I'm trying to remove the dash from my 1983 Olds Delta 88, to get to the wiring behind the instrument cluster. I think I've removed all the screws and bolts that I can see. When I go to pull the cover off, it seems stuck just under the window. It won't budge. Have I missed some hidden screws that's still holding it in? Thanks, Ed Parauka

per the shop manual there are 15 screws attaching the instrument panel pad did you get the two one in each defroster vent
Manual states 1 remove both speakers
2 remove glove box
3 remove L.H. trim cover
4 remove R.H. trim cover
5 remove LH and RH sound absorbers if equipted
6 remove lower trim panel
7 remove 15 screws attaching insrument panel
pad to instrument panel supports

Ed,

Are you talking about the trim covers (the woodgrain and chrome trim plastic covers over the instruments and controls) or the actual dash pad? The trim covers are held in with two screws each and a series of spring clips. Be careful, as the tabs that the spring clips fit over can break easily. You also need to remove the headlight switch knob to remove the LH trim cover.

If you mean the dash pad itself, the process is as follows:

1. Remove speaker grilles - two phillips screws on each. If you have Twilight sentinel, the photo cell is mounted to the underside of the LH speaker grille.

2. Remove glove box

3. Remove RH and LH trim covers

4. Remove lower sound absorbers if so equipped - I believe only the diesel cars got these.

5. Remove lower trim panel - the strip along the bottom of the dash. There are six screws holding it in.

6. Remove 15 screws holding dash pad in place. There is one screw on the bottom LH corner of the pad (below the headlight switch). There are two under the bottom center and two more under the glovebox. There are four screws along the top of the instrument opening in front of the driver. There are six screws along the base of the windshield - one in each speaker opening and two in each defroster opening.

7. Once you have all 15 screws removed, pull rearward on the pad to remove.

If you then want to remove the plastic cluster carrier to access the wiring behind it, you need to remove the nine screws that hold it in place, disconnect the shift indicator cable, drop the steering column, remove the speedo, remove the heater/air conditioner control, remove all the remaining switches and controls, remove the ash tray mount, remove the radio mount, remove the clock, pull the plastic carrier far enough away from the cowl to disconnect the connector on the printed circuit, remove the screws holding the center air duct, remove the cluster connector, and remove the screws holding the wire harness to the back of the cluster carrier. (whew!!!)

Note that this plastic gets very brittle over time and the ears for the screws will break if they haven't already. I've done this a few times now and I use a cyanoacrylate (crazy glue) with special plasic filler beads to reattach and reinforce these broken parts. The epoxy for plastic should also work.

Good luck.

Thanks, guys, for that info. It seems I have missed those six screws along the base of the windshield. Ed Parauka