After looking at the tool used in the DIY section, I found the perfect tool which popped the clip on the inside of the gauge cover in about 10 seconds of fiddling.
It is a screw hook for mounting on a pegboard, wall, etc which I got at home-depot for 50 cents.
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To prevent damage to the dash - I first pryed up the back of the cover with my finger and then slipped a piece of coated wire hangar under it to create a gap. Then I inserted the hook end of the 'tool' horizontally through the gap, slit it towards me, rotated the hook part vertically so it fit right behind the tab in the cover and with a slight pull on the top of the cover it popped right off.
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There is some of that black fabric tape covering the gap which I only slightly ripped - it is probably there just to keep dust out.
Thanks to ryan0 who wrote the original DIY using a real hook type tool.
Hope this helps someone if so hook it up with some reps.
