Ezkill

Might be in way over my head here....

I've been searching everywhere for tutorials, pictures and DIY's for removing the various trim pieces in a 997.2. I've found a few things between different sites and references to shop manuals. Few different tutorials for a few pieces like the sun visor and map lights from sites that sell carbon pieces. Called around to a few dealerships locally and they sent me to various trim places and no one seemed to interested in yanking the entire dash. One shop quoted me 18 hours to remove the dash and replace it.

Basically I purchased a bunch of leather pieces from a member here as my car doesn't have full leather. If the dash ends up being impossible or simply too time consuming to I want to DIY the following parts and any help would be appreciated. I assume I'll have a good idea of where the clips and screws are once the replacement pieces arrive late this week. I think the following parts are what I want to install myself and I'll make a call on the dash later:

1) Trim around radio ( this one I found and it's easy, going to install the Tranzit Blu HF while these are out) Just a few torx screws and clips, looks easy.
2) Map Light module - Found a tutorial on a carbon site so I should be ok here as well.
3) Pillar Trim, Including trim around seat belt anchors - I assume it's just clipped in? Not really sure, couldn't find much here.
4) Lower dash - Drivers and Passengers side including glove box.
5) Rear quarters - Couldn't find much on pulling these either.


Anyone done the pillar trim, rear quarters or pillar trim? Figured if I do the list of 5 items there the car will look fine and flow with the partial leather the car has, including the door stitching and seats. Might leave off on the dash unless I can find someone in LA that can tackle it. Little apprehensive about pulling apart a car with 7k miles and possibly inducing a bunch of squeaks and rattles of which the car is free now.

Basically when I purchased the stuff I had a place lined up but after a conversation with them yesterday I found out they have never pulled the top dash in one of these cars. Not really sure I want them to tackle it for the first time on my car. Any advice on DIY's or a shop with experience anywhere in SoCal would be appreciated.

Bruce In Philly

You may find some help here for rear quarters..... this guy pulled them to put in new speakers back there. Other tips also.

http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...o-install.html

Peace
Bruce in Philly

Ezkill

Thanks Bruce, that knocks the one item off my list. I'll go slow and learn as I go with the rest of them.

I found a PDF of how to remove the lower drivers side dash but it's not extremely detailed. Just shows the location of the torx bolts and has a blurb about spinning off the headlight ring.

Domer911

all that stuff is easy peasy. I've done it all. I have not done the whole dash, though.

Big C

I was in the same situation. Since I didn't find a detailed write-up for the dash swap I had my dealer do it.

Before the job they quoted $700. I was charged 5.8 hours, apparently the amount of time the tech spent on it. With my PCA discount I paid $685 (all figures are $CDN).

I am very happy since I avoided the possibility of damaging something and don't have to worry about dash rattles or squeaks.

Ezkill

Called three dealerships yesterday and no one seemed interested in doing it, which I found odd. They instead sent me to a company named Trimline that wasn't thrilled about doing it either. Maybe I'll try a 4th dealer.

Ezkill

Domer911,

When you removed the lower dash did you disconnect the ignition and all of the other connections? If so did it cause any issues? Did you disconnect the battery?

Domer911

I've never messed with much in the dash when I didn't pull the negative terminal on my battery. SOP for me (I'm a little paranoid). Every switch has a harness/clip. Everything's pretty modular.

Domer911

On a previous car, I had a standard sand beige interior. Maybe zero leather.

I did not wrap or replace the dash, but by the time I sold the car I had all kinds of leather interior trim pieces, all in contrasting color (black). It looked great, and without the expense of the leather dash. Door trim spears, pulls, dash trim pieces, defrost trim, speaker trim, pcm sides, domelight cover, shift boot trim, shift ****, etc.

you might take some time to figure out if you can get a similar result by doing less than the whole thing.

Ezkill

I pretty much am...the interior I bought is matching and my car has some leather from the factory as well as grey alcantara accents on the shifter boot and arm rest and steering wheel. I'm going to do the entire lower dash, all the pillars, behind the seat belts, dome,around the radio, and rear quarters.

Leaving the top dash off for now.

It will flow in nicely as the door has some leather from the factory and the stitching on the door will match the radio and flow in to the rest of the lower section.