metal dash removel

[hotrod24]

This might be stupid but can i remove my dash without taking my column out? I have some places that are bad and i need to fix them so can it be done and I am going to replace this dash anyway so that would not be a problem. Oh I think the dash is held by the fire wall so it might not be a problem.

[frogman68]

Hotrod

It is bolted to the sides then spot welded to the Windshield frame it dont come out easy . Fix it in place

[DnStClr]

If you take the steering wheel off and remove the 6 bolts to drop the column down, does that give you enough room to do the fix?

[hotrod24]

yea i have the windshield out so i have seen the spot welds and i thank someone has replaced the dash before because the spot welds look funny what are they supposed to look like? and they are 4 bolts that i know of and no i can not get to it by dropping the column i wish i could

[frogman68]

Post a pic of what needs to be fixed

[hotrod24]

This is one of the reason why i want to take it out and i need to fix the fire wall but i dont have a pic of that right now.

[frogman68]

why not cut some strips of sheet metal drill some 1/4 in holes then "spot weld" them in then cut a piece to fit there and weld it in ?

Me personally think that would be easier remember if you are going to put a radio back in there you will be cutting a hole there anyway

[hotrod24]

you are right i have a peace of a dash i got from a 77 and i was going to do that but i changed my mined and i am going to put a tape player back in it with a cd changer and where the wiper switch goes it is messed up to i just dont know.

[DnStClr]

hotrod, I don't know much about body work, and if I was tackling your job I would do one of two things-
1. take the 77 piece to a body shop with the pic you posted and ask if they can do the job.
2. If you don't weld, think about gluing the 77 piece into the hole using Silaprene that some of our members have used on their body work.  In the members projects there's a restoration by Swims350 and he shows the silaprene used on his cab corner-  an awesome job btw.
 I 've seen dash patches on Brothers Parts website but not sure if they have 73-87 or not. 

[hotrod24]

Well i did call a guy and he told me it would be $200 to do it but i could get a dash and welder less then that and do the work myself so i think it is better that way and the guy would want me to bring it to his shop and my truck is not going anywhere

[hotrod24]

well i got all the spot welds drilled out and i just need to unwire somethings and then it is coming out

[SUX2BU99]

For $200 I'd say just have it done, but if you got lots of time then learn something new and do it yourself.

[hotrod24]

yea i have alot of time so that is what i am going to do and i will learn to thanks

[cracker0169]

It doesn't look electrical, just use a big hammer! 

That dash got hacked up pretty bad...

[hotrod24]

well i got it out and it was not that hard there is a place that i might have to replace because of rust but that is it.