Removal of a TR3a Dashboard to recover the vinyl covering

[Alanzjones]

Gentlemen,

I want to replace the vinyl covering of the dashboard of my TR3A but to do so I have to remove the dashboard. Does anyone know how to do this? I can feel a  nuts behind the glove compartment and one further along but how you would get to them I have no idea

Any one know?

 

cheers

 

Alan

[Lebro]

    

1st stage is to disconnect the battery, then release the choke cable from the carbs as this needs to be pulled through the bulkhead.

Then, the center panel can be eased forward by undoing, & removing two wing nuts in the lower corners (from behind the dash), then loosening the two other wing nuts in the top corners of the center panel. The panel can then be eased out at the bottom & pulled downwards to release the top.

Next stage is to undo the pipe from behind the oil pressure gauge, then (& this is probably the hardest bit) remove the temperature sensor from the thermostat housing, & feed it with the capillary tube back through the bulkhead.

undo all the wiring from the gauges, & switches, then the center panel can be withdrawn, taking all the gauges, & switches & choke cable with it. 

The main dashboard is secured along the bottom by two rails, & along the top by a number of screws, plus two screws half way up each side (see photos) the dash capping needs to be removed to access these.

The glove box would need to be removed also.

Still want to do it ? !!!

Good luck

Bob.

Edited November 4, 2020 by Lebro

[Alanzjones]

Thanks for this Bob. It does look quite daunting especially to be done in an unheated and unlight lock up.

One question. Why does the temperature capillary need disconnecting from the temperature sensor rather that just at the temperature gauge

 

Cheers & Thanks

 

Alan

[Opie]

A capillary has a gas or liquid in it.  The gage is permanently connected to the capillary and expansion and contraction of the capillary contents moves the temperature needle.

[RobH]

If you do this be VERY careful in undoing the nut holding the capillary sender to the thermostat housing, as it is more than likely to be stuck to the body of the sender.  If the sender twists with the nut as you undo it you will most likely break the capillary tube - which then requires the whole gauge to be sent away for repair.   

[Alanzjones]

Thanks gentlemen. Now I understand

Cheers

Alan

[Ian Vincent]

Once you have safely removed the capilliary tube from the thermostat housing (assuming it does come free), I suggest you get one of these from Revington (Brass adaptor RTR8155), or anyone else that does them.  Its a brass sleeve that you screw into the thermo housing prior to inserting the temperature sender, which is also brass.  The idea is that brass doesn't weld itself to brass in the same way the it will weld itself to the alloy thermostat housing.

Rgds Ian

[NCS_TR3A]

Ian, 

   Thanks to the reference to the brass adaptor from Revington. I've been through the issue of removing a stubborn blub a few times, first time I broke it and since then if I've ever needed to remove one I've had to take the thermostat out and poke my finger trough from the inside to push the bulb out. 

     For refence the liquid in the bulb is ether, it's a liquid at room temp, above 36 degrees it will ignite and quite a powerful flame. I think it's used in products like easy start which gives you some idea. It's a real bugger to get into the bulb and form a solder seal but it can be done. But best not to get yourself in that position I the first place. 

Neil

[David Owen]

On 10/9/2020 at 7:44 AM, Lebro said:

    

1st stage is to disconnect the battery.

Then, the center panel can be eased forward by undoing, & removing two wing nuts in the lower corners (from behind the dash), then loosening the two other wing nuts in the top corners of the center panel. The panel can then be eased out at the bottom & pulled downwards to release the top.

Next stage is to undo the pipe from behind the oil pressure gauge, then (& this is probably the hardest bit) remove the temperature sensor from the thermostat housing, & feed it with the capillary tube back through the bulkhead.

undo all the wiring from the gauges, & switches, then the center panel can be withdrawn, taking all the gauges with it. 

The main dashboard is secured along the bottom by two rails, & along the top by a number of screws, plus two screws half way up each side (see photos) the dash capping needs to be removed to access these.

The glove box would need to be removed also.

Still want to do it ? !!!

Good luck

Bob.

 

 

Hi Bob,

When you undo the pipe from oil pressure gauge is there anything that I should be aware of?   The temperature gauge has been converted so that is straightforward.

Cheers,

David

[Lebro]

Don't loose the small sealing washer between the pipe & the gauge, and that it may drip a small amount of oil when separated.

But mainly don't forget to re-connect it before starting engine or you will have rather a lot of oil on your carpet !

Bob

[David Owen]

4 hours ago, Lebro said:

Don't loose the small sealing washer between the pipe & the gauge, and that it may drip a small amount of oil when separated.

But mainly don't forget to re-connect it before starting engine or you will have rather a lot of oil on your carpet !

Bob

 

Thank you. 

[John McCormack]

On 10/9/2020 at 10:44 PM, Lebro said:

    

1st stage is to disconnect the battery.

Then, the center panel can be eased forward by undoing, & removing two wing nuts in the lower corners (from behind the dash), then loosening the two other wing nuts in the top corners of the center panel. The panel can then be eased out at the bottom & pulled downwards to release the top.

Next stage is to undo the pipe from behind the oil pressure gauge, then (& this is probably the hardest bit) remove the temperature sensor from the thermostat housing, & feed it with the capillary tube back through the bulkhead.

undo all the wiring from the gauges, & switches, then the center panel can be withdrawn, taking all the gauges with it. 

The main dashboard is secured along the bottom by two rails, & along the top by a number of screws, plus two screws half way up each side (see photos) the dash capping needs to be removed to access these.

The glove box would need to be removed also.

Still want to do it ? !!!

Good luck

Bob.

There are a few 7/16" nuts that hold the dash to studs.

Here are a couple of photos of my spare dash in the roof of the garage. You can see the slots on the upper edge and the hole on the end where the studs are that have the 7/16" nuts.

The four holes in the centre can also be seen for the studs on the centre section fastened with wing nuts from behind. The wing nuts might have been replaced with ordinary nuts and the studs are also prone to breaking off.

Once you have completed what Bob says above and these nuts the dash slides forwards off the outer studs.

[Lebro]

Have just slightly edited my original reply to include disconnecting the choke cable.

Bob.