Looking for help figuring out what I'm missing. Interior is stripped (steering wheel off, radio stack removed, passenger air bag removed. Dash top screws removed) the dash top will move front and back a little but the bottem is solid. I see a whole bunch of black rivets of sorts that I believe are what's holding me up. That said I don't think I've seen that style before and I'm nervous I may not be able to find proper replacement.

I need to fully remove the dashboard so I can dye it
this is not the most recent picture as drivers carpet, airbag, speakers are removed.

 

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...8/#post2312096

 

all of this was done. It will move ever so slightly up at the top section. The bottem will not move. There are large diameter rivets throughout, I would like to find replacements before i drill through them. I believe i matched them up on McMaster carr but 7 week lead time. Also wanted to know if theres anything else holding me

 

Copy from the link :
"Along with various harnesses. Once done you can undo the 3 bolts hiding in the dashboard top (1 under each tweeter speaker cover and in the centre under a small panel). After that the dash would move back off its dowels"
So there are some sort of dowel pins.
You should not drill out those rivets.

 

you absolutely have to drill them out. I contemplated this for quite some time looking for anything holding me up finally said screw it grabbed a beer said there's always new rivets. Disconnected the ambient light sensor, trunk/tank open button, and a connector by the upper vents and she slid right out.


hopefully this info helps someone along the way. Also McMaster carr has the proper replacement rivets just have to refind them and order.
Next steps are stripping wood trim to stain (something a little different) and order dye for interior

 

Well I am still not to old to learn something new.
Brave move!
I have removed tens of dashboards from (mostly German) cars and have never seen that solution.
Drill out rivets? Crazy! Well I assume that is a Jaguar thing :-)

 

You could use some rivet nuts and flat headed screws in stead of the rivets maybe?

 

Well, I must say that your method of removing the whole dashboard worked a treat!! According to the official Workshop Manual, you have to disconnect a miriad of electrical connectors etc., and even then it's a hard laboriuos job not for the faint hearted. I needed to completelty remove my dashboard to fix numerous creaks and rattles, so I followed your description and obtained a satisfatory result.
Thanks for a brilliant alternative method, as they say "there's more then one way to skin a CAT".

 

I wish I could say I've made progress on this project. But I ended up doing a top end on my father in laws 69 gto then a clutch in my corolla, then I fractured my femur and was out for 6 months and currently I have a 05 duramax that I'm doing a head gasket on. But yes 1000 ways to skin a cat but I prefer brute force and ignorance. I'll see if I can add some non jag pics oh and a 54 ward la france the father in law dropped off

 

You do not have to drill anything to get the dash out. I've done it, and there was no drilling and no riveting. I followed the steps in the service manual and it came right out - the easiest dash I've removed.

 

Didn't have a service manual, the whole inner dash needed to be reglued back together and i do plan on dying the upper section (or having upholstery in leather)

 

That's fine, but for the sake of anyone that finds this thread in the future, there is no drilling of rivets needed.