Plus 2 demisters vent removal

[NYK]

How do I remove the two windscreen demisters vents, do I need to find nuts behind the dashboard or what?

[Peter +2]

Usually / originally the metal vents are held in place by two self tapping screws which screw directly into the fiberglass shell/ dash lip through the crash pad.

Sometimes fixings such as flat metal tabs (can?t recall the correct term) are used where the holes in the fibreglass are worn.

The tabs can be a pain to remove as they will spin once the tension is released. This fixing is usually an after market fix.

Peter

[Peter +2]

I should add that the plastic vent moulding beneath the metal vent is secured to the vent pipe at the bottom. IIRC this joint is taped.

Peter

[NYK]

Thanks Peter, what you describe is pretty much what I expected to find but this is what I have

I then assumed these blanking caps where I thought the screw heads should be would prise off revealing a screw. However, they resisted a chisel being inserted under the head and a reasonable bit of levering.

Nic

[wotsisname]

I have seen a similar cover (mirror screws for a bathroom), where the cap has a threaded stud into the centre of the screw..
All the +2 I have seen have a self tapper here.
There is a sandwich of outer vent cover (in photo), crashpad [take care not to split this, it is delicate around the vent hole], bodywork and the plastic funnel [connected to heater demist hoses]. I think this is all held together with the two screws [not near the car to check]

[NYK]

OK, so the vents were held in by ?? coach bolts, who know?s why? Having removed the crash pad, the dashboard mounting was revealed to me...........I really have no idea what Bodgers Motors were thinking when they did that one. Just as well I have a beautiful new dash from Classical Dash to fit. It took me ages to get it, Paul Matty said they had had it on order for over a year!

[wotsisname]

Good progress !.. Lucky the crashpad came off.. My early +2 had the crash pad stapled to the dash... I think this was a factory fit, possibly to prevent creaks. On my +2 the upper & outer dash fittings have a nut on the back (no bobbin).. I think this is how the elans were. The upper/inner fixings go into a threaded bobbin. The lower pair are secured with nuts behind a plate that sits in front of the heater. take plenty of photos of the wiring and label it well... the wiring diagram can be hard to follow and a few wires are not shown.

[NYK]

Good progress !.. Lucky the crashpad came off.. My early +2 had the crash pad stapled to the dash... I think this was a factory fit, possibly to prevent creaks. On my +2 the upper & outer dash fittings have a nut on the back (no bobbin).. I think this is how the elans were. The upper/inner fixings go into a threaded bobbin. The lower pair are secured with nuts behind a plate that sits in front of the heater. take plenty of photos of the wiring and label it well... the wiring diagram can be hard to follow and a few wires are not shown.

My dash seems to be as you describe, one of the non threaded bobbins has been snapped off, so I?ll need to repair that. Have been fiberglassing (epoxy) repairs to the lip around the windscreen today as there were a few cracked bits. Still got a few more small repairs to do before it goes off to the paint shop.

With regard fitting crash pad and dashboard, which is fitted first, the crash pad?

Point taken about labelling wires, will probably pull the old dash over the weekend, no doubt find some more horrors.

[DavidLB]

I fitted the dash pad first that ensured that i could get to to piping to he vents easily

[NYK]

I fitted the dash pad first that ensured that i could get to to piping to he vents easily

Thanks, that makes sense

[wotsisname]

I'm expecting to fit it back together in a week or two. I've some small splits in the dashpad that should be repairable and haven't quite finished dash assembly [trying to source the nut for the wash/wipe switch] and electrics testing. I'm also waiting for a front screen seal as I'm assuming this is best fitted first to avoid possibility of damage to the dashpad.

[Peter +2]

Thanks Peter, what you describe is pretty much what I expected to find but this is what I have

E8BDCF7B-ED65-4B59-B861-5102F42C99E8.jpeg

I then assumed these blanking caps where I thought the screw heads should be would prise off revealing a screw. However, they resisted a chisel being inserted under the head and a reasonable bit of levering.

Nic

Nic,

I have not seen those before, but glad you now have it sorted.

Peter