72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

[Gary S.]

You fix one thing and something else pops up. My clock stopped working (I cleaned it, filed the points, and put a drop of oil on the shafts about 16 +/- years ago) the other day and I am in the middle of taking the instrument cluster out to repeat that process. I spent the morning reading search results here and read the cautions about the upper part of the bezel being weak and small hands being needed for the nuts on the bracket but I am stuck on the wording in the 1972 Service Manual. It says "Inserting a flexible drive socket between the console and the metal horseshoe brace, remove the nuts from the two studs on the lower edge of the console cluster." For the life of me I cannot remember how I did this nor do I recall the "horseshoe brace". Does anyone have a picture of this brace on a dash and/or center console that is disassembled? I am not going to damage anything if it kills me! I have the patience to search this out but was hoping to get it done before our 80 degree weather starts on Thursday in Pittsburgh.

1972 LT-1

Gary Schisler

email - grumpa72@gmail.com

EDIT - it looks like I can't edit the title. this should read Instrument Cluster Removal

[Gary S.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Ok, I am re-reading this post - https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...rument+cluster post #8 - and going back to the garage again. Failing that, I will have my wife see if she can slice and dice her hands like I have done since mine barely fit. I have seen schematics showing this brace but no photos but I did find the nuts and posts.

Gary

[Larry M.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Gary,

It's been 30 years since I R&R'ed the console on our 1972, but I seem to recall that a metal brace is attached to the underside of the console - a wide-but-narrow-depth metal band that goes up one side, then across the top, and then down the other side. If my memory is correct, might this be the horseshoe brace? I do know that I used a 5" or 6" 1/4" drive flexible extension on a 1/4" 'screwdriver handle' drive to reach the nuts on the two center cluster studs.

Here's a link I just found - Item #2 is the brace I'm thinking of:

http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1968-1976-corvette-parking-brake-console-extension-installation/

Larry

[Gary S.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Larry,
Yes, that is the horseshoe brace in the repair manual description and I actually did look in google for a schematic but somehow missed that one. I was hoping that someone might have a photo but that schematic seems to fit the bill. By your description I take it that you went in from the side of the console and below the radio as opposed to from the front through the gear shift "hole"?

Right now, I am letting the blood dry and I will try this tomorrow. I already have two hours into this with only one nut off from the right side. If the side method doesn't work, I will have my wife see if she wants to donate blood or scrapes.

Thank you for the response.

Gary

[Terry M.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Gary,
Just a hint. There is no need to completely remove the nuts from the studs. Loosen them well. It will make the installation easier if the nuts are still on the studs a little bit.

[Gary S.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Terry,
I did pick that up from my search and reading. Oth, I can't get a socket on the left one to loosen it because the heater controls are in the way. I am going to have my wife wrench on that a bit tomorrow. It has been off once so I know it will come off again. Now that I have a start and have actually touched the left one, it is merely a matter of luck or small hands. Or BOTH.

Gary

[Larry M.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Gary,

Correct; I did not get access through the top shifter 'hole' area, but rather through the side of the console, probably similar to what's shown here:


I'm fairly certain that I would have done this with the console front extension removed, along with most if not all mounting screws, nuts, etc, from the console, gauge cluster bezel and radio, in order to make everything nice and loose and floppy, to give me better access.

Larry

[Brad Hillhouse (37766)]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Gary - I just did this job 2 weeks ago to get my clock out and the two nuts on the gauge bezel is the toughest part. What is hard to remember is those two studs when installed are pointing rearward toward the transmission. Getting a wrench or socket on them from the side access panel is nearly impossible. You can touch them with your finger, but not get a socket on them. I found it easiest to put a very long 1/4 inch drive extension with a swivel with a 3/8 deep socket and stick it in from the seat, up toward the radio. Then with my other free hand, use it through the side access panel to guide the socket onto the nut. Then it can be loosened. A small mirror may also help, but for me, it was easiest using the braille method. Ultimately, I had the seats out anyway, but it will make the job much easier if they are out of your way.

