TVR - Dash Cover Removal

Dash Cover Removal
Written by Darren Jones   

Sep 15, 2014 at 03:18 PM

So the original dashboard is a little worse for wear and needs replacing.  New walnut dash has arrived from the UK so now need to remove the old one and now is a good time as a lot of the interior trim needs to be removed and recoloured.

The top leather cover of the dashboard is secured by just 3 bolts, but they can be a pain to get to.  There are two on the passenger side.  These are accessed by removing the "glove box" panel - the leather pocket under the dash.  To do this just undo the 2 screws on the top edge and the pocket will then flip down.  Now will have access to two 10mm nuts.  One in the horizontal orientation and one vertical....easy.

The drivers side single retaining bolt is a little tougher.  This one is in the corner of the dash close to the window upright.  To access this you need to get upside down in the drivers foot-well with a torch and spot it.  Once you see it, then access is not so bad, it's finding it that takes the time.

Once all 3 nuts are off the bolts you'd think it was straight forward to remove, but no.  The leather from the dash top and the leather of the window surround are probably a little fused from many years of leather cleaners and other chemicals.  Gently tease them apart to prevent damage, working from the passenger side first.  The passenger side should free up and then pivot on the remaining drivers side bolt, and then you get another gift from TVR.....the bolt is way too long to free from the body easily.  You will need to very carefully force the pieces apart to remove it.  First thing you should then do is grind that bolt down to a good size ready for the eventual refit.

Dash top off you can see the wonderful rats nest waiting for your attention.

This extends all the way across to the passenger side.  Take lots of photos to detail what plugs in where and what doesn't plug in anywhere.

Can see the cracks in the dash veneer are a little more than cracks.