You may need to remove the instrument cluster in your 1966 Corvette for a number of reasons. Maybe you need to rewire your Corvette, replace the light behind the instrument panel, or need to fix the speedometer. Whatever the reason, removing the instrument cluster in a 1966 Corvette is an involved process, but is still a repair task easily within the skill set of a novice do-it-yourself mechanic.
Open the hood of your Corvette and disconnect both battery cables. This can be done with a ratchet or a wrench.
Open your glove compartment and remove the screws holding the glove compartment in place.
Pull the glove compartment out of the dash and set it aside.
Remove the lower air distribution ducts from the area revealed by the removal of the glove compartment. They should pull out.
Pull off the console's side panels.
Take out the screws holding the console to the instrument panel. They will be along the front of the console.
Pull off the radio knobs, washers, bezels and nuts. They will come off by hand.
Unplug the antenna lead-in, the electrical harness and the speaker connectors from the back of the radio.
Remove the attaching bolt on the lower right side of the radio with a box wrench or a ratchet and socket.
Turn the radio to the left and pull it out of the left side of the console.
Disengage the retaining clips on the instrument panel bracket by pulling downward on them.
Pull the center instrument cluster out far enough to access the wires on the back side of it.
Disengage the electrical connector from the back of the cluster. It should pull out.
Pull off the steering column cover.
Take off the nuts holding the steering column to the dash bracket. They'll be along the top and may be removed with a box wrench or a ratchet and socket.
Take out the screws holding the lens to the bezel along the top and bottom of the cluster.
Slide the lens out of the bezel and set it aside.
Take out the screws holding the instrument panel to the cluster. They should be clearly visible along the side of the cluster.
Pull the instrument cluster toward you, put not all the way out. You must pull it forward just enough to access the cables on the back.
Unplug the wires on the back of the cluster. They should come out when pulled by hand.
Remove the instrument cluster from you Corvette.
