914 Dash removal procedure/swap? Any tips?

[anovaso]

Hello Everyone!I'm brand new to the forum and excited to have joined.
I have a new project. I need to remove a '76 914 dash and swap it onto a 72 that currently has nothing on it. I am pretty handy with cars, not a full fledged mechanic but my dad thinks I am so this is my new project per his request.
I honestly have not really looked closely at what is involved yet for this procedure. I have seen 914 dash clips sold before online so I know there are some plastic/nylon clips involved that hold the dash material to the metal dash form on the car. The 72 (receiver for dash swap) has working gauges switches, etc. just no dash material and well one from the 76 is pretty much perfect.

The 76 is the donor car to the 72 and another 70 914.
Any help or suggestions/special tools,make a special tool?/ etc?...before I attempt this .......would be greatly appreciated.

Saw the posting on the Pomona meet when I did my initial search online. Can't wait to drive out to one soon! Yeah where are all the 914's!?

ME:
I am a passionate car guy, gearhead, grease monkey/wrench and any all of those other names you give to us car lovers.
Working on my cars or any car is my therapy!

See my rides and projects below. I include my fathers cars as my own as
I have done most of the work on all of them at this point.


Drivers:
> > 1999 Mercedes ML430
> > 1990 Chevy Suburban
> > 1993 Mazda Mx6 v6
> > 1970 Mustang Coupe
> >
> > Projects:
> > 1963 MB 220 seb fintail
> > 1965 MB 220 seb coupe( with 280se engine)
> > 1964 Buick Riviera (just bought it last month)
> > 1959 Ford f100 ( almost running!)
> > 1968 Mustang Coupe ( almost roadworthy, just need brakes!)
> > 1970 Porsche 914(dad’s)
> > 1972 Porsche 914(dad’s)
> > 1976 Porsche 914(dad’s)
> > 1972 VW BUS(dad’s)
> > 1971 VW SQUAREBACK(dad’s)
> > 1971 KARMAN GHIA(dad’s)

[Dave_Darling]

I don't think there are clips that hold the "leatherette" onto the top of the dash. However, the "dash cap", the part that is upward and closest to you (which includes the "binnacle" over the instruments) is held on by something like nine plastic nuts. You get at them from under the dash or through the dash. I thought I had posted pics in this forum; a search may turn them up.

You will have to take out the side vents to see the outboard ones, the glove box to get at the one above that, the radio (if any was installed) to get at the one above it, and the instruments to get at the two behind them. Those are the hardest to see; they are aaaaaaaallllll the way up at the front, and all you can see is the side of the white plastic nut. I was able to remove them with an open-end wrench, turning a little bit at a time...

--DD

[anovaso]

Wow that is what I had heard about before, the famous "plastics nuts"!
You hit it right on the money Dave.Yeah I said clips which was wrong but now I am definitely more aware of the part I am wanting to swap as being the "dash cap". Awesome, thanks Dave. Gonna give it a look this weekend and will look for the pics.
T.

[Piledriver]

Would Velcro be reasonable for reinstallation?
(I don't think it existed when the 914 was designed)

[HillKing]

Hopefully I did this right.

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk44 ... cnuts2.jpg

[HillKing]

I'll try again.

<a href="http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk44 ... ic%20nuts/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk44 ... cnuts2.jpg" alt="wyojohnny/plastic nuts" border="0" /></a>

[HillKing]

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk44 ... cnuts2.jpg
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk44 ... cnuts3.jpg
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk44 ... icnuts.jpg

Now I am brilliant!

[david58]

If you highlight each url one at a time then click Img your pics will post. Also hit enter to space them out between each url.