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.
Last edited:
b-body-bob
Well-known member
It took two of us to get the dashboard to line up; the spot is marked now. Now there remains a lot of gunk on the vinyl, and SEM vinyl dye sure seems expensive, so I'm holding on that for now.
I'm trying to decide what to do about the quarter extensions. They've got an air (water) gap pretty much all the way around them. Maybe because AMD quarters? The thin gasket you get in the body gasket kit is no way thick enough to do the trick. Some say to not worry because the taillight foam seals the outside from the inside.
The inside 4 holes are for the taillight, and it does look like the trunk seals there but it also needs something for the outside 4 holes (or maybe it slopes away from them?)
I've got a tube of seam sealer if I don't figure something better out. Blue tape in the prior image was applied for that. I lapped it over the edge - might need to redo it if I continue down that route.
Part of me thinks since it seems like it's sealed by the taillight, looks like it would drain out the bottom, and it's all painted, trying to seal the extension might make a problem where there is none.
I'm trying to decide what to do about the quarter extensions. They've got an air (water) gap pretty much all the way around them. Maybe because AMD quarters? The thin gasket you get in the body gasket kit is no way thick enough to do the trick. Some say to not worry because the taillight foam seals the outside from the inside.
The inside 4 holes are for the taillight, and it does look like the trunk seals there but it also needs something for the outside 4 holes (or maybe it slopes away from them?)
I've got a tube of seam sealer if I don't figure something better out. Blue tape in the prior image was applied for that. I lapped it over the edge - might need to redo it if I continue down that route.
Part of me thinks since it seems like it's sealed by the taillight, looks like it would drain out the bottom, and it's all painted, trying to seal the extension might make a problem where there is none.
b-body-bob
Well-known member
I found a way to seal it ... the big problem was the top and outside seam that kept bulging out. After studying it for a while I made a plan to lay strip caulk on the inside of the seam, bolt the extension in place, then work the caulk from the inside into the gap between the parts.
I'm still not sure it should be sealed but at least I know water doesn't have free run between the body and the taillight. You can see some places where it didn't completely fill the gap, but I'm not done (and it isn't obvious in person) (just like that ugly bezel)
Now I can put the bumpers on.
I'm still not sure it should be sealed but at least I know water doesn't have free run between the body and the taillight. You can see some places where it didn't completely fill the gap, but I'm not done (and it isn't obvious in person) (just like that ugly bezel)
Now I can put the bumpers on.
RUSTY Cuda
In over my head!
Cameras today bring out every little blemish , when I saw myself in my sons wedding pics a few years ago I said damn I'm OLD!
Starting to look like a car again! NICE!
Starting to look like a car again! NICE!
gomopar440
Livin' my life...one gas station at a time.
Looking good! 