I need a new dash piece

[RickwithaTbird]

Well I was putting my LED scanner in my car, and lifted up on my dash piece that goes around the defrosters, and I got the drivers side up no problem, then when I was trying to pull the passengers side up, it snapped in half. THIS SUCKS. Its awful looking. This is the worst thing Ive ever done to my car. I was so proud of making my interior look really nice, then I go and snap my dash in half. And it was a very jagged snap too. its horrible. horrible horrible. If anybody has a '96 for parts, and has an extra one of those, let me know. Its the charcoal colored dash, the interior trim code is "BS". Does anybody know if I could buy that from Ford, just in case no one has it and I cant find one in a junk yard either? Oh yeah, another thing. Does anybody know how to get it off w/o breaking it, in case I do ever find one? Thanks guys... Rick

[J_ROC812004]

unscrew it lol

[J_ROC812004]

find where the bolts are; probably under the dash piece by your legs. and on the top there should be two more

[J_ROC812004]

that is for your regular dash trim to your gauges then u can take the other trim off that is what your talking about right?

[RickwithaTbird]

no man, I mean the dash piece on top of the dash at the front of the windshield. The 1 long piece that goes from window to window and has the chicken wire looking net over the defrosters.

[RickwithaTbird]

I know how to get the regular dash pieces off, I take them off all the time. I took out the cluster and looked back there and noticed it was only pop tabs on the driver side, so I pulled it out, then I tried to pull the passenger side up, and it snapped in half. It didnt flex at all, it just snapped, so I had no warning.

[97Bird]

To remove the defroster grill on a 97, which I would think is the same as a 96, use a putty knife under one corner of the panel and pry up to release the spring clip. There should be four more clips that can be unsnapped by pulling up on the panel by hand, working to the other end of the panel. You may want to slide the putty knife along until you contact the next clip and pry up on the knife. This is where spending the money on a service manual like I told you before could have saved you some heartache!

[RickwithaTbird]

I have a chiltons, but it doesnt have anything useful. Ive said it before, but let me say again that chiltons manuals are useless. with a capital USELESS. But basically, youre saying the passenger side is the same as the driver side. I figured it was, which is why I pulled on it, I just didnt think it was gonna snap. I just used a bad technique. And btw, what service manual do you have that gives you step by step instructions of how to dismantle the entire car? Because I would love to have that book. Im just afraid of getting another book like the chiltons that thinks detailed instructions means.. "remove all the screws, then take it out".. thats basically all the chiltons maunual says about everything. No details what-so-ever.

[97Bird]

Go to helminc.com for the oem shop manuals. The next best ones are the Motor professional service trade editions.

[J_ROC812004]

yeah i have a haynes and they suck just like the chiltons