Published on 11/20/2015
After I got the dashboard out I could inspect the interior thoroughly. I needn’t have worried. But there is a lot of cleaning up to do.
In the end it wasn't as difficult to remove the dashboard. A previous owner had an aftermarket alarm fitted which is probably the worst part of the electronics that still remain. It will be a challenge to put it back again since I had to cut three of those wires. They’re marked for resoldering later. The alarm-box itself is also haphazardly hanging loose, so I’ll make an effort to secure it to the inside of the dash.
Some of the trim does look a little worse for wear after 25 years. My wife is keen to have some of it replaced, but that sum comes to more than everything else I’ve had to order already, and what I still need to order. I don’t think it’s something I’m going to attend to in this round, since it’s mostly cosmetic and easy to replace. Besides, I really want to order new wheels for the car too.
The car is now completely stripped (as far as I can strip it), but the end of the year is fast approaching and I still need to put in an order for the cracked cover panel, among other things. By the time all that will arrive the paint shop will probably be closed for the festive season, so I'm going to delay the body work until next year. Unfortunately I damaged the cover that fits over the mounting point of the rear-view mirror. Another item I need to order :/
In the meantime, I'm taking the car to an air conditioning shop to rebuild the AC system. It still operates on the old CFC-laden refrigerant, and it has a leak too. Since the dashboard is completely removed, it is an opportune time to get that sorted out. Hopefully it won’t be too intense; the biggest problem is getting the car to start and the AC to switch on with the dashboard removed. This is required for the shop to test the system for leaks or properly drain and refill it. So, I’m probably going to hot-wire my own car!