MattyHawk3
New Member
Can someone please tell me the correct way to get this panel out so I can change the bulbs? Haven't found a video or anything showing a way and I dont want to mess my project up. Anything will help
Instrument panel 65 newport
- Thread starter MattyHawk3
- Start date
Mike66Chryslers
Senior Member
I'm describing from memory here because I haven't done this in awhile:
Disconnect the battery neg terminal first. I presume you are talking about the main instrument cluster? Start by removing the front seat. If it's a bench, just unbolt it and lift it up into the rear seat footwell. Otherwise working under the dash is so hard on one's back. I don't work under the dash anymore unless I pull the front seat first. I think you must remove the center pull-out tray to get access to unbolt other things inside the dash. Leave that until later, just in case I'm mistaken.
Remove the semi-circular chrome trim around the outer perimeter of the cluster. That will expose 4 screws that you need to remove later to get the cluster out. Remove the knee bolster, under the steering column. You can't remove it entirely because the vent cables are attached. Put a clean rag on the floor to drop it onto so won't get scratched (unless your carpet is really clean). Looking up inside from where the knee bolster was, you should see a couple screws (2, I think) that hold the top cover over the column. Remove those and remove that cover from the top.
Loosen off the steering column floor plate bolts, then the saddle clamp that holds the steering column to the dashboard and let the column drop. If you have a column shift, you'll need to disconnect the PRNDL first as well. There may be other connections and possibly the main column electrical connector that needs to be disconnected.
Reach in behind the cluster and remove the speedo cable, pull off the electrical connectors, and use a nutdriver to remove the electrical connections to the ammeter. Don't wiggle the electrical connectors too much as you pull them off, as the pins are known to break off. Now I think you're ready to remove the 4 screws that were behind the chrome semi-circle and drop the cluster out.
Disconnect the battery neg terminal first. I presume you are talking about the main instrument cluster? Start by removing the front seat. If it's a bench, just unbolt it and lift it up into the rear seat footwell. Otherwise working under the dash is so hard on one's back. I don't work under the dash anymore unless I pull the front seat first. I think you must remove the center pull-out tray to get access to unbolt other things inside the dash. Leave that until later, just in case I'm mistaken.
Remove the semi-circular chrome trim around the outer perimeter of the cluster. That will expose 4 screws that you need to remove later to get the cluster out. Remove the knee bolster, under the steering column. You can't remove it entirely because the vent cables are attached. Put a clean rag on the floor to drop it onto so won't get scratched (unless your carpet is really clean). Looking up inside from where the knee bolster was, you should see a couple screws (2, I think) that hold the top cover over the column. Remove those and remove that cover from the top.
Loosen off the steering column floor plate bolts, then the saddle clamp that holds the steering column to the dashboard and let the column drop. If you have a column shift, you'll need to disconnect the PRNDL first as well. There may be other connections and possibly the main column electrical connector that needs to be disconnected.
Reach in behind the cluster and remove the speedo cable, pull off the electrical connectors, and use a nutdriver to remove the electrical connections to the ammeter. Don't wiggle the electrical connectors too much as you pull them off, as the pins are known to break off. Now I think you're ready to remove the 4 screws that were behind the chrome semi-circle and drop the cluster out.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
One MAY leave the front seat in, as I did. I like the padding on my back and shoulders while standing on my head and working under my dash. Of course, many men aren't as supple as I am. despite my age, praise God! , so I guess this step depends on how well one fits between seat and steering column and floor. The rest of your steps look pretty much how I did mine.
Here is the procedure for removing a 1966 instrument cluster, which is VERY similar to a 1965:
Mike66Chryslers
Senior Member
To each their own of course. I used to work under the dash with the seat in place, but I didn't like anything about it. After the first time I removed the seat first, I decided I'd never do it the old way again! Maybe it wouldn't be as difficult if I wasn't 6'3" tall. Without removing the seat I'd have to wiggle in between the seat cushion and steering wheel, with my back arched the wrong way, and my legs sticking almost straight up. With the seat gone, or even unbolted and moved back into the rear footwell, my back is almost flat on the floor and my legs and feet don't have to dangle in the air.
The first time I removed one I didn't lower the column, and rotated the cluster around it as described. Quite a pain, it gets caught-up on all the wires etc. back there. You need 3 hands, and there's barely enough room for 2 hands. I suppose if you plan ahead you could wire everything up out of the way. I was also worried about scratching the plastic face on the cluster, or dropping it. Things to watch for if you drop the column are to not scratch the paint on the shifter arm collar and don't yank the column around too vigorously because it puts a load on the rubber steering coupler, which is difficult and expensive to find a replacement if it tears.
Gerald Morris
Senior Member
You have 3" in height on me, so I can understand how that might make seat removal more worthwhile. Like I stated, I'm more spry than most blokes my age. The position you describe above is exactly the one I work from, sure enough. With the seat in, there can be no other really. It helps if the damned ammeter wire is GONE already, which mine was. One of these daze, I'll finish replacing those under-dash wires too. The worst aspect for me of working while standing on my head so to speak, is I must sometimes break so my blood can flow back to more normal distribution..... I feel some of your pain bro, be sure of it.
Similar threads
