1966 1800S - dash removal & wiring

Hey gang!

This weekend I'll be starting my first ever dashboard project. Some gauges are going to Nisonger, and a general brightening of the black & chrome is needed. I'll be sure to log everything before and after!

I have some questions for the experienced in such things! I hope to complete the following:

1. Check wiring & label everything neatly for reassembly
2. Identify changes to the original dash (switches added underneath)
3. Remove horrid CD player & garbage tiny front speakers
4. Possibly repair damage to the metal front of the dashboard that has "running board" texture (just replace it?)
5. Dashboard has one crack, so repair/replace/recover? (the vinyl is greasy to the touch)
6. Was thinking of wiring a backup camera, but haven't found anything that integrates with a dash-mounted rearview mirror or something. I can't see crap in the rearview, lol

I'll be doing this in stages, but the first part of labeling the wires during disassembly, does anyone have any clever way of labeling that will hold up? Heat shrink tubing with notes written underneath seems the best.

As for the dashboard, has anyone seen an 1800 recovered in leather or anything? The greasy touch is just a bad experience. I don't want to make it not-stock on purpose but I don't want to have to pull the dash off again if I can help it, so a longer-lasting material is what I'm researching.

Any tips, recommendations (materials, tools, radio setups), general things to watch out for, etc., would be most welcome.

I'll be applying sound deadening/heat dampening as much as I can while it's undrivable, also replacing seats, carpet, headliner, but I will probably make some other threads focused on those if I get into trouble.

Thanks for looking!

Hello,

Take pictures!!

All the bolts that hold the dash to the car are standard and not metric!!

Disconnect the battery and remove the gauges, remove the switches from the dash, but leave the wires connected. Disconnect the heater control cables from the heater box and heater valve.

When removing the tachometer, disconnect the small wire at the distributor and at the ignition coil and pull that harness inside the car so you don't have to remove that wire from the tachometer.

You will have to remove the steering column support tube and this is an excellent time to replace the foam seal attached to the firewall under the dash.

With the dash removed, it is also a good time to replace the inner wiper post seals which requires the removal of the wiper assembly.

The dash assembly is easier to handle if the windshield is removed. In fact we recommend changing the windshield if it is old and pitted at the same time we are replacing the dash pads.

We happen to be replacing a dash pad and windshield in the the next week or 2 for a customer's 1967 1/2 1800S and we are using the reproduction of the original foam filled dash pads.

The original and reproduction dash pads are not greasy. I suspect someone applied some sort of "treatment" to the surface of yours.

FYI, if you do decide to recover your dash pad instead of replacing it with the above mentioned reproduction, make sure the material won't "gas" and leave a film on the inside of the windows. We have seen this phenomenon in customers cars that were custom re-upholstered with non-stock materials, usually some sort of vinyl.

If someone installed a CD player in the dash, they would have had to cut the dash to do it. If you want to return to a vintage style radio, you will need to repair or replace your lower section.

And speaking of radios, you have to use a radio that isn't too long or the right hand wiper linkage under the dash will hit it when you use the wipers. Volvo was well aware of this issue as the Volvo radio kits for the early 1800 came with a special face plate that tilted the back of the radio down to clear the wiper linkage. If you have to use a radio that is too long, make a spacer that goes between the radio and the front of the dash. I've had to fabricate a couple of these for customers because someone didn't know.

Oh wow! Thanks for all of that info, planetman!

I'll inspect the windshield more, but it seems to be in pretty good shape. I was hoping to avoid removing it... I've never done any glass work. I can always figure it out though, I suppose lol.

I'm sending the tachometer off for repair, so I'll have to remove all wires, I think.

The tips about gas from upholstery material and radio clearance are excellent - I might have started reassembly and never realized that.

I'm not sure what to do about the radio "hole", and some other parts of the metal dash are scuffed pretty badly. A new (and loose) ignition key placement has done some damage there too. Are replacements for that running board- patterned metal readily available, do you know? I haven't been able to find any yet, and if like to avoid cover-ups if possible.

