63 AM radio removal

[Guest Steeleco]

Hi, I want to clean the volume control on my AM radio so it does not make a scrachy sound when I turn it. So I need ot remove it so I can spray some POT cleaner in it (may need to replace the pot I don't know). I unscreewed the 2 screws for the center vent, pulled out the thin plastic duct, but not sure where the other screws are that are holding on the faceplate. Does the slider control pod from up above have to come out? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[RivNut]

With a nut driver or deep socket remove the nut from each stem - one for the on/off volume, and the other for the tuner, that hold the face plate to the radio. Then you'll need to get under the radio and remove two small bolts that bolt it to a brace inside the console. A similar thread was posted earlier. There may be more of an explanatioin in it. It's really pretty easiy. You don't need to mess with the HVAC controls.

Ed

[Guest Steeleco]

After doing what Ed says does the radio come straight out through the front? My problem is the trim plate in front of the radio has some screws behind it attaching it which are really hard to get to (I see them through the center vent with it removed). Also the manual shows 2 screws at the top of the trim plate behind the HVAC control plate. Any more help is appreciated.

Thanks

[Jim Cannon]

Steele-

I hate to contradict Ed, because he has many more years of experience with these cars than I do, but if my memory serves me, when I removed my radio, I think I first removed all the little knobs and the trim plate from the HVAC control unit (a bunch of Phillips head screws). I didn't mess with the HVAC control unit itself, just the cover plate. Then I removed the trim plate from in front of the radio by removing the nuts on the radio shafts and removing some nuts from the back side of that plate by working up through the ash tray opening. (You have to remove the ash tray.) It has been a long time.

I can e-mail you a photo of the disassembled center console area from when I did it, if you want.

[RivNut]

Jim is probably correct. I was basing my response on looking at a faceplate that I have on a shelf in the basement (ignore that this one has been modified to accept and aftermarket radio.) As you can see from the attached photos there are only two sets of mounting holes in the face plate. One set is where the a/c vent screws on, and the set where the radio shafts come through - remember, the shaft holes on the pictured face plate have been modified. As you can see, there are two tabs at the top that are slipped up and behind the HVAC control panel. Perhaps loosening the panel will allow you to slip the face plate off.

BUT not before reaching inside the vent hole and removing the nuts from the studs on the faceplate; see photos.

[Guest Steeleco]

Thanks guys, this is very helpful. I know back in the day ya just had to figure it out yourself. "Go where nobodys gone before". The hint about removing the ashtray and the photos will probably save me from trying to work through the AC vent hole, cutting my fingers, dropping the nuts and throwing in the towel.

Happy Holidaze