'69 Wagon Speedometer Removal?

[jaredrawk]

Hello,

 

I am working a CableX into my '69 510 Wagon.  http://community.ratsun.net/topic/54077-cablex-vss-to-mechanical-speedometer-unit-anyone-tried-this/

 

 

I have run into enough of an issue that I need to see the back of the speedometer.

 

 

I have scrubbed the interweb and this forum.  Even flipped through several of the scanned in manuals.  Anyone know how to get this sucker out and how many other things you need to take out to get it out?  Can you do it without removing the whole dash?  Can you do it without touching the steering assembly?

 

 

This is how far I got.  The speedometer cable is removed.  I found the and removed the 2 wingnuts behind and either side of the steering column.  There are two screws going up into the frame at the top.  After those are removed the speedometer is loose.  It will come forward a bit, but it definitely still feels pinned in.  I can not get it to swing out, and by feel it seems something is blocking it from coming out, if not still holding it on the right side.

 

I then thought perhaps I need to remove the metal panel below the gauge.  There were 5 screws going upward.  I removed the light switch. That loosens the bottom of that panel, but it is not going anywhere from there.  I can not locate what is still holding it at the top.

 

I don't have a radio.  I have a gauge cluster there, I removed that cluster and can peek in the side but not really seeing anything.  I just can't quite figure what is holding the speedo in here or how to complete the removal of the metal panel below the speedo.

 

Any tips or links?   They would be greatly appreciated.

[izzo]

Mine was a pain in the ass too. I don't remember how I took mine out. I do remember the wing nuts being a pain in the ass. Been so long can't remember if there were two more at the bottom. Double check the bottom. Make sure you pull the plug for the wires back there too.

[jaredrawk]

Doing a Google Image Search I found this page:

 

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun510/Datsun510Index/Electrical/InstrumentMeter/Oct68ToSep69/tabid/560/Default.aspx

 

That image implies the metal plate needs to come out as it has a lip... but it also leaves a lot to be desired in terms of how to remove from the dash.  I don't see anything hiding out that I have not addressed, which further confounds me.  :/

[jaredrawk]

OK,  one rule of internet research, post to a forum and immediately your searching will become more productive. 

 

Google images also turned up a lead to this thread: http://community.ratsun.net/topic/40042-early-1970-69-wagon-build/

 

Now there is no step by step, but clearly just the gauge and the metal piece can come out.  I think from looking at this I may have to remove the steering column cover to find my next clue.

 

Please feel free to chime in if you know.  I will report back as I learn things.

[jaredrawk]

ANSWER:  It is actually just that easy.

 

Remove the speedometer Cable.  Remove the round wiring harness plug.  Remove the two screws going upward into the dash pad frame.  Remove the two wingnuts behind and either side of the steering column.  There may be two other spade plugs, I saw the spades, but mine has nothing attached.

 

The speedometer will now rock forward up and out.

 

 

You do not need to remove the metal panel below.  You do not need to remove the steering cover.

 

 

Why was it so hard for me to figure this out?

 

Two reasons.  I thought there was room to pull it out with the wiring harness on.  There is not, there might be length in the cabling, but the black plug will stop it from coming out.  Second I had something in one of the holes going up to the dash.  Maybe a bit of glue or old foam or something.  That was binding that point even with the screw out.  I put a pick up there and shoved it up and it came free.  Now that I figured these things out I bet I could take this out again in about 6 minutes.

 

It never seems to fail that sometimes you get so heads down on a problem, you become myopic.  Just the act of slowing down and posting in a forum can help you see your fail.