Cockpit side panel removal?

Those screws are very difficult to get to. I have used a 1/4" drive ratchet
with a Phillips bit on it with some success there. A bit easier if you
remove the drivers seat first. Just what I do. Someone else may have a
simpler solution.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

> So how does one remove the side panel below the window without breaking it?
> There are some screws up by the dash that seem impossible to get at.
> Failing that does anyone make replacements?! lol
>
> I need to check the filler tube to see why it stinks so much
>
> TIA
>
>
> Keith Vasilakes
> Mounds View MN
> 76 exRoyale
> MicroLevel<
> http://www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com/vasilakes/microlevel_intro.pdf>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
Indeed those phillips screws are difficult to get to -- some facts that it
helps to know ahead of time: They're inserted horizontally, from front to
rear, one above the other, in the very upper portion of the dash.

Good luck!

Ken H.

> Those screws are very difficult to get to. I have used a 1/4" drive ratchet
> with a Phillips bit on it with some success there. A bit easier if you
> remove the drivers seat first. Just what I do. Someone else may have a
> simpler solution.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>

>
> > So how does one remove the side panel below the window without breaking
> it?
> > There are some screws up by the dash that seem impossible to get at.
> > Failing that does anyone make replacements?! lol
> >
> > I need to check the filler tube to see why it stinks so much
> >
> > TIA
> >
> >
> > Keith Vasilakes
> > Mounds View MN
> > 76 exRoyale
> > MicroLevel<
> > http://www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com/vasilakes/microlevel_intro.pdf>
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
I had a very tough time and ended up having to drill out one on the forward left corner. The angle of the screws is such that it appears as though
they were installed before the windshield was installed. There are a lot of discussions on this site about the difficulty in removing these screws.

Best of luck and take care,
Tom K.
--
Tom & Oki Katzenberger,
Kingsville, Maryland,
1977 23' Birchaven, 455 C.I.D.
 
I am sure that you are correct about the order in which the cab was
assembled. The dash was last. So, it must be the first thing to be removed,
using reverse order. I know sure that the Brake booster was installed
before the dash was installed. Those two nuts on the middle and top of the
booster are nearly impossible to get to with the dash in place.
BUT A HUGE WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT THE DASH. Plan on replacing it once
you touch any parts to remove it. It gives a whole new meaning to the word
"fragile " B.T.D.T.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

> I had a very tough time and ended up having to drill out one on the
> forward left corner. The angle of the screws is such that it appears as
> though
> they were installed before the windshield was installed. There are a lot
> of discussions on this site about the difficulty in removing these screws.
>
> Best of luck and take care,
> Tom K.
> --
> Tom & Oki Katzenberger,
> Kingsville, Maryland,
> 1977 23' Birchaven, 455 C.I.D.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
Great, the pass side is already broken, those things are made out of glass or something.

Sirum has them for $550 plus shipping...
Decisions decisions

Keith Vasilakes
Mounds View MN
76 exRoyale
MicroLevelhttp://www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com/vasilakes/microlevel_intro.pdf

________________________________
From: James Hupy
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2021 1:51 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: [GMCnet] Re: Cockpit side panel removal?

I am sure that you are correct about the order in which the cab was
assembled. The dash was last. So, it must be the first thing to be removed,
using reverse order. I know sure that the Brake booster was installed
before the dash was installed. Those two nuts on the middle and top of the
booster are nearly impossible to get to with the dash in place.
BUT A HUGE WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT THE DASH. Plan on replacing it once
you touch any parts to remove it. It gives a whole new meaning to the word
"fragile " B.T.D.T.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

> I had a very tough time and ended up having to drill out one on the
> forward left corner. The angle of the screws is such that it appears as
> though
> they were installed before the windshield was installed. There are a lot
> of discussions on this site about the difficulty in removing these screws.
>
> Best of luck and take care,
> Tom K.
> --
> Tom & Oki Katzenberger,
> Kingsville, Maryland,
> 1977 23' Birchaven, 455 C.I.D.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
 
I was not ready to tackle the dash. However, I could not access the vacuum motors on the air box for my A/C modification without trying to remove part
of the dash.

As you probably have guessed, most of the dash is now in the trash can. The side panels are really easy to remove. Grab anywhere, and give it a good
jerk. It will immediately transform from one piece into at least four or five. I had both side panels out in five minutes. And into the trash they
went. All 75 shards. About thirty minutes more to remove the screws which were rusted in place.

My new dash panel where the gauges go is .125 aluminum, and will have a vinyl overlay placed on it. It's almost finished. The top of the dash will be
fiberglass, but I have yet to start that portion. The side panels will also be custom fabricated and covered with vinyl/padding. And cup holders!

If you want to retain the stock look, you probably better buy the fiberglass replacement dash components.

