Afternoon ya'll, Having issues removing the instrument panel from the dash of a 51 Merc. I can't get behind the dash to see well and something is holding it back. Any help would be appreciated. Found one retaining nut in the center above the ashtray and looking for one around the fuse panel/wiring harness. There was another bolt holding in the instrument panel in place low and to the left of the starter. One bolt on the left hand side, middle. Had to remove the bracket on the steering column to be able to play with it. Had to remove the cable from the control arm to the left air inlet.
And I bet the same goes for a 50. Maybe I'll continue to use the gps the wife gave me as a speedometer, needle's gone. Since that's all that don't work under the dash, that's probably the way it's gonna stay.
Thanks for the recommendation slddnmatt. Bounder, I would leave the dash alone if possible. I spent a several hours and still don't have it fully out. Everyone that I have talked to that has had experience with dashes is the same...good luck.
Yep its a bit of a tough one and those 60+ year old cloth covered wires don't make it any easier. Its like trying to bend a wad of dried spaghetti.
Looks like the dash will stay put and the gps will continue to be in use. Never had any trouble with speed , just lumber along and if I do speed the cops just wave and smile me on. With everything pretty much being 65 years old I don't get in a hurry. That's what Cruzin's all about ain't it. While I'm about it who's got the best price in seat covers. Looking at Kanter's anybody better? Thanks
How is any one going to fix anything if the advice is to "leave it alone"? This is the HAMB, where we have no fear of the unknown and the occasional strained neck muscle! You'll never remove the speedometer from the back. You can get it if you tilt the entire chrome insert outward from the top. Disconnect battery (I really mean it unless you like sparks and stuff). Remove all the screws on the bottom rail & the top of the insert and disconnect the steering column drop, the overdrive handle, the e-brake handle, the radio knobs and radio retaining nuts behind the knobs. Now get your head under the dash and remove the radio by loosening the side nuts and the wiring. Once the radio is out, you can practically fit your head in the place the radio used to be if you have to. Look around with a flashlight, you should find a nut on the left and right sides of the dash insert for removal. You should have enough slack in the wiring to wiggle the dash insert outward from the top. Put some masking tape on the dash surrounding the insert because you WILL s****e the dash while wiggling this around.
Awesome, thank you kindly for this. I’m planning on upgrading my 6V to 12V with a Vintage Auto Garage setup and need to get to the gauges for the wiring components. I appreciate this information. Stay safe, blessed, and be well.
Here ya go.... There are four threaded studs on the back. The two, one at each end, one directly above the ashtray, and the 'secret' one above that one... That one may or may not have a nut on it. You'll also want to disconnect the heater control cables.
One more thing that should be noted... These things are heavy, so expect some serious r***lin' getting it out.
It takes some serious wrestling to get the full dash with instrument panel and radio in it out of the Merc and there are a ton of screws to remove to get the instrument panel out of the dash. I'm missing some of the support pieces in the Dash that came with my 51 Merc when I bought it in 1963 after I decided to remove the stock instrument panel and make a "custom panel" in 1966/67 and had to do some cutting to get it to fit.
The Jalopy Journal
