Anyone know a straight forward way to remove the dash on a 3rd gen. I've got an 83 Z28, and the headlights have gone out. It's not the bulbs, switch or wiring in the engine bay, but its most likely faulty wiring in the interior behind the dash. There are too many wiring harnesses to fit my hands under the dash to pull the wires out without pulling the dash. I've pretty much just given up on finding the issue so I'm most likely going to run new wires to a relay and power the lights that way.

Either way, it's probably easier to pull the dash out and do it.

Anyone know the best way to do it? I'm probably going to replace the heater core to save myself the headache later

 

Hi, recalling when I removed mine. There are several screws under the dash, 7 MM in size.Then look on top of the dash in the two vents.
There are 2 each screws en each of the vents. It should then come right off.

Louis

 

Thanks, I underestimated how many screws there were on top. Its still hung up on somethings but they're most likely just wiring harnesses.

GM

 

Exactly WHAT are you trying to remove? The dash pad top or the whole dash assembly?

 

The dash wiring generally extends all the way to the trunk. To get it out in one piece, it's usually easiest to start at the trunk latch, and disconnect/roll up the wiring as you work forward. Disconnect the taillight harness, rear defrost, rear speakers, fuel tank firewall bulkhead, driver's seat belt, and so on. When both sides are wrapped up, it's just the screws across the top under the windshield, a couple bolts in the corners, drop the column, and there will be a couple near the middle top/bottom, and the entire dash assembly comes out.

 

Hi Mcall,

My mistake. I thought you were looking for info on removing the dash pad.

Louis

 

@Drew @sonjaab My mistake, i should have clarified, i was trying to remove the entire dash assembly to diagnose some wiring issues (still doing it currently) and clean up all the wiring under the dash. I manage to get it removed late last night by just wiggling it lose and taking screws out that might have been holding it back. Now ive got to figure out why the breaklights, reverse lights, and turn signals dont want to work.

 

Thanks to Drew for the details! I'm getting ready to do this next Saturday myself.
One question, does the console have to come out first? I would assume it would make life much easier if it is.
Thanks Again!

 

For me, I think i could have taken the dash out without removing the console, but i took it out anyway just to make life easy. It gave much more room to gently pull adn figure out where things were getting hung up. Once its completely lose or your close to getting it out, id suggest grabbing an extra set of hands because it'll make life easier in the last leg of removing the dash

 

I've always had the console out already. You'll have to unplug the e-brake switch, radio, HVAC, etc anyway to remove it completely.

 

Remove the center console,...... or spend a LOT of time wishing that you had.

In 82-88(?) the Dash Housing Harness can be disconnected from the "Body" harness located behind the kick panel and completely removed from the car. When pulling the Dash Housing from earlier cars there's no need to remove anything from the door sills back. I'm pretty sure 89+ cars ran the dash harness all the way back to the tail harness connector,...... but in earlier cars there was a "body" harness used as an intermediate harness linking the dash and tail harnesses together. ( solid wires were used on the intermittent - or 'body' - harness from 82-84.)

To pull the dash you have to remove the C100 firewall connector. It's always best to find a way (helper) to hold the connector bolts firmly in place while the engine-side nuts are removed. Sometimes ( MANY times ! ) the engine side nuts get 'frozen' on the bolt and then everything just spins together because the connector bolts are only held in place by plastic. (One of those tasks when a 'little help goes a long way" ! ) Pulling on the engine side nuts during removal helps hold the connector bolts in the proper position, but the plastic is soft and can easily strip so - if possible - find a helper to lay under the dash and hold the connector bolt.

FYI; if you can't find a helper,......... The last dash housing I pulled was about a month ago and both C100 engine side nuts started coming off fine, but then seized on the bolts causing the bolt to "skip" as the plastic began to strip. I was alone at the junkyard so I inserted the proper torx bit into a 1/4 inch drive socket and used a 1/4" ratchet,..... after positioning the ratchet/bits as well as I could I ZIP-tied the tool to the C100 wires and was then able to un- seize the engine side nuts.

Good luck !

 

The 86 Firebirds I junked were both 1pc harness cars, so if there's a disconnect it must be before that, or possibly was different on different models. I forgot all about C100... The result of removing parts after much of the car is already stripped.

 

Simply not accurate...... ALL the 87 and earlier cars used an intermediate ( or body ) harness.

This one is from an 86 Berlinetta: ( Body connector near C100 )


This one is from an 87 Camaro: ( Body connector near C100 )


This one is from an 86 or (87) digital dash Trans AM ( Body connector near C100 )


This one is from an 88 Formula: ( Dash harness connects directly to Tail harness )


There was a change from the 82-84 "Body" harness when compared to the 85-87 body harness: in 82-84 the wires were 'solid' and the Tank Sending Unit wires passed thru the rear quarter,..... in 85-87 the sending unit wires were 'twisted' & the Sending Unit wiring passed thru the body behind the the rear seat back-rest.

This wiring harness change in 88 occurred at the same time as ALL THE OTHER wiring harness changes that occurred to the F-Bodies beginning in in 88 ( Serpentine, Small cap Distributor, Wiper wiring, Fog light, etc... )

 

I've got a base 86 Firebird harness in the attic that I'm pretty sure is all one piece. If it weren't for winter temps I'd try to dig it out for photos. It's not like I have any reason to lie about it. I could be remembering wrong, it's been in storage for about 15 years.

 

@Drew Its been about a month since i removed the dash. Luckily i managed to get all the interior and exterior lights finished up, and replaced the heater core while it was out. But one of my worst fears has happened. My memory of how to install the dash back has faded. Got any tips on what to do ?

 

Set the dash hull across the top of the column, fish the harness into it, slide it back into place and put several screws in to hold it in place, reinstall the gauge cluster and any other straggling bits, finish putting the rest of the screws that retain the dash hull to the car in place. Cap everything off with the dash pad, gauge trim, etc.

 

Do You know what this piece is? I know it goes on top of the collum, and then screws in place, but i cant seem to get it to fit back into place since the plastic on the collum wont move any to get the round notch to fit into place and still be able to screw in


Theres a little notch it fits into and then screws into place, but im not sure how to move it aroumd to get it back into place