So I've been getting a clunk from somewhere behind the glovebox for the past while, and after furiously emptying the glovebox and all compartments to try to isolate the noise while driving, I finally figured out the problem.

I took the glove box mostly off (remove bumpers on both sides, unhook the pistin/hook on right side). If you find the metal latch hook/ring at the very top with the glove box open, I followed it back to where it connects to the car. There was an empty screw hole for the only screw thats supposed to hole this metal bracket in place!! I looked high and low for the missing 'phantom screw' but it wasn't anywhere to be found. So then I went looking for a screw I could use for the time being from elsewhere under the dash area. I found FIVE empty screw/bolt holes and NO screws/bolts to go in them! They all looked to previously have had screws or bolts in them - there were tell-tale marks/scratches where a washer was torqued into place.

So either my car was built late on a Friday and they worked themselves loose and disappeared (maybe this explains my original engine...? see sig), or somehow these were physically removed by someone at some point, and never put back into place.

Stupid f'n car! Argh!

Time to go find a few replacements and fasten everything back down. Maybe its no wonder my dash has a fairly severe rattle/shake when I release the clutch no matter how smoothly I do it. This would explain a lot of the noises in an otherwise solidly-built car to this point!

 

Ha. At least you found the answer to your rattling problem....hopefully. However, it is a bit unsettling to see parts missing.