1970 Dart Swinger Radio

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Alexhetti

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Hello, new guy here! This is my first classic car so I'm sure ill be posting in here with lots of questions. My first one is how to remove radio bezel+radio from a 1970 dart dash. I removed the two screws from the top of the faceplate and the nuts under the radio tuner/volume controls but it seems like something is blocking it from the lower left side. The radio isn't working so I wanted to inspect the wiring.

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There some big nuts on the backside you have to get to.
Also a set screw on the heat temp knob which need to be removed first.
 
Thank you moparmarks. How exactly is the best way to get to those nuts on the back and heat temp knob?
 
Right on the bottom of the knob is an allen head set screw. Real little one.
On the nuts you gotta get your head and hands up under the dash. Is a pain in the butt. They are 7/16". Think there are two 3/8 nuts on the controls too.
 
Welcome aboard.
You will get alot of info here, some unsolicited, but honest answers nonetheless.
Where abouts in NC are ya?
Joe
 
Right on the bottom of the knob is an allen head set screw. Real little one.
On the nuts you gotta get your head and hands up under the dash. Is a pain in the butt. They are 7/16". Think there are two 3/8 nuts on the controls too.
Thank you sir! I attempted to get to the rear screws but I believe that the heater box needs to be removed to do so. Do you remember if you can just get to them or if anything needs to be taken out for access?
 
If you have ac, which looks like you do, then you'll probably need to remove the defuser box, a/c vents.
 
You know you don't have to take the bezel off to get the radio out, right? the radio drops out the back not out the front. Once the radio is out, if you want the bezel off it will be easier to get to the nuts on the back of the push buttons. There is also a brace from the back of the radio to the lower lip of the dash frame that has to be removed...

Once you get all this out, you will want to kill the guy that designed the system where studs from bezel hold the push button controls in place to the dash frame. You can tell they cared about assembly at the factory (with the dash frame out of the car), and not later servicing. You can change how it works by putting bevel head screws through the dash frame to hold the push buttons in place (get rid of the studs in the bezel) then the bezel is held on by the 2 surface screws at the top and the radio tuner nuts at the bottom. Then you can easily get the bezel off and access the new control unit screws for future service.
 
You know you don't have to take the bezel off to get the radio out, right? the radio drops out the back not out the front. Once the radio is out, if you want the bezel off it will be easier to get to the nuts on the back of the push buttons. There is also a brace from the back of the radio to the lower lip of the dash frame that has to be removed...

Once you get all this out, you will want to kill the guy that designed the system where studs from bezel hold the push button controls in place to the dash frame. You can tell they cared about assembly at the factory (with the dash frame out of the car), and not later servicing. You can change how it works by putting bevel head screws through the dash frame to hold the push buttons in place (get rid of the studs in the bezel) then the bezel is held on by the 2 surface screws at the top and the radio tuner nuts at the bottom. Then you can easily get the bezel off and access the new control unit screws for future service.
I did not know that. I will work on getting out the ac diffuser box in order to get the radio out from under the dash. I'm almost considering waiting until I take out the windshield (because it needs to be replaced) to work on all of the stuff in the dash. Thank you for the insight!
 
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