Hello,

You may need to send the tachometer with the long tach wire to the repair shop. It's connected to the tachometer with a very small nut and clamp and those are important.

AFAIK, no one makes a replacement fascia for the dashboard. And since your dash has other damage from a non-stock ignition switch, you should consider buying a good used dash.

FYI, I hate those universal ignition switches as there isn't anyway to lock them in place so they don't eventually rotate.

We have several way to repair the ignition switch.

You can try to contact Nick at Nick Tarlton International about the dash fascia. It's easy to find good used ones since they were used for so many years. I have entire dashes here (with the upper and lower dash pads already replaced and good fascia) but Nick can take care of you. Mine are needed for cars I'm restoring.

Consider replacing every light bulb on your dash while you're doing all this. Bulbs on Amazon

If you need a wiring diagram, they're readily available. People can do very stupid things with wiring over the years.

If your gauge faces are cracked or the chrome pitted, Peter Nisonger won't do anything to address those issues. You can find some replacement parts with VP-Autoparts and Skandix. They're not cheap but they are perfect replacements.

this?

https://www.auslandervlv.com/accessory-shop?category=Dashboard+Repair+Kit

planetman said:

Hello,

You may need to send the tachometer with the long tach wire to the repair shop. It's connected to the tachometer with a very small nut and clamp and those are important.

AFAIK, no one makes a replacement fascia for the dashboard. And since your dash has other damage from a non-stock ignition switch, you should consider buying a good used dash.

FYI, I hate those universal ignition switches as there isn't anyway to lock them in place so they don't eventually rotate.

We have several way to repair the ignition switch.

Click to expand...

VolvoLatAm said:

this?

https://www.auslandervlv.com/accessory-shop?category=Dashboard+Repair+Kit

Click to expand...

No, not the dash cap. Ther fascia, the part below where there's a patch to cover a previous hole. 1800S' use 3 pieces of it.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/exim-cars/49731791693/in/album-72157705263258735/" title="Untitled"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49731791693_684d91e68b_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

planetman said:

Hello,

You may need to send the tachometer with the long tach wire to the repair shop. It's connected to the tachometer with a very small nut and clamp and those are important.

AFAIK, no one makes a replacement fascia for the dashboard. And since your dash has other damage from a non-stock ignition switch, you should consider buying a good used dash.

FYI, I hate those universal ignition switches as there isn't anyway to lock them in place so they don't eventually rotate.

We have several way to repair the ignition switch.

Click to expand...

Thanks again planetman! I might need a replacement ignition switch or something, once I get the teardown done I'll post photos of all of that. I had to delay the start of the dash, the clutch slave cylinder needed a seal. It's all ready to go for this next weekend though!

matt b said:

You can try to contact Nick at Nick Tarlton International about the dash fascia. It's easy to find good used ones since they were used for so many years. I have entire dashes here (with the upper and lower dash pads already replaced and good fascia) but Nick can take care of you. Mine are needed for cars I'm restoring.

Consider replacing every light bulb on your dash while you're doing all this. Bulbs on Amazon

If you need a wiring diagram, they're readily available. People can do very stupid things with wiring over the years.

If your gauge faces are cracked or the chrome pitted, Peter Nisonger won't do anything to address those issues. You can find some replacement parts with VP-Autoparts and Skandix. They're not cheap but they are perfect replacements.

Click to expand...

Thanks Matt b! You're right on the money with the fascia, I didn't know it was called that.

I was looking at all the instrument lights, they're all a slightly different brightness lol. I'm hoping to do anything and everything one would do while the dash is off, lol. Any other recommendations welcome!

I'll give Mr. Tarlton a call about some dash parts too, thanks for that tip!

I appreciate all the tips and info fellas! Very kind and helpful of you!

Cleaning up all the connections on your harness and replacing the dash bulbs should take care of the difference in brightness.

I'd check the inside of the dash for rust, they can have rust in the corners on the bottom.