64 Replacing dash illumination lights-how much has to come out to get to all of them?

[Norman Silverman]

Hello All

I have taken off my dash top and started replacing dash bulbs with LED's for greater visibility. Some questions:

1) To replace the Gauge bulb it looks like easier access is had by removing the radio speaker first, which then opens the range of accessibility. Is that necessary, or should I just allow myself 3 hours of bloody frustrating contortions to get it done?

2) It looks to me that if I remove the headlight switch I will have easier access to the two illumination bulbs in the Comfort Control, Correct? Is there another way?

3) How to reach the Transmission indicator bulb without removing the actual dash?

4) How difficult/complicated/fraught with "gotcha's"  is it to remove the dash?

Thanks in advance for any guidance. 

Norm

[Phillip Hill]

Hey Norm

i too have just recently done the up grade to LED,if you have the dash off it should be quite easy to access the bulbs to change.I couldn’t get my large hands up under the dash so I removed the dash pad and cleaned everything up while I had access Good luck 

Phil

[Norman Silverman]

Hi Phil

Thanks for the reply. Yes, the speedo bulbs and the clock bulb are very easily accessed, but the two for the comfort control panel and the one for the transmission indicator seem just out of reach for anyone but E.T. with extra long fingers. I am working on a solution and will publish it if I am correct.

Norm

[Norman Silverman]

UPDATE

I figured out that the gauge bulbs all clip out on a plastic board, so that's solved. I also removed the lower dash cover and saw where there's access to the transmission indicator and ignition bulbs, so that's solved. Up top, I removed the headlight switch and gained access to two of the three bulbs that illuminate the Comfort Control panel. Getting the third one out does not seem possible without the use of a tool, which I am working on. Will post when done.

[Norman Silverman]

DONE!

[Dennis P. DiBari]

Norman,

     The new lights look great - the interior is really sharp - great work!

Dennis DiBari

[Norman Silverman]

Thanks, guys.

I learned a couple of things I'm happy to pass on:

1) Both the dash top and the dash bottom have to come off in order to facilitate access to all bulbs

2) It is much easier to access two of the three Climate Control lights if you take out the headlight switch

3) The Gauge cluster lights and wiring are attached to a clip board that comes out easily and allows simple access to the bulbs on it.

4) The only bulb I was unable to change was the inboard (toward passenger side) bulb #3 for the climate control. The control unit protrudes outward in such a way as to make it impossible for my fingers to get a grip on the light socket, so I left it-especially since it was working. Not a noticeable problem because the other LED socket that illuminates the face plate does a very good job.

5) Removal of the dash top, dash bottom and glove box permitted me visual and manual access to my HVAC system which, while working properly, lacks proper air flow force: now I see why. The HVAC Plenum connection where it exits the Evaporator and meets the  heater core should have some kind of insulation around it. It is either eroded or missing because I can feel air rushing out of it. Looks like a difficult repair in terms of access

6) The duct from the central plenum to the right side spot cooler was degraded, so I removed it and used duct tape to restore it to functionality. WHAT A BEAR it is to get it back in!!! Needed to remove the right side ash tray assembly to provide (painful) access, but it is done. 

7) I fixed my clock by carefully using emory cloth on the contacts, then spraying the whole works with contact cleaner. 

That's it for now. Just have to figure out how to wrap the plenum gap so that my air flow force is restored. Funny, of all things not to work, that would be it. I used Tim Groves' Troubleshooting book to repair the Comfort Control system, which now works properly, just the air flow is weak. 

That's it for now from this tired old guy

[Bill Wolf]

Norm, I was able to get enough of the end of the lower passenger side climate control bulb to get it out but was not able to get it back in that way. So what I did to replace that socket was to use a 17mm 6 point socket and a short extension to install it. It was a challenge lining the slots up, but it worked. There is a slot on one side of the light socket where you can tuck the gray into.

[Norman Silverman]

Thanks, Bill. That makes sense.

This will have to wait as I am now in the middle of tracing down a short and a radio issue in my 64 Imperial. NOTE: Because the dash top comes right off on the Caddy, it is MUCH easier to do any work behind the dash on in, rather than the Imperial which is actually an arm laceration machine in disguise.

Norm

[Norman Silverman]

The interior is amazingly sharp-almost flawless. The car belonged to an old lady, who must have been tiny(no wear on the seats or anywhere). Only downside was that she had the power seat full forward and full tilt forward, making it very uncomfortable for me to drive it. So, first thing I did was to disassemble the power seat transmission and re-lubricate it. That worked for  couple of years but in cold weather the seat stops working. So, rather than take the seat apart again I use a hair dryer on the seat transmission and that loosens the lubricant and allows the seat to work perfectly.

[Phillip Hill]

Well done, look's great 👍 

[Logan Robb]

Looks great! Will certainly be returning to this when needed!