All the dashboard insulation is back in. I'm finding that - even though it will all be buried behind the dash - it one of those relatively little jobs that's giving me quite a lot of satisfaction.
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| Insulation cleaned and refitted |
I suspect it's because of a couple of things. Firstly, when I took out the dash, it looked awful back there. Really filthy with ingrained dirt. Although originally glued-on, most of the parts had fallen off. In some cases the foam backing of the hardura had separated.
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| As found, the trim was curling and loose |
There was also loads of dirt, dust and seed casings - possibly pulled in the rough the ventilation system but more likely evidence of mice.
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| Dirt..... |
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| .....lots of dirt. |
The second reason I was so pleased to get it back on, was that the pieces are unusual shapes, and I wasn't sure I remember and/ or work out where all the bits went. I'd removed them almost 2 years ago and they'd just sat in a box until now. I laid them out - trying to work out how they all fitted together. When I'd removed all the bits, I took reference photos as I went - but with those bits on the contours of the bulkhead and either curled and hanging off......
......it all liked quite different now they were on a flat surface. In most cases it was impossible to tell what went where and why.
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| A patchwork of pieces |
Where necessary the foam was glued back on. Surprisingly, none had perished - so I kept the old yellowing Citroen stuff. I'm like that.
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| Glueing on the foam |
And all the pieces were given a clean with vinyl cleaner.
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| Coming up clean and shiny |
The pieces came up well and began to flatten out. I was still trying to work out how everything went back together and - because of the gaps I'd found when I removed the pieces - whether anything was missing. You can buy replacement kits of new pieces from some of the suppliers. they seem to see, two different sets which broadly cover early cars and late cars. I think the main difference will be because of the introduction of the plastic speedo/ warning unit in late 1969.
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| Replacement sets are available..... |
The 'early' set should have matched my car. I even went as far as tabulating everything to see if i had any bits missing. I found that while I could identify some of the bits in the 'early' set......
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| Playing insulation 'bingo'..... |
..... in other cases bits were not included. Or - if they were - were a complete mystery!
When it came to glueing back, I laid everything out on the garage floor and started with the bits I could identify.
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| It was starting to make sense again |
The fitting of some bits is pretty obvious, but in there cases the pieces needed to be fitted so that they make room for cables and other parts - such as screen wash hoses.....
.....relays.....
....choke cable......
....and the wiper mechanism.
I was so glad I took all those reference photos! Gradually my pile of pieces shrunk - as did the options for placing those remaining pieces on the car. I've got no idea what this lone bit up here does or why. It was still in situ when the bits were removed - so back it went.
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| Not sure what this at the top bit does! |
Not all the pieces butt edge-to-edge. There are some gaps. Those are meant to be there as other dashboard and heater parts need to fit. There is also a gap where a radio will fit.
What's next? Wiring loom?
