I don't need towels, I do need knees

[Twyla]

When my LT went through the pearly gates this year, I replaced it with an '06 GT. I'm still nit-picking what features I like best about each model, but one thing I'm sure of. I hate the towel bar. If I'm ever riding as a passenger and have the misfortune to be in a wreck, it will break both my knees. I has to go.

What are people doing? Is there a nice replacement panel available? The only one I've seen take it off was rte662006 and his looks fabulous. Not sure what he did to cover the holes. Also, he described it as a lot of work. I know I'll have to take it in somewhere, but it would be nice to know how much work so I'll know how badly I'm being overcharged.

Anyhow, you I'd appreciate your thoughts/comments.

[rte662006]

If you have any questions on how to remove the handle ask away.

[Twyla]

1. How do you remove it?
2. How did you make it look so nice? In the photos it looks as if it were never there.

As per the local Chrysler dealership "The towel bar that you want to remove can be removed but the post that its bolted to will remain & it will look rather tacky."

[rte662006]

The 2 side peices of the handle pop off with a small screw driver.When you pop them off you will see the 2 bolts 1 on each side that hold the handle in place.Remove the 2 bolts and remove the handle.Now you will be left with the dash trim peice and 2 white stumps that the handle bolted to.The dash trim peice unclips.Remove the glove box (it just unclips).So now what you will see is the 2 white stumps that the bolts thread into.Cover your dash board and seats with a drop cloth or some old sheets.Take a dremel tool with a fiberglass reinforced cut off wheel and cut the stumps off and grind completely flat.Now take the dash trim peice and cut off the 2 stumps on it and grind flat.Now you will have no handle and a dash trim peice with 2 holes in it.What i did was go to a fabric store and look at what kind of vinyl or leather is available.I ended up finding some vinyl that had grain in it like the factory dash.I then took the dash trim peice and covered the holes with duct tape and some thin poster board(i know that sounds hacked lol but it works for now untill i find a better way to fill the holes).When i was happy with the way it looked i covered the part with the vinyl using a heat gun and some 3m spray glue.It takes time,its not hard work anyone can do it,you just have to have the confidence to cut the peices off the dash.I hope this makes sence.

[cruisinbabe]

Originally Posted by rte662006

The 2 side pieces of the handle pop off with a small screw driver.When you pop them off you will see the 2 bolts 1 on each side that hold the handle in place.Remove the 2 bolts and remove the handle. Now you will be left with the dash trim peice and 2 white stumps that the handle bolted to.The dash trim piece unclips. Remove the glove box (it just unclips).So now what you will see is the 2 white stumps that the bolts thread into. Cover your dash board and seats with a drop cloth or some old sheets.Take a dremel tool with a fiberglass reinforced cut off wheel and cut the stumps off and grind completely flat. Now take the dash trim piece and cut off the 2 stumps on it and grind flat. Now you will have no handle and a dash trim piece with 2 holes in it. What I did was go to a fabric store and look at what kind of vinyl or leather is available. I ended up finding some vinyl that had grain in it like the factory dash. I then took the dash trim piece and covered the holes with duct tape and some thin poster board (I know that sounds hacked lol but it works for now untill i find a better way to fill the holes). When I was happy with the way it looked I covered the part with the vinyl using a heat gun and some 3m spray glue. It takes time,its not hard work anyone can do it, you just have to have the confidence to cut the pieces off the dash. I hope this makes sense.

Great tips! Looking at your pics on Car Domain, you couldn't tell if the handle was ever there, and I dunno how you managed to make the vinyl MATCH the dash color....amazing! I prolly will have to go to a fabric store and find a really cool looking vinyl or faux leather to jazz up that dash trim piece!

[vdbd08pt]

Originally Posted by Twyla

When my LT went through the pearly gates this year, I replaced it with an '06 GT. I'm still nit-picking what features I like best about each model, but one thing I'm sure of. I hate the towel bar. If I'm ever riding as a passenger and have the misfortune to be in a wreck, it will break both my knees. I has to go.

What are people doing? Is there a nice replacement panel available? The only one I've seen take it off was rte662006 and his looks fabulous. Not sure what he did to cover the holes. Also, he described it as a lot of work. I know I'll have to take it in somewhere, but it would be nice to know how much work so I'll know how badly I'm being overcharged.

Anyhow, you I'd appreciate your thoughts/comments.

Move your seat back or hop into the Drivers seat. We have an 08 with the bar in front of the passenger seat but it is so flexible that you would have more of a problem with the dash and glove box than the bar itself.

Just my $0.02

Good luck on the dash conversion.

Van