How to remove dash wood

[n/a]

I would like to refinish my dash wood. Unfortunately the Haynes manual doesn't mention anything about how to remove the wood. Does it pop out, unbolt from underneath the speedometer, or require dissasembling the entire fascia panel?

Alternately, has anyone tried refinishing the wood in-place, perhaps by inserting protective paper under the edge of the panels?

1971 280 SL, Ivory / Red

[knirk]

It is not that hard to remove the wood trim - just takes a little bit of time and patience.

I search our posts without finding a step by step description - maybe I didn't look good enough.

They are held in place by 3 or 4 bolts (on each half) protruding down from the wood, fastened with nuts from below. The speaker grill is fastened by two screws from above.

I removed the tachometer and speedometer to get to the left nuts. I got to the center nuts through the speaker hole, and/or the radio hole. I removed the glove compartment inner box to get to the right ones. The nuts can usually be unscrewed by hand if you press the wood trim down.

You may reach the left ones by removing the left (tach) instrument only - i am not sure. I have also read somewhere that someone managed to accesse the left ones from below the dash.

It's a little tricky to get the left wood piece out. I removed the padding on both A pillars. Watch the protruding bolts while trying to drag it across the instrument padding. I placed a thin plate under it not to spoil the padding.

Per G. Birkeland
69 280 sl aut 834
Norway

[tuultyme]

The left one can be reached by removing the tach only.  The window post need to be removed especially if they have been up graded to leather.  Only sand very lightly as the wood is a thin veneer and will worthless if it is gone.  I used a marine finish as it has UV inhibitors.

Bruce; 268Blaugrun(green) 1970 280SL; IL

[n/a]

quote:Originally posted by knirk
It is not that hard to remove the wood trim - just takes a little bit of time and patience.

Thank you very much! I will give it a try...

1971 280 SL, Ivory / Red

[graphic66]

9mm 1/4" drive socket with uv joint and extension make the job easier but you still must remove the tach, glove box etc. You might want to get new gauge to dash rubber gaskets, 1 each for speedo tach and center cluster, all new dash bulbs, new scuttlebox drain tubes, lube up the heater cables, the list goes on and on.