tricks to taking apart cars

Well that's all fun and good, but a faster method is to use a hatchet to hack off the panels and then use putty to cover any damage caused.

Seriously though, there are a few different approaches:  Trial and error is probably the most common, but if you have some connections with any car dealers you can always get the book for whatever car you need. 

You could also do a couple of other things in case you wind up gutting an unfamiliar car out.  One is to use ziploc bags for the screws and bolts.  You can label them for the panel or area of the car you're working on.  This makes is easy to remember what goes where.  The other is to use a digital camera to take pictures as you go.  This makes it quick and easy to reference what you need.  You can also build your own library of cars for future use.

Of course I should point out that these two things aren't always necessary if you wind up doing something like a deck install, but can be quite valuable if you need to gut a car out.

Order some car audio crap you need anyway from crutchfield.com and add the installation master sheets for your car.  They'll include instructions and diagrams on every location you'll need to get at for doing a head unit / speaker install.  The two installs I've done have been using their sheets.  It's worth the $4 or whatever.

Kfr

Ravendrat...

OMG I got one hell of a laugh out of that one...

I came pretty close to that one some time ago. I damn near broke my dash apart to find that I only need to pull the ash tray down and get one last screw out. Hell if I take someones word for that again. Haahhaa good stuff man.

Take all advice but consider what you filter.