Off with her dash!

I have the dreaded a/c evaporator leak that needs replacement. Found a new evap that is now on order. Porsche wants $2,100 (!!!) for the whole in-dash unit and don't sell just the evaporator so my indy was able to get one for me for $100. So, since I have to remove the entire dash to get at the evaporator, I'm making a list of other projects to do while the dash is out. Here's what I have listed so far: - blend door foam - not an issue yet but I don't want to do this again. - repaint the horseshoe to body color. The console needs repaint as well, but that can come later - install "Targa roof" switch with built-in garage door opener - new double-din radio and rearrange the "stack" - replace cigarette lighter with USB ports - check the drains in the battery compartment since i have to remove the battery for the airbag disable - paddle shifters on the steering wheel What other thinks should I be thinking about?

new dash? what do you have?

Original dash is fine but if I have to remove it to replace the a/c evaporator I might as well address everything I can think of while the dash is out of the car.

If the whole dash is coming out... Leather. Yards of it. This is the one opportunity you have to drastically update the interior - get a good upholstery shop to work some upgrade magic. Maybe some subtle deviated stitching...

I changed out my dash for one with a glove box. Reupholstered it and added a few things like changeable footwell lighting, extra power port, addes the on board computer and cruise controk, extra switches etc ... cleaned up the wiring Be warned that the screws at rhe front are hard to get at. You will also be removing the dash frame and bracing, not just the dash. Take pictures of where the screws are and label your screws. Some things have to come out on a very specific order btw. This will be labour intensive

I had to remove the dash on a Baby Benz a few rears ago to replace a $35 A/C part. 11 hours total as per MB and that's what it took, not hard, just a lot of work. Enjoy, and as you said replace anything else that looks sketchy while you're in there.

I suspect my wife's car will be parked outside for a week so i can lay parts out in the order they were removed. - Changeable footwell lighting sounds interesting. - Hadnt considered recovering the dash. won't that result in an urge to recover the rest of the interior? The drivers seat is a Recarro so won't have to touch that.

Please post photos of your progress so there's a record of how you accomplished the dash removal for future reference for others? Bob

Sure, i'm going to have to take a lot of pics so i know how to put it back together again. I suspect it will be a lot like Humpty Dumpty, many pieces to fit together.

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If you're going to sink that much money into making the car a nicer place to be (that's an assumption from the double-DIN head unit and some of your other listed upgrades), why not go the full monty?

If you get stuck,, you can pm me.

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Thanks for the offer of help! I hope not to have to bug you, but i just might have to.

If I ever did this, I'd set up my go-pro to video while I was removing so I would have video to look at WHEN I forgot where stuff came from. My go-pro has a setting to take a picture every second, which might work best.

Interesting idea, I'll turn mine on, but with the sound recording off, my wife would be most upset at the language that I used (apologies to Dylan):-)

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<sarcasm> Then take the video, dub on some commentary and start a youtube channel, become rich , and then buy a wrecked lambo from copart (because nobody's done that yet)... </sarcasm>

It not hard, just going to take alot of time. I went as far as stripping down the frame, but kept the evaporator box in place. Remember that there is coolant in the heater rad.

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What did you use as a guide?

Thanks, Jim. I'm going to take it to my indy to have the a/c system evacuated first, then bring it home for the work and then back to have it filled. My indy offered to take the old unit and test if for leaks before i install the new unit just to be sure that's the problem. Maybe I can become a YouTube Hero, with stars in my eyes.