Does anyone know how you remove the wood from the dashdoard please. Mine is a light wood finish but i have found some in a very dark finish and with my car having black leather seats and dash i think it would suit the car better.

 

Rev Sam did this video on taking apart the dash,this will give you a good start.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af3YRj60Yro

 

Thanks for the link to this video, It has helped me out loads.

Thanks

 

That video just shows how to get the wood off from around the instrument panel. To take off the wood from around the gauge cluster, you just start at the bottom right corner near the glove box and start prying outward. You might have to use a tool of some sort, but you can probably do it with finger power alone. By starting at the bottom right you can work the entire bottom side loose first, then you can do the top. To remove the top you have to pull the bottom away from the dashboard and then pull down and out on the top. The top part of that center piece was a real bear but I was able to get it out eventually.

As for the right piece I'm not sure how it comes off. I'm assuming it's similar to the middle piece.

 

To get the passenger side piece out you need to remove the glove box. There are about 4 screws on the top where you open it, then there were like 4 bolts or nuts up underneath. You have to take this out to get to the airbag module because the wood veneer piece is attached to the module, so when the airbag blows, the wood piece doesn't pop out into your passenger's face doing as much or more damage than the accident.
Make sure you have the battery disconnected for a while before you attempt anything with the airbag. It was tricky getting the veneer unhooked from the airbag harness. I think I had to pull my whole module out, or maybe there was just a bracket that I was able to remove.

 

I need to remove the piece above the air bag as well to take care of the crack in the lacquer finish. How do I disconnect the two straps that are there to keep it from flying if airbag deploys? Looks like I need to take an air bag out all together?



And with the panel lifted:


any suggestions? I suppose I could cut them and then just sew them together when I am done.