Re-fitting the Dashboard. Lining up the 4 Top Bolts.

[4129R]

I find re-fitting the dashboard a real pig of a job to do.

Firstly the black crashpad is normally in a bad way so needs replacement. The plastic ones from SJS are good quality, but hard to cut to shape accurately.

Secondly, those 4 screw fixings along the top are very difficult to get to, lying underneath hoping to get the nut on the thread.

Thirdly, those 4 screw fixings are supposed to line up with U shaped pieces of fibreglass carefully cut by Lotus to be in exactly the right position. Some hope. Most are broken, or in the wrong position.

I make up L shaped metal brackets, put 8mm Rivnuts in the brackets, and carefully position the brackets to hopefully line up with the dashboard holes, pop riveting the brackets to the fibreglass. Lots of patience, measuring, and careful moving is needed to get them to line up properly with the holes in the dash, but with 4 Rivnuts in the correct position, screwing in those 4 bolts should, I repeat should, be easier than trying to get the nuts on the back of the dash while lying in the footwell.

Make sure the Rivnuts are secure in the brackets and do not turn in the holes.

[dakazman]

       I made a similar mod by glassing in some 1/4 " threaded bobbins.

   Guiding the dash to line up can be done by using safety wire through the dash holes, into the rivnut holes and down to shifter area. tie the ends together and sinch up the extra, while guiding the dash closer, until the wood dash is in place.  cut wire and pull out only one hole at a time, install dash screw. continue doing the other three.  just like fishing.

Dakazman
 

[BDA]

Great tip, 4129R!!! I was lucky and mine lined up pretty well - but then, I seem to remember I had the interior shop that covered my crash pad do the final attachment. I have had the need to pull the dash away from its installed position once and as I remember, it wasn't as hard to get to the nuts as I thought it would be but your trick would have made it much simpler!!

[BDA]

Both of you have great tips!! 

[4129R]

These photos should help.

The 4 holes are in a perfect line, spacing 285mm, 355mm, 285mm.

The end holes are directly above the holes in the metal plates held to the body with the door light switches. The top holes are 117mm above the holes in the metal plates.

I made up a template from a strip of thin wood, drilled the 4 holes, and in theory, the dashboard should line up perfectly with the Rivnuts. I am using 6mm S/S pan head screws into the Rivnuts.

The original U shaped pieces of fibreglass were way out of position, so I cut all 4 off.

[Pfreen]

I relied on this article for advice on installing the crashpad and dashboard.  http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/misc/Banks_Crash_Pad_Installation.htm
It has also has advice on attaching the dashboard.  Worked great.