68 / 69 / 70 Riviera owners, I need your help!

To get my car through the annual inspection, I need to replace a bulb in the dash, the one of the left turnsignal indicator.

In order to do that, I know I have to remove the upperdash to get to the cluster and take that out.
But now I have the left side of the upperdash already loose, but the right side doesn't help me much and stays where it is.
I removed a couple of screws that holds the dash to the cluster on the left side, but on the right side, I can't find any screw that hold it into place.

I did remove the glove box liner to check for any other screws, but according the workshop manual, there are no screws at all in that area for the dahs and you should just be able to pull it towards you.

Can anyone lease tell me what did I overlook in this? why is it not coming loose?

Just for 1 frickin bulb......ou:
There is no easier way to replace a cluster bulb, I reckon?



Thanks in advance!

 

There are several threaded nuts at the rear of the plastic instrument cluster bezel that must be removed from the threaded studs to pull the cluster forward, to gain access to the rear light bulbs. The heater/ac control assy must be released from the bezel - there are special floating nuts iether side of the control assembly on studs at the opening on the rear of the cluster bezel. The speedo cable must be removed from the rear of the cluster, and remove the headlight switch control.
It may also help to lower the steering column to gain a little more room - I would also recommend you remove the ash tray assy, the radio (if equipped), and the front speaker to gain a little more access space to get at the rear of the cluster, and the cluster bezel.
Check and replace (as needed) all your instrument panel lights when you have the bezel pulled,
and get that electric clock working once your in there !
Be very careful, as there are a few razor sharp edges than can bite you when your reaching behind the instrument cluster !
Not exactly the type of job you want to perform more than once, a real P.I.T.A. :moonu:
Good Luck :beer :TU:

 

:eek2: after reading this, i will no longer signal to turn.

 

Thanks, I realize it is a nice job. :Brow:

But getting back to my question, do you know how to pull the upper dash panel from the rest of the dashboard? Where are the nuts hidden? If at all any is actually there.

 

Hi Jason,

Yes, I mean the dash pad.

If you have pics, that would be so helpfull! Great!

I have the drivers side loosened, but the passenger side won't budge.

Much appreciated!

 

Jason's pic will show you where the threaded studs are on the right side of the padded dash portion - you should be able to access them by removing the glove box. There are 3 ball studs that push into special steel clips retained in the metal dash, 2 on the outer edges by the door posts, and one just to the right of the instrument cluster - just pull back and the padded portion is off.
If you have a very long reach and very skinny arms, you just might be able to reach the bulb to change it, but you have to get past the steel middle support behind the dash, and all the rest of the goodies that are hidden in there ! :TU:

 

LOL Howard, . . . just use them old fashioned hand signals ! :laugh: :beer :TU:

 

Thanks guys! I would never had figured this out on my own.

Im gonna try it out tonight and see if I can do it.

 

Works like a charm! Thanks guys!

 

everyone uses hand signals here, but its usually the same signal. you know the one.
this is a great thread. thanks for the pic jason, it beats the service manuals drawing to hell. :TU:

 

People on this board are amazing.

Even though I've had the dash in my '70 torn apart more than once, I couldn't have told you the particulars such as the number of screws, nuts and their locations like these other guys did. :idea2:


I can take something apart, remember how it goes back together a week or even months later, but then it gets purged from my brain.

:beers2:

 

Howard - the universal one that sez your no. 1 ? :laugh:
Dale - your not the only one to suffer from the dreaded KRAFT disease ! ou:
Jason - just proves a picture is worth how many words ? o No:
Buickfreak4ever - great to hear the problem is solved ! :beer

 

When I restored my '69 I had the dash apart so many times I was dreaming about it when sleeping. On the '69 it takes 4 small hands and a magician to get it all put back together along with the vacuum lines for the AC and headlights. I cut my hands so many times on the sharp metal that I'm sure anyone who goes in there after me will think the car was in an accident. I'm glad you got yours fixed!

 

Well, I do not have really tiny hands, so I did cut myself repeatedly :rant:
But all nuts are back where they belong.

The inspection turned out fine, only some minor things like dried out rubber mounts and so.


:laugh:

 

:laugh: I forgot all about that disease! LOL! :laugh:

Though I spell it wirth a 'C'. "Can't remember a F'ing thing!"

A small child and a fire axe can come in handy for such jobs. p

 

Too weird...I have the same light out on mine too. I had been just ignoring it for dread of taking the dash apart, but now thanks to this thread I'm going to try it this weekend.

Thanks for all that contributed!