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Thread: How To: Binnacle Removal and Bulb Replacement

  1. #11
    DMC Midwest - 815.459.6439 DMCMW Dave's Avatar
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    There is a black plastic frame that goes in front of the lens and is attatched to the binnacle housing, whereas the lens itself is attached with screws to the cluster assembly. From the outside looking in it may appear that the black surround is part of the lens but it is not. I'm guessing that is where the confusion stems from.
    Dave S
    DMC Midwest - retired but helping
    Greenville SC

  2. #12
    Administrator Ron's Avatar
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    +1
    ...and hopefully someone hasn't glued it in because it started warping

  3. #13
    EFI DeLorean dmc6960's Avatar
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    Are either of those two binnacle's you posted pictures of yours? I cannot tell if there is a lens in them or not.

    There is only ONE lens, and it is screwed into the instrument cluster, which unscrews from the binnacle out the back like several have already said. Is your cluster separated from the binnacle yet? If not then there is no problem, just unscrew and remove. If the cluster HAS been removed but the lens is still in the binnacle; just say screw it, bash it out and get a new one from DMC. Someone could have wedged a generic lens into your binnacle as they had been unavailable for a long time until recently.
    Jim Reeve
    DMC6960

    D-Status: - Getting some Spring exercise

  4. #14
    Senior Member Henrik's Avatar
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    OK y'all. It's time for me to fess up. I went to the reupholstery shop yesterday and once I saw the binnacle I realized that I had been wrong all along. All it had was the black plastic frame mounted to it. No lens or nothing. Just like everyone had taken turns explaining to me. So - yes - I was very wrong. I apologize.

    So, since the reupholsterer was unsure how to get the black plastic frame out (so they can tuck the vinyl in underneath it) I took the binnacle home and with a long bladed razor I was able to cut the frame out very easily. This project is now back on track.

    Again, my apologies.

  5. #15
    Senior Member ccurzio's Avatar
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    No worries.

    One thousand Hail Marys, and I want you to hit yourself. Right now.
    - Chris


    what

  6. #16
    EFI DeLorean dmc6960's Avatar
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    Be aware that the black plastic frame may not go back in so well with the added material being put on. The DMC vendors to not reinstall it when recovering their binnacles, or else they just cover strait over them. I did read about someone who cut their frame in each dimension, glued it back together, sanded and painted it to the new size required by the recovering. That'll be a lot of work to get it to look right.
    Jim Reeve
    DMC6960

    D-Status: - Getting some Spring exercise

  7. #17
    Senior Member Henrik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dmc6960 View Post
    Be aware that the black plastic frame may not go back in so well with the added material being put on. The DMC vendors to not reinstall it when recovering their binnacles, or else they just cover strait over them. I did read about someone who cut their frame in each dimension, glued it back together, sanded and painted it to the new size required by the recovering. That'll be a lot of work to get it to look right.
    Yeah, I've been thinking about that. With the new vinyl being somewhat thicker (and there will be some of that heavy stitching too) there is of course the possibility that it won't fit right. So I will have the shop test fit the frame before they do the final glueing of the vinyl to make sure it is fairly close. Then I will resize the frame if/as needed and attach it myself.

  8. #18
    Senior Member eagle-co94's Avatar
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    Just an update for those looking to do this on their own, I pulled my first binnacle last week (slightly different process) but I took a clean approach today to pull one from a car with a clean interior. I didn't need to pull the seat out. I used the following tools:

    1/4" drive socket wrench
    two 3" long 1/4" drive extensions (could have used a single 6" but I was already in there with a deep socket and 3" extension and it wasn't working for me).
    1/4" drive universal joint
    7mm 6-point socket (standard length).

    Had the cluster out in under 10 mins. If you don't like laying with your back on the doorsill you may want to remove the seat, but I've never removed a seat to do anything under the dash of a car except for when I converted my Impala SS from an automatic to a 6-speed.
    Last edited by eagle-co94; 03-23-2013 at 02:45 PM.
    -James . . . "Life without knowledge is death in disguise." ~ H.P.G.

  9. #19
    aka RacerX Ryan S.'s Avatar
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    Thanks for sharing. I plan to tackle the dash LED project next weekend. 10 min sounds great. My time will be more like 30.

  10. #20
    Senior Member eagle-co94's Avatar
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    Just don't forget to reconnect everything upon reinstall. I forgot to clip the speedo cable back in and didn't find out until I bumped it when tightening the 6th screw...and it fell out. Install takes a bit longer trying to get the washer in place and then a nut on it with the limited space.
    -James . . . "Life without knowledge is death in disguise." ~ H.P.G.

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