PRNDL indicator repair?

tulobf12 · Veteran Member

PRNDL indicator repair?

davepl · Poncho Master!

Only a few moving parts. A rod from trans to rotate the column as trans changes gears, and a "pointer" that is your orange indicator that is on top of the column.

tulobf12 · Veteran Member

OK. Finally got around to checking this issue closer. There is a plastic type lever from the indicator in the dash clipped to a metal rod from the steering column which is broken. It may have gotten frozen at one time as the car was in Alberta for 50 years. At 60+ years of age myself its like having to be a contortionist to access this area. Any remedies??

seventy2plus2 · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Which is broken? The plastic type lever, or the metal rod? I'd say the remedy is change the broken part.
While it's more work, it might be worthwhile to remove the front seat so laying in the drivers footwell is more comfortable.

tulobf12 · Veteran Member

It is the plastic piece that is broken. It looks to be part of the dash assembly. Can't figure out how to remove it or what to describe it as for replacement. Removing the seat is a good suggestion but at this moment impossible to do as space is very limited. Thanks.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Its pretty easy to take the dash pad off the top without removing the seat.

You just need to remove all the screws on the underneath of the pad and pull it out, It's held against the windshield with locater pins so should just pull out. You probably also have to take out the windshield post trim, though. Once you have the dash pad out you can see the whole top and back of the speedo and all the back of the dash gauges etc. It seems to me you can disconnect the rod for the column from the back, if my memory serves. You may have to replace the whole speedo as the quadrant is inside that assembly or you may be able to figure out a way to just take the quadrant out.

I may have a dash piece (It incorporates the speedometer) from a parts car that may be good. If you do use another whole speedo you will likely have the different odometer numbers to deal with.

Or you can just get used to knowing what gear you are in by counting clicks if you're lazy like me.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

If you are removing the 66 Pontiac dash pad and have never removed one before, make sure you know of one little quirk, or you'll ruin the pad removing it.

Besides removing the screws that go up from the dash housing into the pad, there's 3 other things to remove. At each end is a clip that you have to release from the back side of the dash. When you lie on your back and look up at the end part of the pad that hangs down over the dash housing, you'll see the clip.

Most importantly, you need to remove the cowl vent panel between the back of the hood and the base of the windshield. Then, remove the wiper arms, remove the cowl panel and remove the one nut that is in the centre that goes on the stud poking through from the inside of the car. If you don't remove this you'll ruin your dash pad yanking on it, wondering why it won't come off.

66 Grande guy · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Thanks Carl I had forgotten about that! It's been a while!

tulobf12 · Veteran Member

SEE. As I have already stated "GREAT PLACE TO HANG OUT". The advice and knowledge here is golden.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

tulobf12 wrote:
SEE. As I have already stated "GREAT PLACE TO HANG OUT". The advice and knowledge here is golden.

Exactly. I came here 14 years ago thinking I knew a lot about 66 Pontiacs because I'd played with them for over 30 years. The amount of knowledge I've gained about them since then from guys here has me shaking my head sometimes!

LT1Caddy · Poncho Master!

Great info ...Guys