Dash trouble

[bent]

I have a 1980 chevy ck/silverado that I am currently getting ready for the long haul that I am going on how ever i cannot get the stubborn dash to come out I have removed all gauges all wires harnesses and 99% of the heating and ac crapp. It has a stripp of metal that runs under the front windshield seal i know its not welded in byrt that is all i know. What my question is is how in the devil do i get the thing outta there????????


Any help would be greatly appreciated and any tips on other things to do before i leave i have a new dirt 350 ready to goin and have already replaced bushings in front suspension. I also have all new gauges dash heat and ac stuff waiting to go in.

[bigblock73]

That piece is spot welded below the window. There are also bolts near the doors at the front and a support rod near the ash tray (you saw those right?).

[beaterC10]

Gotta ask, why do want to remove the dash sheetmetal?

[bent]

because its tore where the sterio goes has no support ill get pic tommorrow


sry about delayed reply been real busy prepping 4 winter

[piecesparts]

Fabricate a new support and mount in the cab. I removed part of mine in that area and converted to the newer DIN style radios along time ago. I have a din radio and Equalizer mounted there. I made the radios mount to a face plate and then the plate mounts to the dash. It looks stock when done , then the back of the radio has a bracket to mount to the sheetmetall dash.

[bent]

See that is where my problem comes in at, I have verry little money for the fact that im saving to go to alabama. The cost of sheetmetal is up and i lost the welder among other exspensive items like the race car when some a hole burned the shop down. So I must ask if you have any pics of how you made youre new piece id really like to see them that and if any one could tell me how far under the seal the tack welds are that too would be a big help. And on top all that i am prepping fer winter.

[bent]

Here is what i was talking about and no i didnt do it.

[piecesparts]

What I would do, if it were mine: I would grind the rough edges down to make the panel smoother, then I would make a filler plate to fit behind the hole in the dash out of 18 gauge metal. This plate would be shaped to follow the general dash shape and then I would either weld it to the dash or I would pop rivet it onto the present mess. before I made the plate permanent, I would cut the opening that I wanted for the next radio. I would then take the instrument cluster and make a panel the shape of the ower area (where the radio sets into it and align the radio in it to the hole in the filler plate that was made for the dash. The plat that I would make for the instrument cluster would then be painted to match the panel (black, I imagine) and then I would mount the instrument cluster and then screw the outer cover panel to the instrument cluster and dash in one process. That way you strengthen the dash and provide a place to mount the radio at the same time. The lower panel on the instrument cluster panel is big enough to put a standard "DIN" style radio and a Equalizer like Alpine makes in that spot.

[bent]

I do thank you for the info nad i will most liklrey do that seeing as how rivits are 8.00 and a manual gun is 5.00 but just to cure my curiosity where are them spot welds at???????