This already seems to be a FoMoCo/Lincoln-Mercury thread...my experience is with my standard (non-XR7) '68 Cougar...the steel framework prevents actual removal of the entire dashboard, but I have had every component out, multiple times.  While my wiring harness is nowhere as complex as that pictured, it is complicated by 60+ year old tape, connectors and brittle wires, and some degree of previous owner amateurity that defies my best electrical crime solving efforts.  Instruments of this era, if they can be called that, are often simple two wire elements that were of dubious accuracy when new and were never meant to last this long; their solder connections, circuit boards and plastic often fail at the slightest touch or pull.  Right now the car is back together primarily stock; long term plan is a modern replacement wiring harness with modern production real instruments.  Wish me luck, and good luck to all on your much more challenging dashboard pursuits... ... View more