Dash Removal/Replacement

in the hell?  Oh, yeah, that’s the interior after removing the entire

dashboard.  This was the cause of a rat that decided to die in my air ducts. 

Although it is a pain in the ass to do, right now is a good time to replace the heater

core and various other interior components to restore the interior.  This includes

carpet, carpet underlay and center console pieces (so far).  I also plan on replacing

and expectations of this project, or perhaps I was overly patient with this (probably a

bit of both), but installing the dashboard back wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

new digital camera.  The previous one was taken with our Sony Digital Camcorder.

  You can definitely tell the difference.  I can except that, though – the

Camcorder is designed to take movies, not necessarily still pictures.  I did take all

of the exhaust project pictures with it and it didn’t turn out too bad.  Anyway, back

to the interior.  Yes, it’s still a mess with wires and whatnot dangling around.

  That’ll probably be one of the last steps in reinstalling the dashboard.  For

now, I have the dashboard part in.  I’m waiting to get a new dashpad (the top part)

instrument guages, but I needed to install the headlight switch first.  Since the

only real way to get the switch in there, was through the decent sized access hole where

the instrument guage cluster goes.  But that was postponed due to a broken headlight

switch retainer.  That costs about $8 at the dealer.  The ECM and passenger side

speaker is up as well as all of the venting.  I removed the vent grills to see about

replacing the "friction pads" on them so they don’t move around so easily.

  I used to have to stick little pieces of paper in the vents to keep them from

moving, because the material that was supposed to keep them "stiff," had wore

bad rain recently and since the T-Tops leak, I had a pretty wet interior so I had to

vacuum it dry and let it air out.  I pulled up a section of carpet to ensure that

rust isn’t forming.  So far, so good – all seems okay.  Now, back to getting

looking at those worn out door handles so I replaced them.  I don’t exactly know what

model Camaro these came from, but they are black instead of the original red.  I got

them at a good price so I figured I’d give them a try.  They needed a little

modification where it mounts at the top.  Since the screws, holding the old ones in,

were shorter than the ones for these, I had to shave out the hole about and inch so the

threads could reach and grab in the door.  After that little modification, they

mounted right up.  The only thing I need now is a plug of some sort to cover the top

hole.  Cosmedics.  I think the black ones look better than the original red.

  They add a bit of contrast.  If it ever gets to the point, where I think I

the old, red door handles.  As you can see above, they’re pretty well aged and

and got the wiring around the instruemnt guage cluster all straightened up.  Then

installed the instrument guage cluster.  That was a little tricky.  Originally,

I was under the impression that I had to reinstall the wiring to the cluster before

inserting it into the dashboard.  After studying this a little bit, I figured that

the plugs actually snap into the dashboard, and you pretty much line up the cluster and

push it in.  Then, from the bottom of the dash, found a decent path up to the

speedometer cable and snapped it into place.  I cranked up the car to make sure that

all of the guages worked.  At first, the fuel guage was reading over the FULL mark so

I knew I had a loose connection there somewhere.  Also, none of the blinker indicator

lights worked.  After reaching around and reseated the light sockets for both lights,

they all started to work.  I vibrated on the dash board and banged on it a few times

"episode."  I installed the bottom portion of the center console.  Now

it’s starting to look like an interior again.  Arranged all of the wiring and ensured

everything was ready to go for the top part.  I’m also waiting for a center console

lid for that.  I managed to fix the original radio (power button wouldn’t lock on),

but what really got to my nerves, was that at the beginning of putting the radio back

together, I counted 5 equalizer knobs.  When I got to the point to put them one, I

found 4.  Damn!  And those little suckers aren’t that big so I haven’t been able

to find it.  It wouldn’t bother me so much if I was missing one from the beginning!

setting out again to do some more to this interior.  Whatever gets done, one of my

primary goals I have set out for, is to figure out why none of my interior lights work.

  At all.  When I installed the guages, I noticed that none of the backlights

were on.  Immediately, I assumed that the guage cluster assembly isn’t working right,

but then got to thinking … NONE of the lights are working inside!  I’ll probably be

looking into a grounding issue, loose wire type of scenario to begin with.  We’ll see

a far cry from the first picture in the project page!  Wires are still dangling a

little here and there from the alarm system which is really not that big of a deal.  

Installed the climate control and stereo, then the remaining components of the center

console.  I also slapped on the dashpad to get it out of the garage.   It’s not

bolted on – I’m still waiting for my new one.  In the future, I plan on doing this

again once I get more money and replace almost everything in the interior. How many years

condensed WAV of highlights taken from the entire project.  It’s only about 14

seconds in length, but it explains what I went through, the entire process, so perfectly!

the garage somewhere … if you saw my garage, you’d understand!  As far as that

switch in the middle sticking out.  That’s the passenger side power window switch

which decided to crumble as I put it in so I fastened it on top.  I plan on replace

both switches very soon as they are both pretty worn.  There’s something definitely

funky with the wiring in this thing.  I got the radio to work once with the ignition

on, not in accessory.  Added to the existing problem of the interior lights not

working.  Also installed is the center console lid.  Again, two bolts and

everything in for functionality versus looks at this time.  I should be getting a new

dashpad, power window switches and center console lid relatively shortly.  As far as

the rest of it … I’ll stop there.  I’ll end up replacing everything!  Ideal,

yes … Cheap, no.  And seeming I don’t want to have to do this again for a long

while … I can wait!  Next step, cleanup and figure out what in the hell is going on