Instrument cluster question put a different way

[Gone]

Gents,

Thanks for your suggestions and comments on getting to the temp gauge on my Super Bee. Let me re-ask the question. Are there screws behind the wood grain faceplate that I have to get to to remove the instrument panel? If so, does the wood grain faceplate come off separately from the instrument panel?
I started to try and pry the wood grain panel off but am scared of breaking it.

When I take out the 6 screws that are in plain sight, I can't see anything that should keep the panel from at least moving a little bit. It won't even wiggle. I haven't yet taken the bezels off from around the steering column because it doesn't seem like they are in the way of the instrument panel. If I take them off, does that reveal some more screws holding the panel in?

I'm perplexed by this!

 

[Beekeeper]

Don,
The wood grain is an overlay that is glued to the bezel. The only way to remove the bezel is with the whole cluster out. There's a tab on the right of the bezel that is caught behind the bezel for the radio this tab may be holding it in. Sounds like something has it trapped in there. I know it's tough to get up behind the cluster but if the speedo cable is tight it could be keeping it from coming out. Unless there's something different with a 70' compared to a 69' mounting wise I really don't know other than what I have described. One other thing to look for is that the upper or
lower dash pads are not over the edge of the bezel because they
have a tendency to do that. There are only five screws that hold the instrument panel in the dash and once out there are 9 screws that hold the bezel to the cluster housing that can only be accessed with the cluster out. To sum this up unhook the speedo cable and verify the dash pads aren't trapping the cluster in.

 

[1970GTX]

Not sure what car you're working on but this is from the 1970 Plymouth Factory Service Manual. ( Do yourself a favor and get one for your car)
Priority 1, disconnect your battery
Reach up underneath and disconnect the speedometer cable
Drop the steering column by,
1. remove the trim piece from under the steering column
2. roll the carpet back and remove the 4 bolts holding the mounting plate to the floor/ firewall
3 remove the steering column clamp ( 2 nuts and one bolt )

then remove the radio bezel, the 6 or so screws holding the instrument panel, then it should wiggle out. You may need to remove some side trim pieces if it still won't come out.
done my GTX about 3 times usually takes about 20 minutes. .

 

[Beekeeper]

How about it Don did you get the cluster out?