1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
I've done this a couple times on my '89. Presumably, it's the same for yours...
1. Remove black plastic piece between seats (just a couple screws, and I think a couple beneath the shift lever cover, too, IIRC), as well as the "bellows" that butts up against the center console. (You can do this job without removing the piece between the seats, buy you'll likely crack the center console in the process...)
2. Remove center console: should be 4 bolts on either side., plus two bolts at the foot of the console, just beneath where the bellows sits. Be gentle with the console - it's old, and prone to cracking.
3. Pull out ash tray to access a bolt that helps hold the bolster in place - remove the bolt.
4. Now pop the hood. Working from the engine bay, look at the fire wall on the driver or passenger side, just inside of where the hood 'track' is located, beneath the windshield. There are two bolts that hold the bolster in place, one on each side of the car (10 mm, IIRC) that you'll need to remove (use a long extension to get to it). The bolts a.) may be blocked from view by a cluster of wiring and b.) may be covered in a tacky black goo that I assume is for waterproofing. These bolts are *not* obvious - it may take you a few moments to find them...
5. The bolster is now free to come out, but fits snugly, so will likely remain in place even without the bolts. Working from inside the car with both doors open, carefully pull the bolster down and out of position - be patient, as this may take some finessing.
Refitting the bolster is the reverse of the above instructions.
Note the following info:
--There are two metal slots on the bolster that must mate with two accompanying flat metal clips (~1" wide) beneath the dash that help secure it in place. The clips on the dash point down, so that when you re-install the bolster by pushing it up and under the dash, the clips catch in the slots. It took me a few tries to get both clips to catch. If you don't catch them, your bolster will squeak *all the time*.
--Be sure to re-fit the ashtray light *before* you bolt everything back together. You'll see there's a small hole drilled in the bolster through which this wiring passes...
good luck...
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