mducharme

Hi everyone
I just recieved my new dash top from Pelican,The glass pro. is coming tomorrow,I'm looking forward to doing it myself.My question is How does the center vent come out? And when does it come out? I wish Bruce's book showed up first.
(Mike) Mducharme

John Liu

There are spring-loaded clips on the inside of the vent. If you peer in there, look on the top inside and bottom inside surfaces, you'll see them. In my 1989 there were two, both on the top inside, they had little ratchet teeth that protrude from the top of the vent and grab the dash pad, so they have to be retracted (i.e. use a little screwdriver and pull the spring clips inward meaning downward, then hold them that way while you tug the vent out. Easier to remove the vent after you've removed the gauges since you can reach in the dash and push the vent out. I think I've read that SC center vents had four spring clips, anyway they are a different part number from the Carrera vents.

What year is your car? I just replaced the dash pad on my 1989 3.2 - last weekend - which has the long single defrost vent, and the windshield definitely did not need to be removed. But I've read that for the cars with two separate defrost vents, the windshield does need to come out.

John Liu

OK, I looked at your prior posts and I guess you have an 84, so similar to mine - except it's a cab, right? Don't know it they have different dashes from coupes . . .

So, here's something I typed up on dashpad replacement - was thinking about making it a tech article although it might be too simple a task to justify it. But I was pretty detailed and maybe this will be useful.

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Dash Pad Replacement - Carrera With Single Defrost Vent

I recently replaced the dash pad on my 1989 911 Carrera (3.2). This car has the single long defroster vent at the base of the windshield, and as a result the
windshield does not need to be removed. The job took about 4 hours, and was fairly easy. Unfortunately, it appears that on earlier cars (with twin defroster vents) the
windshield must be removed.

Tools needed:
1. To remove steering wheel and steering column cover: 27mm socket, 6-inch extension, long socket driver or breaker bar, small flathead screwdriver.
2. To remove dash pad: 10mm socket, small socket driver (thumbwheel or stubby is ideal), medium Phillips screwdriver.

Parts needed:
1. Dash pad. These are very expensive if new (over $500), but you should be able to get one more cheaply from a Porsche dismantler ($200-$300) or at a swap meet.

Summary steps:
1. Remove steering wheel and upper steering column cover. (You may choose to omit this step - see the notes at the end of this article.)
2. Remove gauges, center A/C vent, and fresh air ventilation system cover.
3. Find and undo dashpad nuts inside the dashboard
4. Remove defroster vent.
5. Remove dash pad.
6. Installation is the reverse.

Detailed steps:
1. Disconnect the battery. Detach the battery cable at the negative (-) terminal. You will be working inside the dash, amid the wiring harness, and don't want to
accidentally short-circuit anything.
2. Remove the steering wheel. Pull off the horn pad (grab corners and pull straight back toward driver) and unplug the horn wire from the pad. Remove steering wheel
nut and washer with the 27mm socket and extension. You will need a way to immobilize the steering wheel while you untorque the nut - a "Club" type antitheft device
works, or a burly friend can hold the wheel. Pull the steering wheel off the splined shaft. Caution: Do not torque against the steering mechanism itself - i.e. do not turn the
wheel counter-clockwise as far as it will go and torque against the steering rack -- and also do not torque against the ignition lock, as you may damage your car. Also,
take care that if the socket slips off the nut, you don't lose control of the handle of your breaker bar and damage something, e.g. the windshield.
3. Remove the upper steering column cover. This is the plastic trim piece that covers the upper half of the steering column. It is hold by four small flathead screws,
two on the inside top of the cover (at 11 and 1 o'clock, viewing from the driver's seat) and two on the sides of the cover (by the turn signal and wiper control stalks). The first
two screws are partially blocked by the horn contact, a arc-shaped white plastic / brass piece that is mounted inside the column cover, so you may want to remove that
first - two flathead screws and unplug the horn wire from the backside of the contact. All the screws you are removing in this step are small and should have small locking
washers - be careful not to lose them.
4. Remove the gauges. The gauge bodies are held in the instrument panel with rubber rings around their circumference, and simply slide out of the panel (toward the
driver). Some people pull them out with a putty knife, but I think it is easier to push them out from the trunk. From the trunk, you can see the back of the temperature/oil
pressure gauge body (peer in by the driver's side hood strut). Reach in and push that gauge out - it may take a hard push with your fingertips. Back in the cabin, finish
pulling the gauge out and leave it hanging out of its hole. Reach in the hole and push the remaining gauges out. The tachometer is blocked by the upper steering column
cover (hence step #3). Caution: Do not disconnect any of the wires to the gauges.
5. Remove the center A/C vent. There are spring-loaded clips inside the vent (in my car there were two, on the upper inside surface). These clips snap into the dash
pad when the vent is inserted. Use a small screwdriver to pry and hold the clips fully open, and extract the vent assembly from the dash pad. You may have to reach in
through the gauge holes and push the vent out. Note the vent is merely slipped into the A/C duct inside the dashboard, with no fasteners to undo.
6. Remove the cardboard cover for the fresh air ventilation system. This is in the trunk. Remove the trunk carpet, undo the four Phillips screws holding the two
metal supports for the cover, and pull off the cover.
7. Find all the nuts securing the dash pad. The dash pad is inset with several threaded studs, which go through holes in the metal dashboard and are fastened with
10mm nuts and washers. The threaded studs on your replacement dash pad will show you where to find the nuts inside your dashboard. On my dash pad, there were
seven studs in total. Two enter the dashboard vertically above the instrument panel. Five enter the dash horizontally, in the front of the dash (facing the cabin) at these
locations: driver's corner, between instrument panel and center vent, right of the vent, between between the vent and the passenger's corner, and the passengers' corner.
8. Remove the dash pad nuts. This is the hardest part of the project - it is nice to have small hands! The nut in the passenger's corner is best reached from the trunk,
reaching in by the passenger's side hood strut (hence step #6). The remaining nuts can be reached via the gauge holes and A/C vent hole. Caution: Be careful not to
accidentally unplug or dislodge any part of the wiring harness and fresh air vent or A/C system inside the dashboard.
9. Remove the defroster vent. This is at the base of the windshield, secured by five Phillips screws.
10. Remove the dash pad. Pull up on the leading edge of the dash pad at the instrument panel (closest to the windshield) to release the two vertical studs. Then pull the
dash pad back (toward the driver), starting at the corners. The dash pad should come off quite easily. If a part of the dash pad is "stuck", you have probably overlooked a
dash pad nut.
11. While the dash pad is off . . . secure loose components that are rattling inside the dashboard (I found some relays hanging loose).
12. Installation is the reverse of removal.

