Dashboard fit

I’ve just refitted my dash - good to see it sitting upright again!

Am I right in presuming that the bottom of the dash cannot sit tight up against the lower middle dash mounting bracket? The heater seems to be as far back as it can go. The top mounting bolts are in place but the dash is hard up against the heater bracket with the ashtray stopping it going back further.

So - do I tighten up the top mounting bolts [the 4 shorter chrome ones]and then use the two longer ones at the bottom and secure reasonably gently with the nuts behind? This will leave a gap of 1/2 inch or so between the bottom of the dash and the lower mounting bracket.

Finally - what sized nut do I need to attach to secure the top steering column mount behind the dash?

Thanks

Richard

Hi Richard,
I’ve recently removed the dash bolts but the dash is still insitu.
The dash does butt up to the lower bracket-somethings not in right :open_mouth:
Left as is the gearbox plate and the centre console will not fit either!

The dash does butt against the two “legs” on the heater front bracket. The heater assembly just rests on felt in a notch in the top of the tunnel and is propped up at an angle by the front bracket to compress the foam seal against the plenum chamber, the dash then prevents fore and aft movement. On mine there was only a very small gap at the bottom bracket on assembly (2 mm or so). I think that your gap of 1/2 inch is a bit excessive - sounds like the heater is not fully back in it’s recess - maybe the demister pipes on the back have come off or the felt pad is displaced.

I think all the hardware is 5/16 UNC but I could be wrong on that.

Hi Richard,

If your column bracket is the same as a +2 (aluminium U bracket with 2 studs sticking up), then you need 1/4 UNF nuts.

Alex

Thanks for the replies.

As far as I can see the heater unit is hard up against the body at the front - I’ve had the heater unit it in and out a couple of times but will have another look to see if any further squeezing can be done!

Richard

I stand to be corrected but I have always understood that the dashboard is a structural memberl.
One of its purposes in life is to provide a rigid connection from the scuttle (upper body) to the chassis.
This means that all of the attachment bolts should be tight & the dashboard should be making full contact with all of its attachment points, especially the ones being discussed.
Anything other than that will reduce body rigidity.

Cheers
John

Hi All, Richard…

      I had the same problem Richard and had the heater in and out a few times. I found that when I replaced the felt I had got some where I shouldnt have. I had to remove it to get the heater to locate properly into the 'groove' . I used a straight edge to check that the heater mounting bracket 'faces' which butt up against the dash were in line with the top and bottom dash mounts.They were not at 1st. I had a time of coaxing the thing back into place. Eventually it went with a bit of leverage here n there. Don't put too thick (or dense)  foam rubber seal between the heater and plenum. You need a good fixing tranny tunnel to top of dash. It is part of the cars stiffness.  So quite important! Don't be tempted to try and 'draw it up' with the screws. You will put a bend in the plywood dash.
       Make sure you have no felt behind the heater....   :confused: 

     You will get there.

     Alex B....          :sunglasses:

I have had a similar problem on my +2. I resolved it by brazing two tab extensions onto the right angle bracket where the bolts pass through the body into the top of the central spine of the chassis. I then elongated the two bolt holes into these tabs. This allows the lower bracket to be eased rearward a bit so that I could fully tighten all of the fascia screws and the two bolts into the chassis. I did not have to move the bottom of the fascia to the point where it would foul the gear lever boot.

Sorted!

Spent the afternoon resolving the problem - Alex came up with the correct solution! Brian Buckland’s book suggests that he foam seal between the heater and plenum chamber needs to be 3/4". I had fitted a foam strip of this width and following Alex’s suggestion of not having too thick a foam strip I trimmed off about 1/4". This allowed the heater too sit a little further forwards and I now have a negligible gap between the bottom of the dash and the bracket. Also fitted the steering column so a good afternoons work [and listened to Tranmere v Peterborough’s FA cup match while tinkering, which ended in a draw which was a good result for a Tranmere supporter!]

Richard

Good job Richard. There is always a reason eh! Onto the next bit.

Any pics yet ??

Alex B…