ponykiller

OK guys..there's alot of knowledge among you all.Let's put it to use and make a "shopping list" of junkyard parts.If it's on another vehicle and you know it'll work on a third gen let us all know what to look for.For example,I'll go ahead and get it out of the way,4th gen seats are a direct bolt in.And I think some s-10 parts work (like torque converters) but I'm not sure the years(one of you know I'm sure).

AlkyIROC

All GM seats are a direct bolt in. It's not the seats but the tracks that are different. Bolt any GM seat to the third gen tracks and they will work. The main difference in the seats is that Camaro and Firebird seats have a shoulder strap retainer in the headrest. I had a Pontiac Grand Prix bucket seat for a seat for a couple of years before buying a race bucket.

Many GM parts are interchangable. It could take years to make an actual list.

Cronic3rd

Here's one - Any GM 8 cyl engine. ; )

PonchoTA

They already have one.

Any GOOD salvage yard will have the "Hollander's Interchange Manual" and it cross-references every part that will change over to another. Can't miss it, it's about 6 inches thick (or so), usually has lots of greasy thumbprints all over it, but very easy to use.

Very expensive too, don't expect to borrow it!!

hth

ponykiller

I feel the need to clarify.I was thinking about a list of parts that can be used for better appearance or performance.What make and model has the better heads or whatnot.I didn't mean such-n-such broke so I need another, I meant mods.

Ward

iTrader: (1)

Any (as far as I know GM steering wheel will interchange. My steering wheel came from an 80s grand prix, and is identical to the one my friend's 89 firebird came with stock. Also, *most* GM seats will interchange. This is true for front bucket seats, but as far as bench seats or rear seats it is not. Also, just because you can bolt front buckets from pretty much any GM passenger car to your seat tracks doesnt mean they will actually fit in the car. Some seats are wider than ours and will not fit between the console and the door. For example cutlass front buckets; I found a really nice leather pair at the junkyard, but after some simple measurements, I discovered that they were too wide to put in my car

RB83L69

Good idea.

Start one. Tell us what all you've found so far. Then you'll see right away why there isn't one yet.

Cronic3rd

Actually a junk yard interchange for various parts might not be a bae idear of something on the site.

Ward

iTrader: (1)

Another thing I just thought of. Windshield wiper motors appear to be the same, as long as they are from around the same year GM passenger car. There are either 2 or 3 different style wiper motors used in thirdgens. Mine is the early style, with 3 different plugs for it. When it died, I went to the junkyard only to find no 83 firebirds with good wiper motors, so I started looking at other 83-ish GM cars. I found what I needed on an 83-ish caddillac. For the wiper motor to work correctly it has to be A.) close to or the same year as your car, and B.)The same option wiper motor, I.E. delay wipers or no delay. This can easily be determined by simply looking at the turn signal lever. If it just has Hi and Lo, then its not delay. If it has Hi, Lo, and a big gap inbetween the 2 speeds, then its delay.

Im not absolutely sure, but I beleive cruise control units from around the same year car as needed would interchange. I have never looked really hard at them, but they look the same at a glance.

Many GM passenger car automatic shifter handles will interchange. Mine came from a 80s cavalier. It not the same as any that came in thirdgens, but I like it better. It actually matches my steering wheel better than the stock one. Grand Pirix's, Cavaliers, Sunfires, Grand Ams, are a few that I have seen that will interchange, but I am sure others will.

All 82-92 Camaro/firebird steering colums should interchange. My column is from an 89-ish RS camaro. I put my old ignition cylinder in it, a steering wheel from a Grand Prix (as mentioned earlier), a turn signal lever from an early 90s cavalier (i think, i dont remember exactly) because this one looked mint, the letters were not worn off. I just got all the parts I needed, and put the wheel/turn signal lever on the colum while still in the junkyard, and just bought it all as one piece. I have $33 for it :P I am not exactly sure what you would do about air bags, though, but I'm sure theres a way to hook it up, since the bag is in the steering wheel, the column is still the same.

My front seats cam from an 80s grand am GT that was extremely optioned out. They are exactly the same as GTA seats, except that they do not have the loop on the headrest for the shoulder belts. I searched in every pontiac car, and it appears that Grand Ams with many options (power everything, etc) got them. I gave $35 per seat, and they are power lumbar and side bolster support. i even hooked them up in my car, it was pretty easy :P

Thats all I can think of for now, although I'm sure I will think of more later :P My car is probably around 60-70 percent junkyard parts

Ward

iTrader: (1)

Heres my cavalier shifter ****. You can kinda see the contoured front, its very comfortable. Hehe, also you can see my home made shifter boot. I know, my car's dirty, i need to vacuum the ashes out :P Also, you can kinda see my 'GTA' seats. They are tan in color and don't maych my brown interior, but my original seats were so uncomfortable I couldnt bear sitting in them any more.

Ward

iTrader: (1)

This one shows the shifter **** against the steering wheel. The picture doesn't do it much justice, it really is almost a perfect match for the steering wheel. BTW, that its the steering wheel which came from a grand prix. For anyone thats curious, I have an 85-92 dash and center console in my 83, and I am using the stock 83 gauge cluster with no problems, it fits right in.

bradkeith

Ward, lol I have the exact same steering wheel in my formula. I love the pontiac lettering on it.

Ward

iTrader: (1)

Hehe just goes the show the true meaning of 'GM Parts Bin' - I even saw a couple of well optioned grand prix's with leather wrapped ones, but none were in ver ygood shape.

I just thought of another interchange item. All GM rearview mirrors will bolt in place of each other. They simply slide over a metal tab which is glued to the windshield, then you tighten a set screw to hold them there. My stock rearview was all sun faded, so i put in a rearview from a late 80s caddillac with the 2 map lights in it. It is the exact same rearview my friend's 89 firebird came with stock. I ran the wires for it above the headliner, down the drivers side A-pillar (nehind the plastic of course), and to the radio power/ground. I didnt bother trying to wire it up so it comes on when a door is open, so i just left the third wire on it disconnected. If anyone wants a pic, let me know, ill post it.


Man, my car really is all junk yard parts. :P

86BirdSE

I'm a Fiero enthusiast as well, and I've used somethings backwards like....

3 spoke steering wheel for a Fiero from a firebird.

I'm looking at my Fiero Seats for my bird currently... I like the support in them better than my bird seats.

Headlight switches and dimmers in the fieros are the same.

Fiero V6 fuel injectors are 15lb rated... I think better than the 3rd gen v6's?

fuses and flashers are damn near universal across the board for GM

Truck Air cleaner mod (in my signature)

Any MAP sensor, and coolant temp sensor p to the early 90's

ignition modules and coils for 6 and 8 cylinder cars (w/distrubutors) are the same

all I can think of for the time being...