How to remove
 

'99 986 with a tray under the steering wheel ..not using it for anything and would like to remove it ... attachment hardware from below looks like a rivet head...does the entire dash have to come off ?

Not a common DIY, but has been done. You do not need to remove the whole dash, people have used a few methods. You can just yank the whole thing and hope for the best which seems to work well, you can drill out the rivets (safest), or you can try to pry the rivets apart with a screwdriver.
Good luck!

Just curious; why remove it? It's not exactly in the way of anything...won't free up any leg room.

uncertain where rick is getting his info from. there are two plastic fasteners that look similar to rivets but are not. take something pointy and push the centre in; the centre piece will become lost in your dashboard forever, but then you can just pull the body of the fastener out afterwards.

Got it from an old thread, I did see some mention of the method you describe, but only by one person. Remove for sleeker look?

Thanks for the removal advice

It just looks awkward to me ...not using it for anything...and yes occasionally I do hit it

It is for holding your owners manual folder and registration card . Easy and fast access when the Police pull you over.

Pull down gently but firmly, with increasing pressure, one side at a time. It'll pop off. FWIW, my Owners Manual won't fit in mine, so the thing was just sitting there.

Maybe even extra acceleration and sharper turn-in due to lower curb weight?! ;)