Removing instrument panel from dash

[Darbone85737]

Now that I have the new wiring harness I'll be rewiring the dash instruments.  Is there a way to remove the panel that holds the instruments and switches or is it necessary to lay underneath and work upside down in there ?  

 

Car is a 1949 P18 sedan

 

Thx

 

Larry

 

 

[navyboy]

should be able to remove the panel but the gauges would all need to be completly disconnected first. The engine temp though should be pulled from the motor not the gauge if I remember correctly. 

[desoto1939]

if you unscrew the temp bulb out of the head on the side of the motor you will also need to drain some of the water out of the motor block before you take the temp bulb out of the engine block or you will have water coming out of the engine.  If you have some extra length on the metal line that runs from the head through the firewall then you might beable to have enough room to rewire the instrument panel without disconnecting the temp unit from he block.

 

rich Hartung

[Darbone85737]

Thanks.  Engine is out of car so no worries about water.    What I can't see is the location of  the fasteners that hold the panel in the dash.  I just want to pull the panel back far enough to remove the old wiring and replace with the new stuff.  I'm hoping I can do that rather than working upside down under the dash

 

Thanks

LArry

[pflaming]

After living under the dash once, I had to find a better way. So this time I removed the gauges and switches and put the wires through the appropriate holes. Have the harness loose, uninstalled, inside the engine compartment. Now all the wires are "long" and you can connect them with all that length. Then put the gauge cluster back in the dash and gently push/pull the harness back into the engine compartment.  

 

WIth the switches, same thing. Before you push that harness back, connect the switches and install. You can do 90% of the dash this way. I found this MUCH easier and I had every thing correct.

 

Harnesses no longer intimidate me.

 

Good luck. 

[Darbone85737]

Exactly what I hope to do but how do you get the gauge cluster out ?   That's what I can't see. 

[desoto1939]

you still have to go under the dash and stand on your head.  Take a trouble light and then look up to see the back of the gages.  On my 39 Desoto there were two brakets that had 4 nuts inwhich the dial and gages assembly bolted in to. After  removing the 4 nuts  then the assembly could be pulled out of the dashboard.

 

You are going to have to do some looking on your own to see how they  hooked it up but it should be very simple.

 

Rich HArtung

[Dave72dt]

If you haven't, disconnect the battery first before poking around back there

[pflaming]

Maybe this will help get the gauges out. 

 

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTfsMdjhAZ-Efn6z7Szwq5JxakGeGcj1yckH_IR79sXhxTcHydo9g

[Eneto-55]

For guys like me that have multi-focal eye glasses (tri-focals for me), the under the dash days are pretty much over, unless I put my glasses on upside down.  As far as seeing what's there, digital cameras are one of those new-fangled things that are really helpful.  Just stick the camera up behind the dash and keep snapping pictures until one shows what you want to see.  Then sometimes you can do it about as easily by feeling, once you know what you need to do,  (If I'm working on something I can't see, I can actually do better if I close my eyes.  Never knew why, until the last time I was at the eye doctor.  He told me that people with my type of sight problems are using a good part of their brain power just to keep both eyes focusing together.)

[Darbone85737]

Thanks to all.  I talked to one of the young "kids"  at my vintage motorcycle club meet last night.  He may come over and do the dash wiring for me.  Feels sorry for the old man 

[Young Ed]

http://p15-d24.com/topic/34880-new-to-forum-1949-plymouth-business-coupe/page-3#entry368121

look at the picture of the back of it. Looks like 2 studs on the left maybe a couple of shared ones with the radio grill and a couple up top.

[DJ194950]

The radio grille needs to be removed as it lays  over an edge of the gauge panel. I believe then four nuts need to be removed from behind -2 on each edge side and the top has to (PINS) that push into rubber grommetts. They get Very Hard to remove as they are not now rubbery! Some careful but forceful prying may be needed. On the picture pflaming posted you can see the two holes where the rubbers Used to be.

Good luck

 

Doug

[kented]

Heres a better picture of the back of the gauges. My rubber grommets turned brittle and broke. You can see there is 2 nuts on the bottom and 1 above the ignition. Hope it helps!

[Darbone85737]

excellent. I may have a go at it today.  This was all very helpful