[V8] Gauge cluster + Headliner removal Q's

[Ron Wainwright]

OK, to pull the HL.

1st remove all trim...
"oh sheet" handles... when you pull the handle down you'll see two oblong plastic covers over the circles. Use a small blade screwdriver to pop them off & remove the two phillips screws.

 Tilt the sunroof up in the back. leaning on the roof pull the sunroof pad down in the back & you'll see two springs atattched to the pad. I use a wire coat hanger bent in a "J" to reliece the tension on them. Be carefull cause they are under tension & will break/make a load noise if you don't ease the spring back with the coathanger. Once
those two springs are releaced get back in the car & put the roof back down flush with the roof line. Now you have to push the sunroof pad back into the roof cavety. It might be tough.. just use some might & it'll reliese the plastic clips.
 Now you can remove the sunroof it'self... you'll notice two 13mm nuts in the front corners & four small phillips screws along both sides of the metal roof. Open the roof again so it's up in the back, then remove both (per side) phillips screws & remove the two 13mm nuts. Now you can take the roof off.
 Once the roof is off you'll notice a metal ring around the parimiter of the roof opening. Just peel back all the tabs holding the ring on & remove it.

Sunvisors... pull the visor down @ the elbow you'll notice a cover. Use a small blade screwdriver & pry the cover off @ the corner. The cover has two tabs on the sides of the cover & is sometimes a PITA to pop off W/O f'in up the cover.. so be carefull... but firm! Once the cover is removed there are two phillips screws to remove. You'll have to manipulate the visor to get both screws... kinda swing it one way remove phillips screw.... swing the other way & remove second phillips screw. 

 Sunvisors clips/holders.. small clip that acsepts the end of the visors... they are tough.. use a small blade screwdriver to pry them out. The connector is near the sunroof motor, unhook it & pull the wire, connector through the hole were the sunroof clips/holders are.

Sunroof cover.... Use a flate blade screwdriver to pry out the light/roof switch panel. Once it's popped out you'll notice a phillips screw, remove that & push the cover to reliese the clips. The cover & light/roof switch will now be danggling... just unplug the connector & I think a ground wire & the cover & light/switch will now be free. 

 I take the "A", "B" & "C" piller covers off

 "A" piller covers just pull off. There are plastic tabs sticking out that go into metal clips... start @ the top & work your way down.

"B" piller.... Remove the door opening rubber trim on both front & rear doors. The top cover were the seatbelt hook is just pulls out. You can leave it hangging.

"C" piller covers are tough.... crasp them firmley @ the corner & pull out. be carefull cause you will break them if you act like a irresponsable gorilla!

 So now all you should be left with is the headlinner. Start from the front door opening Put your hand up under the headlinner & the underside of the roof. Snake your hand to were the sunvisors were... there's prolly a 4" pad above both sunvisors that is glued to the underside of the roof.... I just snake my hand & break as little of the pad as possible. You want less pad still attached to the roof & more attached to the HL.

 Now ther back... thats the toughest. They used some kinda experamental type of glue... it is like cement. But I start @ the back door & along the same lines as the front snake my hand up under there... but for the back I use a small putty knife up under the roof & work it slowley to break the glue from the roof.

 Now that the HL is free you have to kinda bend it like a taco & pull it out the back door opening. Depending on which side you pull it out you'll have to pull the front seat all the way up close to the front.
 I usually just remove the seat from the car... makes it easier to do that.. but isn't really a problem with the seats still in the car.

 Man I think thats about it... my writeup might be a little rough.. but thats it in a nutshell.

 Ron 



--- On Fri, 2/13/09, NIck Miller <chance9121 at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: NIck Miller <chance9121 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [V8] Gauge cluster + Headliner removal Q's
> To: ron_01056 at yahoo.com
> Date: Friday, February 13, 2009, 12:11 AM
> I was trying to write this up to show you how , Seamus, but
> after getting to
> near the end of it, There isn't enough specific
> information, and I don't
> want to confuse you more :-)  I can tell you that it's
> not too difficult and
> Ron will be back with a good how to, I'm sure.
>     At least I can tell you, you start by removing the
> "oh Crap" handles
> with 2 philips screws, disconnecting those lights, and
> taking off all the
> 'pillar' trim.  If you could do that, it should be
> a snap.