Dashboard Panel

[SteveGales]

Hi all

Trying to remove the wooden fascia panel on my series 3 coupe to gain access to the clock.

Have undone the knurled rings and wing nut in glove box, but my panel seems to be engaged behind the crash padding too far to be
able to just 'ease' it out.
I've also removed various nuts / washers and screws that hold the padding strip above the grab handle but even that is quite tight.

Is there a knack or do I have to be a bit braver and use more force !!

Regards

Steve

[Neil Lewis]

When I did mine I had to undo to two nuts which held the dash top (crash padding) and lift that up a bit.  It was quite a while ago and I can'r remember it too well except that i had to use a very long socket extension bar inserted from the footwells with Blue Tack in teh socket to hold the nuts when they came loose.  There are also two nuts at each side, by the door hinges, which hold the outer ends of teh crash padding in place.  All the nuts were 10mm AF (M6).

Neil

[ColinMarr]

Steve,

Not 100% sure how it works on late cars, but with early cars one has to undo the knurled nuts which hold the trip re-set and the panel lights as well as the nut in the glove box. Then it’s a matter of easing the wooden panel outwards through the vinyl surround until it’s clear. When re-fitting I smeared the vinyl with Vaseline to help the panel slip back into position.

Hope it doesn’t crack!

Colin

[chugga boom]

safest bet is to undo the 4 nuts that hold the dash top on, i think 30yrs ago when the car was new the surrounding padding and vinyl was alot more supple making the wooden panel easier to remove, my experience is nowerdays its a bit risky, you don't have to remove the dassh top completely just loosen it off, good luck jp

[nistri]

It is often helpful to remove the black plastic surrounds around the steering column (4 Philips long screws). This then provides extra space to drop slightly the dashboard. Removing the dashboard top means a lot of struggling to reach the fixings. Whatever you do, don't forget to disconnect the battery first.

Andrea 

[lancialulu]

There you have it Steve.

Take the whole car to pieces to get to the clock.

You can be brave and ease out the right hand side first thne slide to thwe right. Several times I thought the dash would (pun) crack but it never did.

BTW great photo on VL this month!!!!!!!!!!!

Tim

[SteveGales]

Well the dash panel is out....and in one piece !!

Thanks for all the info  , in the end I removed the dash top as Neil and James suggested . It was a bit awkward but once I had located
the 4 fixings ,especially the side ones I could slacken it off. I don't think I could have removed the wooden panel without damaging it
if I hadn't.

The reason for all this was to remove the clock  to try and repair it. A few months ago(!) I had reset the time and all the 'tension' went
from the adjusting spindle ,after that only the minute hand would work.

I've got the clock apart and found that a plastic spindle that holds the cog which connects drive for the hour/minute hand has snapped
off from the top baseplate. I've superglued it back on but suspect once its all back under tension it will come off.

So next question has anybody got an old clock (white faced) that I can cannibalise or a working one I could buy. Tried Omicron but
no luck.

Thanks again

Steve

P.S thanks Tim , it must be the fantastic light in the Alps ,the car was actually quite dirty (look at the rear bumper).

[ColinMarr]

Loosening the four nuts to raise it a bit sounds good, but it won’t work on a Fulvia Zagato. The reason being that the mirror on a Zagato is mounted on a pedestal fixed to the top of the vinyl cover, which has three studs that go through the vinyl and then through a steel plate which is fitted to the scuttle. The only way to get at the nuts below the plate is to work through the holes in the metal panel after removing the instruments – for which you first have to remove the wooden fascia! Frustrating!

[Dilambdaman]

Steve,

I've got a white face clock in scruffy condition which you're more than welcome to if it's of use and you don't get a better offer!

Robin.

[SteveGales]

Hi Robin

That's great , I'll send you a PM.

The power of the forum strikes again !

Thanks all

Steve

[chugga boom]

got a few clocks, unsure if they work or not never tried them, if you need 1 let me know

[SteveGales]

Thanks James

Robin is sending me one so I'll see how that goes first, if I'm still struggling I'll be in touch if that's O.K

Regards

Steve

[chugga boom]

yes thats fine

[SteveGales]

Well the clock is repaired and back in the car!

I managed to swap the base plate from Robins clock onto mine. Not an easy job as you have to align 4-5 cogs at once
whilst trying to screw it all together !

A long job just to get the clock working but it would be a lot quicker to remove the dash panel next time now I know about
the dash top.

Thanks again for all the advice and special thanks to Robin for the clock.

Regards

Steve

[Dilambdaman]

Pleased to have been able to help.

Robin.