crazymikey
+1y
Yes,definetly take it out! Don't ever paint anything in the vehicle,it'll end up being a total mess,not to metion when you're done,it'll probably smell like paint forever.
To take out the dash is very simple.
On the top of the dash,along the windshield,there are 3 bolts. Under the dash,there is 1 on each side near the door hinge,1 on either side of the dash (near the vents),and the ones that everyone forgets,or can't find,are 2 inside the dash,and you need to remove the entire glove compartment to access them,and they'll be on the left facing the HVAC controls.
Once all your bolts are undone,remove your dash trim/bezels. The centre piece with the vents/controls/storage pocket is held on with 2 screws. One is at the top right,behind a cover,beside the top row of HVAC controls,the other is on the left by the lighter behind the gauge cluster bezel. Before the whole bezel can come off,the fan/temp control knobs need to come off,and they just pull off. Once the bezel is off,the HVAC controls will be scewed in,and just undo the single screw on the left holding it in,and then release the cables from the HVAC controls so you can pull it out. Your gauge cluster needs to come out,and that's pretty easy. Undo the wiring harness and the speedo cable. It makes life a hell of a lot easier to pull the dash out with the steering wheel removed. For that,I went to crappy tire and rented a steering wheel puller. When the wheel comes off,slide the turn signal/washer stalk off the shaft as well to give the dash clearance to come over the steering column as you pull it out.
oh yeah,don't forget to unscrew the fuse panel from the dash and pull it out,and to unplug the wire harnesses on the left side of the dash near the wheel well,and on the right side,behind the glove box.
Doing it the first time,took me about 6 hours,trying to take everything apart and look for all the bolts. Now that I know what I'm doing,the last time I took my dash out took me about an hour.