Hope this helps,
Brad Hillhouse
37766

[Patrick H.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

I've done it from the radio side, I've done it by pulling out the shifter bezel.
Neither one is easy, and both were far easier having my son with the smaller hands do the job for me.

[Gary S.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

SUCCESS! Larry, your photos were the key. I was using too severe of an angle when I tried the 1/4" drive with extensions. I could feel the silly post by accessing it from the shifter area but not get the 1/4" drive on it until I went in from the bottom. It would have been nice to know this before the console came out but it should go back in more easily. In addition, the front extensions were removed, the center console loosened as well as the parking brake console. The latter was probably not necessary. Brad's photos show that I could have saved some disassembly.

Now back to my search to re-learn how to repair the clock. I have seen references on the various vendors sites and I recall that it wasn't that difficult as long as I go slowly. Later, I will post a photo of the horseshoe bracket and the slots that are there to allow one to remove the center cluster by loosening the screw only.

Thanks for your help gents.

Gary

[Terry M.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

SUCCESS! Larry, your photos were the key. I was using too severe of an angle when I tried the 1/4" drive with extensions. I could feel the silly post by accessing it from the shifter area but not get the 1/4" drive on it until I went in from the bottom. It would have been nice to know this before the console came out but it should go back in more easily. In addition, the front extensions were removed, the center console loosened as well as the parking brake console. The latter was probably not necessary. Brad's photos show that I could have saved some disassembly.

Now back to my search to re-learn how to repair the clock. I have seen references on the various vendors sites and I recall that it wasn't that difficult as long as I go slowly. Later, I will post a photo of the horseshoe bracket and the slots that are there to allow one to remove the center cluster by loosening the screw only.

Thanks for your help gents.

Gary

I was able to get a 1/4-inch drive extension with a universal joint and socket in from the front extensions when I was much younger. I doubt I could do it now.

FWIW: Ordinary lubricant, or worse WD-40, are not appropriate fo clock lubrication. Either will deteriorate the rubber mounts for the clock. There is a clock lubricant made just for the purpose of lubricating clocks, but I don't know where it is available. Someone who does that service all the time would be my suggestion.

[Gary S.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Terry,
I have an old inherited grandfather clock that has a tube of clock oil. I will see what it is and order new. I have also investigated buying some other brands online and it is readily available

[Joe L.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

SUCCESS! Larry, your photos were the key. I was using too severe of an angle when I tried the 1/4" drive with extensions. I could feel the silly post by accessing it from the shifter area but not get the 1/4" drive on it until I went in from the bottom. It would have been nice to know this before the console came out but it should go back in more easily. In addition, the front extensions were removed, the center console loosened as well as the parking brake console. The latter was probably not necessary. Brad's photos show that I could have saved some disassembly.

Now back to my search to re-learn how to repair the clock. I have seen references on the various vendors sites and I recall that it wasn't that difficult as long as I go slowly. Later, I will post a photo of the horseshoe bracket and the slots that are there to allow one to remove the center cluster by loosening the screw only.

Thanks for your help gents.

Gary

Gary------


My advice: get a quartz movement clock and be done with it. The old "tic-toc" clocks are a major PIA. They didn't work that good when they were brand new.

[Joe R.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Gentlemen, make friends with a local jeweler and he or she will provide the correct lubricant for clocks. One small bottle will last for a lifetime. Half the moving parts in these old fiberglass crates are lubricated and by now the lubricant has turned to concrete. Examples are headlight motors, wiper motors and clocks. The lubricants those items needed 50 years ago were not available as they are today.
Today those items need to be cleaned and in the case of a clock, they need to be cleaned ultrasonically and lubed with the proper jewelers lubricant. Using WD-40 and 30 weight ain't going to get the job done.

JR

[Gary S.]

Re: 72 Radio removal question - horseshoe brace?

Joe,
Now that the clock is cleaned I have been reading about clock oil. Oth, my gentle daub of 3-in-1 last 16+ years but this time I am going to do it right. No quartz, nothing but "tic-toc" for me, please.

Gary