North American Turbocoupe Organization



Removing Dash Switches
philS Offline
Senior Member
#1
Can you do it?

I'm talking about the premium fuel, power antenna, and ride control switches.

It looks like they pop in to the switch panel from the front, but there is a thin layer of something over the front of the panel. If I remove the switches from the front, won't it wreck that layer of stuff?

I guess I don't mind wrecking the covering, but how would I transplant a switch into a different panel if they pop in from the front?

Thanks for any advice!

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Phil 86 TC www.philds.net/tc/ Full 3" Exh, and Cat, 15 psi, 1.5" lower
Did you hear about the Lucas powered torpedo? It sank.

86 TC, 73 Mini, 64 Mini Van, Saturn wagon
Click here to beat a ricer.
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Nate K Offline
Posting Freak
#2
Yes, that panel of switches does have a thick plastic "sticker" (for lack of better words) on the front. You can remove the sticker using a hair dryer and a putty knife or flat scraper. Just do is slowly and do not bend it because it will crease. The glue is more like a tacky adhesive, not a hard glue. Once off you can remove the switche(s). To reapply the sticker, just clean off the old glue with some finger nail polish remover or WD-40, then degrease the back by washing with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. You need to buy a can of 3M spray adhesive, spray the back of the sticker, let it tack as per the can instructions, then apply to the panel face and smooth it out with a soft cloth.

If you are going to remove the panel , I believe you will need to cut a few of the wires (don't remember which but think it's just the ones to the fuel switch) and they are usually very short to begin with so do yourself a favor and splice in some extensions to make future removals easier.

It's been a few years since I pull that panel apart so it's hard to remember all the details.

Good luck
NATO Member
3 - 88 TURBOCOUPES www.turbotbird.com/showroom/nk_88tc.html
90 Mustang LX 5.0L Notch

Cars I wish I still owned:
69 Coronet 440
70 Torino 351C
79 Bronco 351M/400 on 35's
79 Trans Am 403 (6.6L)
88 Cougar XR7 5.0L
93 F150 Flareside Mark III Custom 5.0L
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#3
There are electrical connectors, 2 if I remember correctly, for the switches wires located on the metal vertical dash support on the drivers side. If you stick your head under the drivers side dash, and look just above the tranny tunnel kind of around the back of the vertical trim, you will see them. They are light grey, and should be stuck to the metal dash support. If you disconnect these, you can pull the switch panel without cutting any wires.

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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Nate K Offline
Posting Freak
#4
Ahh, now you tell me! LOL Wish NATO was alive 3 years ago, you could have saved me some frustration. I never traced the wires back that far when I did mine, just figured another Ford Engineering joke to hard wire them in directly.

Thanks for the info Jeff! Guess it is possible to teach an old dogg new tricks. LOL
NATO Member
3 - 88 TURBOCOUPES www.turbotbird.com/showroom/nk_88tc.html
90 Mustang LX 5.0L Notch

Cars I wish I still owned:
69 Coronet 440
70 Torino 351C
79 Bronco 351M/400 on 35's
79 Trans Am 403 (6.6L)
88 Cougar XR7 5.0L
93 F150 Flareside Mark III Custom 5.0L
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