I'm looking into doing the 4thgen dash swap on this car, like my last one. This time, though, I want to make everything functional. This includes guages, steering wheel controls, A/C, you name it. Has it been done? I'm wondering what's involved now, so I can prepare as much as possible while I wait to get out of Korea on leave. I'm not sure what my interior will look like with a late 4thgen dash and cherry red color, but I'll try to make it tasteful. Anyway, anyone have any insight on what's involved to make everything work? Since '93 models have more of a 'stand-alone' system than any other, I was also considering grafting a BCM into the car and using it to control dome lights and airbags. If they're there, why not use 'em? I had an old post on here about getting ABS to work on a thirdgen, which I did, so I know it's possible. I was also considering using a complete body and wiring harness from a '97 model car with a 4thgen rear to make the swap work more completely...but I dont have an LT1 powertrain; and that year's PCM cooperates with the BCM and EBCM, and that's the only year an LT1 car had the newest Z dash. Any other ideas to make the swap work more completely would also be great!

The easiest way might be to use a 97+ Z dash as only the housing and using a 93-96 T/A dash for the wiring, BCM, and Cluster to get everything to work easier without having to use the PCM.

I was told that the some of the gauges in the 97+ Camaro cluster uses serial data for them to operate, which is going to be a pain for me since I prefer the Z cluster and that is what I have in my 95 Formula dash.

Do you have more pictures of your dash setup? I considered using a T/A dash with Chevy guts, since I prefer the cluster ad other parts to the T/A, but the T/A has those nice little holes in the dash for guages =D ...

I thought about that too, just modifying my existing dash harness and using the newer dash as a 'frame', but would't it be nice to have things nobody else has like residual accessory power?

manny, or anyone else that knows, did u have to cut some off the dash? i can barely reach the end (near the windsheild) in my camaro. and they dash in a third gen is only about 14inchs. i see in your pic that it ends at the top of the passanger airbag so i assume u cut it?

Someday I want my interior to look just like it did in my old car..Someday.

But, I'm only gonna attempt it if someone figures out of how to make EVERYTHING functional, besides airbags. HVAC and guages. And writes a very detailed tech article (cutting, filling the windshield gap, frame needed, etc.) When that happens, I'll start looking for a dash...

Oh, by the way, that dash was DEF. deeper than any 3rd gen dash. I could barely reach the windshield...

Dash isn't really deeper, there is just a dash pad that covers the dash and the cowl. Firewall is in the same location, but on a 4th gen there is a cowl overhang that the windshield sits on, that is why 1/3 of the engine is covered in the engine bay.
the dash pad just needs to have 2/3rd's of it cut off.

What's a decent price to pick up a dash for? And what would I need to do the swap Is it just the plastic part of the dash itself, or do I need the whole frame?

whats wrong with the thirdgen dash

i say keep your dash and put that money where it belongs, under the hood.

just my $.02

I can get you a 98Z dash and leather door panels for $450.

I remember reading somewhere that you had (I think it was you) a 4th gen dash in your car already set up and cut for a 3rg gen...Is that this dash? I also remember you saying you wanted to put a third gen dash back in, if you need one I have a mint 91 Z dash from my car, maybe we can work something out...

zeph, i'll buy that off you if you put it in for me

i'm just along for the ride

Anyone figure out how to bolt the door panels up? And another thing, you don't really need any wiring from the fourth gen, right? Just the plastic dash, and gauge cluster, right?

No. Most people seem to be doing fine with the thirdgen wiring harness; just splice in the connectors for the cluster and other small things and bolt the dash up. I wanted to use the 4thgen wiring harness to take advantage of residual accessory power and other newer features available on the 4thgen. I'm considering buying a used LT1 and an LT4 top end right now...that would make a body harness swap alot more feasable for me!

I want to know that too

Nope, this is a different dash that a friend picked up.
My 4th gen dash is in my 86 and it is going to stay in there.

zepher i looked up some of your older post how long have you been working on that conversion and from what i read it doesnt look like you have gotten very far from your last couple threads

I haven't touched the dash conversion in a couple of months. I just put it in and that was that. Need to get rolling with it.

Oh, and that dash I can get is from a 97 Z28, not a 98+. Dash is the same though.

DAMN ZEPHER!!! look at all the wires.. good lord.. i would hate to sort through all that mess


im with the other guy, i'll wait till someone perfects a wireing kit and then make the switch. (and if that never happends oh well)


i wish someone would make a wireing kit.. they might make alot of money doing it. (hint hint)

i like the effort you put in your car to put in that dash, but i would think the 93-96 4th gen dashes would match more with the exterior because they arnt *** round and curvy but still nice dash

that is an idea. I'll look into making one.

That would be awesome. Actually, if you could just make a list of what wire came from what on the thirdgen, and what color wire it matched up with on the 4th gen's cluster, that would be just as good...

the wiring isnt that bad if you have a car that uses the vss system. I am digging into mine and the wiring is nothing like the lt1 wiring. I am just trying to get the duct to work