Since I am not able to remove my dash it has been one hell of a headache getting at this stuff but after tugging, yanking, dremeling etc. I finally got the entire heater core and all but one section of vent ducting out from under the dash without pulling the dash out.

I don't know how people can say thereisnt much weight back behind there. The pile of crap that came out of the car is HUGE and there is still a bit more left. I am guessing at least 30lbs so far. don't have a scale so I cant be precise. There is also a thick, heavy rubber mat that has to come out that looks like by itself could weigh in the 20lb area. I am going to try to keep all of this stuff in one box so I can weight it when it all comes out.

The only things left are 1) figuring out how to drop the air bag from underneath. 2) get all the radio wiring out of the car and speakers out from behind sheet metal door panels. 3) Trim the engine wiring harness to get rid of alot of the wiring that no longer has parts to go to.

I remember reading someone drooped thier airbag from underneath. How in the hell did you do that? Mine appears to have an immovable steel bar that keeps the airbag carrier from dropping out the bottom. I REALLY don't want to get after it with a dremel but if I have to......

I agree that is a significant amount of underdash weight. I'd put the wiring harness low on the list. On my '92 I pulled all unused underhood wiring and it was only 2.5lbs. Not sure how much is there on a 4th gen.

Jason S.

I am going to leave all of the wiring except the stero stuff. To much headache with having to sort out what all the black boxes do and if I yank them, I lose the headlights, power windows etc etc. For right now I need that stuff. Oncethe car becomes a dedicated track car I will yank that stuff.

...oh getting out all of that black rubber mat almost owned me...

Came out 1/2 inch at a time in some places...

Did anyone else read this post title and immediately think "LG K-member" ?

Boyce, I'm assuming that the black rubber matting you're referring to is the firewall insulation. Randy is right, it can put up a fight at times. When I took mine out I had the whole dash out and was tempted to pull the pedal assembly too... but I have at most about 12 square inches of it in the corner where the EBCM is stashed. Most of the rest of it is long gone.

I read an article in a dirt track magazine about how to get that rubber matting out.

Freeze it with dry ice and then just chip it out with a hammer.

I haven't tried it yet, so don't know how well it would work.

I might be thinking of a different rubber matting. That sounds like your talking about the paste looking crap that is all over all of the body seems of the interior.

the stuff I am talking about is all of the rubber matting that appears to be nothing more than sound deadening material behind the dash. there is even more of it directlyon the underside of the dash. Almost a different material material, but all dead weight to me.

The last time I had the car scaled it came in at 3717 wet w/ driver. Now that i have a 10 bolt back under it and have been picking away at stuff, who knows what it is at. My cage is one heavy SOB though, so getting down into the 3200-3300 range might be out of the question.

The reason you can't get the dash out is because you built the cage infront of it?

no the dry ice trick is for the "tar paper" stuff that is glued to the floor...might work for the seam sealer too...I used a torch..

The black plastic thingy is a 1/4 thick black mat with insulating material glued to the back up against the firewall....

Yup, cage in the way.

On the firebird...I would presume the camaro is the same I pulled/installed my bag throught the whole where the glove box is, remove the glove box and get to the bolts there, it was a couple years ago, so I don't remember really well the specifics, but i remember that is how I did it

Ive got the glove box out and I got to the bottom 2 bolts that hold the airbag in place there. But there are a couple of metal bars that are welded into a metal frame that hold the airbag carrier in place. The bag is loose but I cant get it and its carrier past the metal braces.

Looks like I am going to have to get in there with a dremel

keep in mind those metal bars are the frame work that hold the dash together and to the firewall

Boyce, have you considered just removing your dash and installing an aluminum gauge plate in it's place? That might save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

Metal shoulders of bag support it in the hole/square of the bracketry.I think it would be from the top.BUT I have Camaro.The whole unit and bracket is in the garage I looked its setting in the big framework bracket from the top.

I just started tearing stuff out after everything was unplugged. So as far as getting it out nicely I don't have any advise there.

No dash nothing.I'm putting a sheet metal or aluminum dash board after the cage is done.

They were talking about the same black mat you were also from the begining. Yeah its a pain,a new box cutter and steady controlled cutting and a strong wrist gets her done. Cutting hole to hole under the steering colum pedal area works.
Boy if still had all of the crap I have removed here it would be a reeal big pile. The one piece of vent you say you have left,I think I know what one and its a big one I was thinking of going down to the dump and getting mine weighed soon.

Tony

The one piece that is left isnt to big. I was able to get the large center piece out and everything on the passenger side. It appears to be 1 tube that goes behind the speedo and over to the driver side vent.