V/S70 Dash repair/replacement

[scot850]

As I mentioned in another post, my PITA 'R" has found yet another way to self-destruct in ways no other P80 I have owned has managed. When trying to figure out the DIM issue, I had to re-instated the faulty DIM unit sue to a back order status for the DIM pcb.
This is needed to keep the car mobile.

While I had the glove-box liner out, I decided to remove the cabin fan to see if I could remove the change label for the cabin filter.

I could not find the label and only discovered where it had gone when I got a chatter from the fan one day.

When I removed the lower dash panel for the foot-well on the passenger side, I found a chunk of plastic and some debris of small pieces like crumbs.

I found it had come from the top right of the glove box opening where the RH screw for the dash pad holds the 2 sections together. It is a sizable chunk so off to PnP for the only game in town with the only P80 being parted out. I had already checked it and it did not feel loose or squeak.

I removed it and brought it home. It looked like it had the rare as rocking-horse poo unbroken 4 firewall mounts. They all looked sound until I looked closer and found the one furthest to the RHS has a crack on one side, 2 have hairline cracks and one is solid. However I found that on the way back a crack has appeared in the top where the small blinking red LED should sit. I should be able to repair it but now it is a coin toss which is the better candidate for repair. I may be able to repair the original and I suspect at least the same RHS mount may be broken and had scheduled that for repair over the winter.

Replacement lower dash panel

Crack #1

Crack #2

Crack #3

At least they are still all in their respected positions and not completely broken off so should be a fairly straight forward repair.

I then discovered the LHS of the glove box where the 2nd screw is to hold the 2 sections together is missing part of it. It is a smaller repair so not concerned.

So it will now depend on how the original dash is when removed which I go forward with for repairs. I could and may do both, but then having to store the 2nd one takes a lot of room.

I found pictures I thought I had lost of the repairs I made on the V70 base I sold. It was in way worse condition and 30,000km later is still creak free. Now I just have to remember how I did this. I know it includes a plastic welder torch, JB Weld plastic epoxy and shaped metal strips glued in with self tapping screws.

Repaired dash mounts

Part way through metal shaping

Finished metal shaping

Finished repair

I will document the repairs as I go and add tho this thread.

Neil.