--
Greg Crawford
KM4ZCR
Knoxville, TN

"Ruby Sue"
1977 Royale
Rear Bath
403 Engine
American Eagle Wheels
Early Version Alex Sirum Quad bags
 
One thing that I have seen used on a 1 off dash were several blocks of that
pink foam insulation material glued together with Elmer's or similar glue.
The blocks were rough shaped with a hot wire cutter before glued. Final
shaping was done with a rasp cutter for body filler. (Wear a mask!) And a
orbital grinder. Then a layer of fiberglass under mold release agent. A
monocoke framework holds the fiberglass female mold, and either fiberglass
or similar materials like carbon fiber get laid into the mold. Lot of work.
Not much expense, though.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Thu, Jul 15, 2021, 2:39 PM Greg Crawford
wrote:

> I was not ready to tackle the dash. However, I could not access the vacuum
> motors on the air box for my A/C modification without trying to remove part
> of the dash.
>
> As you probably have guessed, most of the dash is now in the trash can.
> The side panels are really easy to remove. Grab anywhere, and give it a good
> jerk. It will immediately transform from one piece into at least four or
> five. I had both side panels out in five minutes. And into the trash they
> went. All 75 shards. About thirty minutes more to remove the screws which
> were rusted in place.
>
> My new dash panel where the gauges go is .125 aluminum, and will have a
> vinyl overlay placed on it. It's almost finished. The top of the dash will
> be
> fiberglass, but I have yet to start that portion. The side panels will
> also be custom fabricated and covered with vinyl/padding. And cup holders!
>
> If you want to retain the stock look, you probably better buy the
> fiberglass replacement dash components.
>
>
> --
> Greg Crawford
> KM4ZCR
> Knoxville, TN
>
> "Ruby Sue"
> 1977 Royale
> Rear Bath
> 403 Engine
> American Eagle Wheels
> Early Version Alex Sirum Quad bags
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
Or go flat dash and mount the gauges directly to the column above the tilt
behind the wheel. I still have a set of gauges I purchased from Speedhut
and had fabricated a mounting panel but passed it along with the last gmc.

Sully
Bellevue wa

> One thing that I have seen used on a 1 off dash were several blocks of that
> pink foam insulation material glued together with Elmer's or similar glue.
> The blocks were rough shaped with a hot wire cutter before glued. Final
> shaping was done with a rasp cutter for body filler. (Wear a mask!) And a
> orbital grinder. Then a layer of fiberglass under mold release agent. A
> monocoke framework holds the fiberglass female mold, and either fiberglass
> or similar materials like carbon fiber get laid into the mold. Lot of work.
> Not much expense, though.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>
> On Thu, Jul 15, 2021, 2:39 PM Greg Crawford

>
> > I was not ready to tackle the dash. However, I could not access the
> vacuum
> > motors on the air box for my A/C modification without trying to remove
> part
> > of the dash.
> >
> > As you probably have guessed, most of the dash is now in the trash can.
> > The side panels are really easy to remove. Grab anywhere, and give it a
> good
> > jerk. It will immediately transform from one piece into at least four or
> > five. I had both side panels out in five minutes. And into the trash they
> > went. All 75 shards. About thirty minutes more to remove the screws
> which
> > were rusted in place.
> >
> > My new dash panel where the gauges go is .125 aluminum, and will have a
> > vinyl overlay placed on it. It's almost finished. The top of the dash
> will
> > be
> > fiberglass, but I have yet to start that portion. The side panels will
> > also be custom fabricated and covered with vinyl/padding. And cup
> holders!
> >
> > If you want to retain the stock look, you probably better buy the
> > fiberglass replacement dash components.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Greg Crawford
> > KM4ZCR
> > Knoxville, TN
> >
> > "Ruby Sue"
> > 1977 Royale
> > Rear Bath
> > 403 Engine
> > American Eagle Wheels
> > Early Version Alex Sirum Quad bags
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
I got my side panels out and much of the dash without damage. One must inspect every inch for hidden screws.

I stopped removing the dash just because I feared damaging it. I was lucky in that I had 2 other coaches to inspect for screw locations before I
tackled mine. I can tell you that no coach is alike and the screw locations are somewhat random on each coach.
--
Tom & Oki Katzenberger,
Kingsville, Maryland,
1977 23' Birchaven, 455 C.I.D.
 
> I got my side panels out and much of the dash without damage. One must inspect every inch for hidden screws.
>
> I stopped removing the dash just because I feared damaging it. I was lucky in that I had 2 other coaches to inspect for screw locations before I
> tackled mine. I can tell you that no coach is alike and the screw locations are somewhat random on each coach.

Agree - when all the screws are removed carefully look for the one you missed. When pulling the side panel out assume any resistance is a missed
screw. When you are sure it is not a screw then use a very thin flexible putty knife to the reluctant area to release it

It is possible to remove it without breaking it.
--
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI
 
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