Ah god I remember that sight!
Leave the
HVAC controls screwed in, grab a pair of stilsons and a towel. Wrap the towel around each of the dials (individually...), and set the stilsons around them. Jiggle them side to side and pull at the same time. It'll come off alright. To get the idea, do the fan speed knob first, it's the easiest one to get off. The other ones are a bugger. Then after that, take the cables out the back and she slides out! Good luck!