Remove the knob. Takes small jeweler's Phillips screwdriver. Be careful - no lose small screw! Then, shaft will have clearance for removal. Guage cluster removes/installs easily, but is tight fit. Due caution (slow & easy), as you are already doing is proper. Best lucks to you. 280ZX is wonderful car. Very easy to work on and 100% worth rehabilitating.

Joe

 

actually if memory serves you can unscrew the whole stem. I know it wasn't a big thing to get the gage cluster in an out with the clock. I changed the clock on one that wasnt' working for a good one. You do have to remove the glove box so maybe you haven't done that and it just comes out stem and all. can't really remember but I know it wan't a big thing to do. try removing glove box it is like cardboard that you have to fold up and pull out after removing lid and maybe five screws.

 

I don't recall whether the clock setting shaft comes out or not, but you must remove the knob on the end, as Stalin said. It makes the shaft just a little bit too long, and increases the risk of breaking it off. Remove the glovebox door, the lamp assembly, and the glovebox itself. There are a couple of wiring harnesses that you have to stretch slightly and move about, and twist the instrument cluster a little. Slow and easy does it. It helps if you have a trouble light that you can stuff inside the dash to backlight the area, helps to show what you just got snagged on.

It will come out. And it will go back in. I've done it five or six times now, and it now takes me about five minutes in or out.

While you have it out, take out each of the lamp holders, and remove and reinsert the bulbs, then put the holders back into their spots, and rotate each of them a half dozen times, to give them good contact to the lighting circuit. And of course, make sure each bulb is good. I know it seems an obvious thing to do, but sometimes the obvious things only occur to the mind after the job has been put back together again! One of the corollaries to Murphy's Law.

 

If you need a Pic. from the back side, I can take one from the dash I have removed, just to help.

 

Thanks everybody for the tips. I wound up also removing the center AC louvers so I push on the plastic ducting, and finally got the cluster out, digital clock stem & all.
Astro Bob, thanks for the tip on bulbs, I’d planned to do that. I usually keep a spare car battery by the work bench for testing bulbs and other electrical items.