Cascade Crew

[bejitto101]

Hi, I'm new here. I live on the Kitsap Peninsula I was just curious if anyone here has done a 4th gen dash and console swap? I just bought a new dash and I wanted to know if there was anyone in the area that I could ask questions.

Much thanks!

[iansane]

I bought a dash from a member here a couple years ago with the intentions of swapping it into my bird but changed my mind. What kind of questions did you have?

And welcome to the site. Toss up a greeting in the Back Porch to tell everyone about yourself and car!

[Al Hasse]

Camaro or Firebird? Being on the peninsula, you may be close enough to me so I can help out over some weekends and still be home at night. I've not done it before, but given some wiring diagrams and such I'm sure we could figure it out.

-Al

[bejitto101]

I live in Brownsville, basically right out of Bremerton. I have an '89 Firebird 2.8l v6.

I was curious about a couple things. To make the dash fit, apparently you have to cut the dash pad, so I was wondering if anyone had experience with that. I don't want to completely butcher it. I also had questions about wiring obviously. With some model cars you need a Dakota digital box, while others you just need an electronic VSS. Then I might need help with matching wires.

I might also do an engine swap at the same time that way I don't have to re-do the wiring twice. But thats a whole different subject cause the engine I'm looking into isn't an easy install apparently.

[Dewey316]

It will all depend on what you car is. The year, and model will determine what wiring changes you need to make.

[Al Hasse]

Right down the road from me. I'm just up from Illahee State Park and off Trenton.

I think your speedometer is already electronic, so you probably don't need the Dakota Digital box, unless the speedometers use different pulse per mile counts. We've some members who have done the console swap - pretty much bolt in, but I haven't seen the dash done yet.

I have a Dakota Digital instrument panel in my 92 Camaro and had some fun with an installer to put it in - works great. If you by chance have a cable driven speedometer, I still have the converter (8000 pulse per mile) from Dakota Digital that I didn't need, probably need a converter box for that pulse count though.

[iansane]

Luckily the dashpad and dash are still separate on the 4thgens. From what I've seen, unless you have a template or the windshield out, the easiest way is to trim a little bit and see if it fits, then trim some more, etc.

As for the wiring. What year did the cluster come from? If it's the earlier style with the analog odometer is just a matter of looking at a wiring diagram for both your car and the the donor year car and matching wires. They should all match up aside from the minor ones like ABS light.

You have an electronic VSS so you won't need to worry about that, just the conversion box (dakota digital), which I actually might be selling mine here in a bit depending on if I can get my LS1 pcm to output the correct voltage.

Engine swap. What engine are you thinking of? There won't be much that you'd have to redo if you swap to another fuel injected motor. Most of the dash wiring and engine wiring are separate.

[bejitto101]

I was hoping to put something like this in: http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/pts/955483228.html The starter is on the wrong side and it'll need custom mounts, but it will hook up to the tranny, or so I'm told. So I think I can do it.

The dash came from a '96 bird, from looking at the console, most likely a 6spd Trans Am. All the wires were cut. It does have the analog odometer. I also heard that there's problem with making the hvac controls work. Anyone have any info on that?

[iansane]

The HVAC stuff is fun! I stopped looking at the swap stuff when people were getting that all situated out. There are a couple people on TGO that have done that stuff. I seem to remember using a different actuator cable and splicing the wiring over but not much else. Sorry.

That looks like a cool swap. I've seen a few of those motors come through our shop. What are you going to use to control it? Intake/exhaust manifolds? I can't imagine there would be a huge aftermarket for that motor though? What kind of power is available?

[bejitto101]

Yea, I've looked through TGO and haven't seen anything conclusive on that. Some people seem to have had to fabricate their own tubing to hook up the vents correctly. I have no idea how that would go about. Would I need to go to a body shop to get someone to do that for me? A lot of the people from TGO just skip the hvac all together and then use the vents for gauges. I think that's cool and all, but it gets cold here. Don't need the AC though. Note all the new snow...

As for the engine, it outputs 215hp and I would eventually turbo it. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_60-Degree_V6_engine#LQ1) As for manifolds, I'm not quite sure. To be perfectly honest, I'm new to cars, so I'm learning as I go along. I figured this is a good start. Better a v6 than a v8 for this car. I could always go with the 3.4l v6 from the 4th gens. They hook up easier from what I've been told. They only output 160hp though.

Concerning the dash cutting, would it be possible to make a template from my old dash? How would that go about? Also some people from TGO had them done by body shops, are there any in the area that be knowledgeable with this procedure?

With the wiring, almost everything will match up then? Other than the hvac that is. I don't need a dakota box or a new vss?

[aaron_sK]

You picked a fun one, that's for sure. Heater box is an easy fix. Wipers probably not so much. You'd need to find out what type of fuel pressure they require, and where the fuel rail connects to the line(s).

*Edit: Pic requires sign-in at TGO.