Dashman Dash Box Install / Review

[Azrocks]

I just finished installing my dash box from THE DASHMAN and put together an installation and short writeup of the process. Hope you enjoy it. Lot's of pictures so you know what your are up against and what the final results look like.

DASHMAN DASHBOX REVIEW/INSTALL​

 

[3DAMAN!]

Good job!

 

[nicholastheczar]

Good write up

 

[hindsight]

Looks great!

Doc

 

[imabigbangkindaguy]

Man, great write up!! I think I know what I am going to ask Santa fro Christmas....

A question though, Did you have to drop your windsheild? I thought I had read you do....

 

[Azrocks]

Thanks everybody for the positive feedback. I don't remember if I had to lower the windshield to remove the original dash or not as I did that a while back. As far as the installation of the box itself I didn't need to lower the dash. If anybody knows, help remind me.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

I've seen a dashbox installed without touching the windshield, including pulling the original pad.

This was on a '73, but I don't think there's much difference between the years in that department.

Dan

 

[bsevans]

There is no need to touch the windshield when removing the factory original dash. The dash box installs with the windshield up. I've tried to look at your install but it did not come up today (11/22).

 

[Spike Strip]

You crashed the site!

Edit: Looked at it now - very nice write up ... I've got a dash box in my garage that's waiting to go in: this'll help a lot. Thanks!

 

[Azrocks]

Haha, thanks fellas. The site is back up. They said the power supply went out on the server. This is the first downtime I've seen in over four years. If you guys crashed it, THAT ROCKS!

Anyway, it's back up.

 

[camcruiser13]

i like that, nice work

 

[Fast Eddy]

I've seen a dashbox installed without touching the windshield, including pulling the original pad.

There is no need to touch the windshield when removing the factory original dash.

A quick clarification to these comments would be appreciated. I tried for about 5 minutes to get the original (cracked, carpeted, worthless) dash pad off of my '76 before doing a search whose results led me to believe I had to take off the top.

I don't care about the pad, but I don't want to dent the otherwise-perfect dash.

Pics would be especially helpful.

 

[bsevans]

I just finished installing my dash box from THE DASHMAN and put together an installation and short writeup of the process. Hope you enjoy it. Lot's of pictures so you know what your are up against and what the final results look like.

THE DASHMAN Dash Box - FJ40​

Nice write-up to help others. However you did not include a replacement dash light using the existing dash pad wiring. It does require drilling a matching hole to the existing one in the dash to pull the wiring into the dash box. Photos show the bullet LED light I installed. I believe it has a 120 degree light spread and does an excellent job lighting the switches without being too bright.

 

[imabigbangkindaguy]

Nice write-up to help others. However you did not include a replacement dash light using the existing dash pad wiring. It does require drilling a matching hole to the existing one in the dash to pull the wiring into the dash box. Photos show the bullet LED light I installed. I believe it has a 120 degree light spread and does an excellent job lighting the switches without being too bright.

So where did you pick up your LED light?

 

[Azrocks]

Bsevans,
That light installation looks very clean! If you still know where to get that particular one, I'd like to add that to my write up.
Thanks!

 

[FJ40Tiger]

I am a newbie and don't know much about working on cars. However, there's a thread somewhere on this site about removing the dash pad... it mentioned something about brute force to finish removing the dash pad.

Good news, you don't have to mess with the windshield at all to get it off. Don't know about putting it back on.

I took mine off a couple of weeks ago and it involved removing all the screws and the big hand screws at each end of the dash. Then using a rubber mallet, I just basically struck it on the bottom side with an upward motion. One side came free and then the other in short order. It pretty much snowed rust with each blow on my 1972 FJ40.

 

[peteinjp]

I just pulled my dash today to get to the wipers and I did not take down teh windshield either. I was able to pry the bottom up enough to get a long screwdriver in and mostly unhook the dash from the support panel. My dash was trashed by the PO so I was not concerned about screwing it up- but in the end it came off fine anyway.

Putting it back???? No idea-


pete

 

[redsands]

nice- i gotta get me one of those!

 

[DanS HJ-45]

A quick clarification to these comments would be appreciated. I tried for about 5 minutes to get the original (cracked, carpeted, worthless) dash pad off of my '76 before doing a search whose results led me to believe I had to take off the top.

I don't care about the pad, but I don't want to dent the otherwise-perfect dash.

Pics would be especially helpful.

Lets see if Source3 comes around. He did the job in my shop, I was just milling about and he had his dashbox in before I knew what happened. We definitely didn't take the windshield down (he would have needed help for that).

Pretty sure you just remove the windshield knob/bolts, then pull the pad off, and then cut the spot welds though.

Dan

 

[imabigbangkindaguy]

This thing is so bloody cool, Santa Clause better come through.....