removing dash, removing dash for paint Options

[coldbluesteel]

Hello everybody, This is my first topic I've started (hope it's not messed up) and It's a question. I'm planning on pulling my dash to paint it, simular to Frotou's and Kristen85's(minus the fur, no offense). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have already removed all but the upper dash (where the airbag is located) and the steering column. I know to disconnect power for at least 90 sec before even breathing on the airbag system. I can see some exposed fastners on the dash but I dont know how the airbag is connected, so I don't want to just rip it out of place. I've looked in my Chiltons manual and it doesn't go into that area, so I thought I should ask before I start. This is the last thing I need to do before I start reassembling my gutted interior. Thanks, and love the site I haven't been a member long but I've browsed the site since near the beginning.

[K-ESD]

i wish i could help you with taking out the dash, i never done it
but if i may suggest, you could always paint it while it's still attached, tape plastic to cover from overspray. Still need to be very careful and have good ventilation.

I still agree that taking the dash out would be the better way. I guess you can take some time to find everywhere it's being held, i'm sure you can figure it out, it can't be that hard.

[coldbluesteel]

Anybody pull the dash before?

[Consynx]

not I, but i do know that doing what they did has to be very involved...they are both show cars, and painting an interior like that is wow

my buddy used regular paint on his interior(made for the dash) and it looked good, but it cracked and looked nowhere near as shiny as those twos

for the plastic inserts i believe we have a how-to written at 6gc.net

[playr158]

i have.......

all i say is you'll need hella good luck....

you have to remove anything and everything you see

start with the vents and just pop them off
then center console (the entire thing)
then remove steering wheel plastics, gauge cluster
remove glove box
start to unclip every piece of wire that you can find it goes way back there and down on the sides of the car
unbolt every piece of a/c:heat duct work that you can see

and after that there is still MORE that is just crazy
just take your time go bolt by bolt be very gentle with the dash manuevering because it can break easily....
and don't just yank that will break things and careful not to rip wires

[coldbluesteel]

I have already removed everything except the steering wheel and the upper half of the dash. pulling the vents is no problem they have been pulled and painted before. I plan on using a flexible paint and primer as suggested by frotou to avoid cracking. My main question is will the airbag system come off with the dash or does it stay mounted to the firewall? Thanks to everyone with all the replies.

[playr158]

airbag is mounted to both on the passengerside
you have to be very careful cause you have to go at like a million angles to get to all the bolts

[kristinw85]

Hello everybody, This is my first topic I've started (hope it's not messed up) and It's a question. I'm planning on pulling my dash to paint it,  simular to Frotou's and Kristen85's(minus the fur, no offense). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have already removed all but the upper dash (where the airbag is located) and the steering column. I know to disconnect power for at least 90 sec before even breathing on the airbag system. I can see some exposed fastners on the dash but I dont know how the airbag is connected, so I don't want to just rip it out of place. I've looked in my Chiltons manual and it doesn't go into that area, so I thought I should ask before I start. This is the last thing I need to do before I start reassembling my gutted interior. Thanks, and love the site I haven't been a member long but I've browsed the site since near the beginning.
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We just tapped my doors off and the window and carpet then painted the dash, it's ALOT easier, and saves ALOT of time. But we used real car paint so it sprayed really easy, i quess it matters what kind of paint to use, and you know you like fur fur.........

[ArizonaRed]

ive done it to my 94 celi gt that im currently working on. I took out the airbags because they were deployed and the windshield because of that. i wanted to get out all of the glass shards everywhere so I took everything apart. as you can see the pass airbag is disconnected from the frame and dash. many bolts underneath to undo. you need those special keys like for the wheel airbag to get this off. there are tons of wires to disconnect and junctions in the back too. there are plastic clips in the back of the dashthat are the last things holding it on after you unbolt. the dash is very heavy and bulky! i could barely maneuver it. the shifter got in the way. steering wheel must come off so go buy a puller for like $15 and mark a spot. it was a pain but everything went back pretty easy because i put it back in the same day and had it fresh in my mind. was about 4hrs work since i never done it b4.







This post has been edited by ArizonaRed: Jun 30, 2005 - 2:38 AM

[Consynx]

can you pop off the passenger air-bag cover w/ battery in and no work?
i'm curious because mine has a rattle and i'd like to fix it.

[coldbluesteel]

Thanks everybody, pics were great, any more advice.

[ArizonaRed]

can you pop off the passenger air-bag cover w/ battery in and no work?
i'm curious because mine has a rattle and i'd like to fix it.
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air bag cover tears. it folds in the back but is kinda plastic bolted in the front. dont mess with it or else youll never get it back the right way. (its meant to break)

lets see....
take off steering wheel
take off glove box
take out middle consol
preferably take out seats
take out ac piping
remove ac/cd/vents
remove inst panel
remove supprt panels on both sides of windshield
undo all wires from fuse box and junctions
undo wires that lead to the doors
airbag bolts strip easily
if ur sure you undid everything the dash requires quite a pull to pop off

This post has been edited by ArizonaRed: Jul 1, 2005 - 2:40 AM

[Coomer]

airbag bolts strip easily
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Very true...they're T30 Torx bolts. I stripped one on my steering wheel on my purple Celi and spent hours getting it out.

[Coomer]

Is there a trick to getting the white wire holders on the little posts off? I got all of the bolts out, but I can't figure out how to get those off at all.

[Jaws4God]

thats cool to see under the dash... i've always wondered what it looked like

[dustin15brown]

looks like WAYYYY too much work for me

[Coomer]

looks like WAYYYY too much work for me
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It's actually not too much work...I think once the lower dash pieces are off there were only seven 10mm(the two airbag bolts may have been 12mm...can't remember for sure) bolts/nuts that needed to be removed. The hard part is getting the wiring off the back of the dash.