Dash Removal? Now or later, doing the interior first Options

[Calwaterbear]

Ok guys,
I am taking everyones advise here, picking a particular piece for the project of getting the 72 back on the road. I chose to tackle the interior first - stripped it bare - except for the handbrake, how the heck do you get that thing off? and scraped and grinded and wire wheeled off all the interior rust.

Just finishing that part, have to pull the gas and clutch/brake pedals, then ospho up and prime the metal, paint it, then go with new carpet kit, new seat bottoms, and hopefully 914 rubbers new back stop firewall piece.

Obviously The heater / defroster tubes are rotten (I assume that those 2" vent tubes coming off both sides , and going into the dash.

so I would rather finish up project 1 - the interior rust removal and repaint, before i tackle another piece of the puzzle, but am I getting myself into a bind by not doing the dash at the same time?

any advise is appreciated
thanks

carl j
auberry Ca