Can't pull this dash wiring connector apart!!

Removing the wiring from the harnes to the back of a 7 gauge sport cluster, and I cannot get this connector to come apart
The connector comes part way out after I pull open the two side clips, but then it gets hung up on something????? The little red piece moves around but does not seem to be hanging it up. With such easy access I thought I'd have this connector apart in a snap! But she won't budge!?

Thanks for reading! Your thoughts please!    

I just snapped the clips on all of mine....came apart then! But they fit together so well
You don't really need them. Little loom tape round the join for peace of mind though if you do snap them off

I think it has something to do with the red pieces.  Pretty sure there's a picture of it in the shop manual and it says something like pull those red pieces out or slide them back to unlock connector.  I'll look in my book tonight.

The red clip retains the terminal into the connector. the reason you can't get it apart is because with the red clip is partial dislodged it's probably jamming the terminals. push the red clip back down into its seated position, them pull the two halves apart. the red clip cant be removed until the connector is apart. the red clip is a lock for each individual wire terminal. occasionally high current flow through connector will distort and melt the connector halves together... but you should have that concern with that connector

I got it! The red pieces did not seem to have any locking purpose, just to keep the pin seperated inside the connector. Since it would not come apart, I gently use a vise grip on one side and gently used channel locks on the other. Wiggled and pulled and they SLOWLY came apart! Both connectors were preserved.

Got it off my scary fright-pig donor car '73 Montego MX with 53k miles!!!! The only thing missing on the car is the AM/FM radio and the DASH CLUSTER and WIRING! The rest is there for harvesting.

Those parts are not on my donor car because I took them off and now putting them on my GTS!

The dash cluster is PRISTINE!

Saw your donor car!  Looks like a lot of good stuff left on that bad boy.

Perfect timing for your thread.
I got off early on Tuesday so I headed out to the garage to remove my cluster so I can get the steering column out. I stopped when I got to my plug because it was being a bit difficult and as luck would have it I left my reading glasses at home as well.
Everything except for the steering is painted but the end of my steering column is rust brown yet.   

Any of those parts cars have rally clusters with the inserts? The inserts don't have be anything special (could even be padded) but I need the right side for a non a/c car as well. I know a guy who has a programmable plasma cutter and I'm considering having inserts made. I might even attempt the lower portion if I can make a decent pattern for him with cut outs for the control labels.
I'm never going to get it on the road if I keep this up.   

Edited by lynchster - 10-March-2017 at 3:48PM

Like Fake woodgrain or engine turned aluminium inserts....

Big Bird wrote: Like Fake woodgrain or engine turned aluminium inserts.... or the puffy/padded ones....

Doesn't really matter. Neither does the condition of the insert itself other than they aren't bent and the one on the right is for a non ac car.

The padded ones might be a pita if I have to remove the padding to make the templates.

Edited by lynchster - 12-March-2017 at 4:03PM