule of old glue off. Then I used a citrus degreaser to give a nice clean surface ready for gluing.

Installation of new trim pieces

1. First I did a test fit to see how the three pieces fitted together and to make sure the gaps between each section was consistent as possible. A neat way to do this was to hold the piece in place and trace around it with a pencil. I then masked up to the pencil line so I could neatly glue the required area leaving a clean edge and no mess.
2. I then checked how I would clamp each section in place. I used a series of small plastic “vice style” clamps which I could get around various parts of each piece to hold it in place. I used cardboard on the front section of each piece to avoid creating indentations. On the main section, the switch bezels for the fog and defroster switches would hold the top in place well.
3. For adhesive, I used heat resistant contact cement. This is the instant grab variety and gives no second chances so must be used with care. I applied glue to the relevant section of the dash within the masked region and also to the rear of the dash piece. I let the glue dry for a few minutes, then held the trim piece it over the area to be installed . On the central section, it is important to line the piece up carefully, making sure that all of the items on the dash are centered properly in the corresponding openings on the trim piece. Once all is in place, press the piece against the dash and hold in place till it grabs (more or less instant). Then install the clamps as rehearsed before. At this point, when the central piece is perfectly installed, you will be glad you went to the trouble of removing the vent control panel.

Re-assembly

1. Assembly is reverse of removal.

It proved to be quite an effort to complete this project. I hope someone finds this writeup useful.

Good luck!

[RG5]

Here is the finished result!

[RG5]

Some more shots

[RG5]

more pics:




under-dash detail;

[mpetry]

Very nice work! Super sanitary underneath!

[DG624]

Nice! I was thinking of doing this since my dash top must be removed. Did you remove the top also? The trim seems to be coming lose on the glove box and dash. I want to remove the top since it was repaired but does not match the color of the other interior trim.

Can you use the blank spaces on the new dash pieces for accessory switches like emergency flasher and rear window defroster?

[RG5]

No I didnt remove the dash top. I only did exactly as per my writeup. As for using the other blanking space on the RHS of the panel - not sure what is behind it - it depends what is moulded into the dash.

[DG624]

The blank on the dash is empty but I would also require the switch for the flashers and rear window heater. I guess I could use the existing units but I see your car has a different knob.

[echecsqueen]

Originally Posted by RG5

This is a write up of installing a centre dash trim kit in a RHD 1985 Carrera. The sections that I replaced are the glovebox trim, the panel surrounding the passenger side vent and the largest section from the steering column to the glovebox (with cutouts for the stereo, ventilation controls, various switches, etc).

Some of this was inspired by a 2005 thread by BigKenSteele who did a similar writeup. Some of this is included below.

Dash disassembly

T
Re-assembly

1. Assembly is reverse of removal.

It proved to be quite an effort to complete this project. I hope someone finds this writeup useful.

Good luck!

Super write up....thank you for taking the time to do this (yes I know this is an old thread)