A12 - time to get busy
- Thread starter b-body-bob
- Start date
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Stuck again - had to disassemble the dash light dimmer to replace the thumbwheel and clean it up, and I can't get the parts back in the right place.
The problem comes trying to get the rheostat and the thumbwheel clocked correctly.
I should've marked them but TBH I couldn't see any way to do that with enough accuracy to be better than just taking a photo of it.
The problem comes trying to get the rheostat and the thumbwheel clocked correctly.
I should've marked them but TBH I couldn't see any way to do that with enough accuracy to be better than just taking a photo of it.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Your braver than I, I would have just sprayed the shit out of it with contact cleaner & prayed for the best!
I had 3 or 4 dash guages in pieces & that's exactly how they went to the garbage bin!
I had 3 or 4 dash guages in pieces & that's exactly how they went to the garbage bin!
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Yeah if it was just the corrosion I would've cleaned it up as good as possible and let it go but the thumbwheel and other dash knobs all needed to be replaced and here I am 
b-body-bob
Well-known member
It went right together this time. Don't ask me how.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Because it knew if it didn't behave sledge-o-matic was coming out!
Glad you got it, on to the next problem!
Glad you got it, on to the next problem!
68R/T
I got drunk and swallowed my teeth, now
That's good news, have you priced one of those lately?
b-body-bob
Well-known member
Yep, $170 and it's the later model design. I've got a couple of those but they both have ugly thumbwheels too. Half the price is the cost of assembling the dumb thing.That's good news, have you priced one of those lately?
Actually the newer ones are simpler than the early models and wouldn't be so hard to put together but there is no new thumbwheels available for those that I could find.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
When I first got this car, there was no place to bolt the dash to the kick panel. One of the first things I did once I learned how to weld was to cut a patch that had that part in it and welded it in. It wasn't the whole kick panel, but it was good enough to bolt the dash in. You can see it here:
Now that I'm getting close to assembling the dash and putting it in, I notice that the bodyshop covered all that up. Not bad, but they also took out the piece I put in, so now I've got nowhere to bolt the dash on the passenger side. I bought a keyhole camera to be sure and yeah it's gonzo.
So I can either put a self-tapper in there, or drill and put in a rivnut. I have a rivnut kit I picked up at Harbor Freight not knowing when I was going to need it, so that's probably going to be put to work to fix it. I plan to put the dash in snug, mark the spot, then take it back out until it's assembled and wired.
The worst part is the idiots should have noticed something was supposed to bolt there - here is the other side, note that bolt sticking out by the park brake
Just one more thing I'm glad I can recover from without having to repaint anything.
ETA I tried to stick the dash frame in alone and if I didn't know better I'd say the stupid thing doesn't even fit the car. There must be a certain angle you have to hit or it runs into the A-pillar.
Now that I'm getting close to assembling the dash and putting it in, I notice that the bodyshop covered all that up. Not bad, but they also took out the piece I put in, so now I've got nowhere to bolt the dash on the passenger side. I bought a keyhole camera to be sure and yeah it's gonzo.
So I can either put a self-tapper in there, or drill and put in a rivnut. I have a rivnut kit I picked up at Harbor Freight not knowing when I was going to need it, so that's probably going to be put to work to fix it. I plan to put the dash in snug, mark the spot, then take it back out until it's assembled and wired.
The worst part is the idiots should have noticed something was supposed to bolt there - here is the other side, note that bolt sticking out by the park brake
Just one more thing I'm glad I can recover from without having to repaint anything.
ETA I tried to stick the dash frame in alone and if I didn't know better I'd say the stupid thing doesn't even fit the car. There must be a certain angle you have to hit or it runs into the A-pillar.
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