Notes:
1. If you want to avoid removing the steering wheel and steering column cover, you can omit removing the tachometer and use the remaining gauge holes to access the
dash pad nuts - they are smaller but may suffice. You may still find that the steering wheel gets in your way when you are reaching into the dashboard, and that the
clearance behind the steering wheel rim is too tight when you are removing the dash pad.. I felt the whole thing was easier with maximum access. Steps #1 and #2 only
take about 15 minutes.

mducharme

Hi John.
Thanks for the indepth information, I'm just about to get started. I hope it goes well?
If anyone else is interested pelican's new dash price is 466.00. For brand new, thats the best price I could find.(most expensive was 799.00 at tweeks) Thanks again John.
(Mike) Mducharme

slider

In Wayne's 101 Project book, it talks about removing the windshield first. I'm guessing this step was already accomplished before the dash removal process?

79SC Coupe

John Liu

No - see the start of the "how-to" I posted.

mducharme

Hi everyone
Didn't go very well,My glass expert broke the windshield. Lesson learned, Just because these guys work at a major auto glass Co. Does n't mean they no what they're doing. (Even with 16 years experience)
On the other hand,Dash replacement was truly enjoyable.Took me 4 hrs. start to finish. Thanks to John Liu.
Mike (mducharme)

John Liu

Mike, what would you correct / add / clarify in the "how-to"?

(I'm still thinking about adding photos and making it a tech tip.)

If you do end up investigating the different windshield options, I'd be interested in what you find out. Mine has two small stone cracks, so I may need a replacement eventually. I've read about 911 vs 964 glass, German vs American glass, tinted vs non-tinted, and I am still unclear on what the choices, pros and cons are.

mducharme

Hi John,
Here's some things that might help. Make sure the glass expert knows what he's doing. In my case,the guy was in to much of hurry.My first clue should have been when he removed the metal trim and started pushing the glass in the top passenger corner. No. 2. Make sure a new glass is ready available. (just in case) In my case, new glass 330.00 canadian installed.
Here are some things I found with the dash replacement.No.1. The dash has to go on from the front. Mine was a little tight where the dash meets the windshield side pillars,though I'm sure its supposed to be.No.2. Make sure the top lip of your new dash that goes over the guage cluster is clear of any extra foam. In my case it stopped me from getting the vertical studs in the holes. With such an investment I did n't want to much stress added. No.3. It would n't hurt to have a few extra 10 mm nuts on hand (teflon) preferred. No.4. I used a 1/4 in rachet with a pivot head on every nut except the last 2 on the passenger side. (there I used a small rachet screw driver and socket) The pivot rachet allowed me to snug the bolts from outsde the dash. Hence small hands not needed. But would n't hurt. I hope this little extra helps.
Mike (mducharme)

mducharme

Sorry I forgot the glass question, I could only find one windshield for my 84 cab with the same tint or profile. (That was more important to me.)
I was unaware of a possible i.e Amer. Eauro. difference, Thats interesting.
I think this is a great candidate for a tech tip because of the expence involved. It put me at ease after reading your post. Pictures would be a bonus.
Mike (mducharme)