Instrument panel top pad removal advice needed

[Brosky]

Just a quick question for those who have done it before. I'm taking may TR6 into the body shop next week for various paint work to be done including the windshield frame. I'm having it removed, refinished and a new windshield and sealing strip installed along with new fuzzy door weatherstrips. I am under the impression that the windshield frame has to be lifted in order to install the upper dash pad, so what actually would they have to do to swap it out so everything can be sealed properly?
I wanted to do my wood, gages and lower plinths this winter, so I don't really want them to have to tear everything apart now if they can get the pad in by just sliding back the wood panel and gages. Any advice welcomed and thanks.

 

[Alan_Myers]

Hi Paul,

Yes, the dash pad needs the windshield removed to install it properly. Also, the defrost vents need to come out. And, I guess on TR6 there is an ashtray? (There's not on TR4.)

The dash fascia itself needs to be loosened, at the very least. This is so the edge of the pad can be slid back under the dash top, then held in place by the dash fascia when it's tightened back up.

Here's a thought, it's relatively easy to remove the entire windshield assembly. So, if you want to replace the dash pad at a later time while refurbishing the rest of the dash, just coordinate with the folks doing the work to be sure to use a *non-hardening* sealer under the rubber strip, which sits goes between the windshield frame and the dash pad/dash top. That will make windshield assembly removal relatively easy when the time comes to do the dash pad, etc.

In fact, if the car isn't going to be driven much and is unlikely to get rained on or washed much between now and next winter, you might ask them to just leave out the sealer under that rubber strip. (I bet more than a few TRs never get sealed under that rubber strip anyway, during restoration.) Then, when the next project is done and the windshield assembly has to come off and then be reinstalled, just put some non-hardening sealer in there.

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[Brosky]

Thanks, Al. That tells me what I needed to know.