Tonyrodz

I was working hard today--I swapped out my 86 dash setup for the 91-92 style. Obviously there are some slight differeances. Can anyone post a pic for me of the 92 setup? I have to try to figure out where to put my aldl and and the fues panel. I saw where the courtesy center goes on the 92--but where does the other stuff go?
Can't wait til this baby is done!

pennylessz28

I plan on doing this pretty soon, have you managed to hook up the elctro dash to your cable driven setup?

Tonyrodz

The 86 T/A already has the electric impulse speedo setup(forgot to mention it was a T/A) So far all I had to do was rewire the electric hatch release--don't have defog-and I still have to rewire the fogs--no biggie there. Also had to lengthen one connection for the headlight switch.
I really like the switch and bolster setup on the 91-92's--that's why I'm doing the swap.
i think if you want to do your conversion(you have a camaro, right?)you'll probably have to get a complete donor car and grab all the wiring and related items--not as hard as it sounds.

Bill Krumel

TonyRodz I have been posting everywhere trying to get someone to tell me how do the swap from a cable drive to the new electronic. I decided to switch to the 91-92 dash setup because the 83-90 plastic dashes are constructed very poor. I replace my cracked on and by the time I got it in the damn thing cracked. I was SO mad. Then I turned the tires over one day and the damn thing crackes more..

Anyways any info you have would be greatly appreciated. I guess my maing concern is trying to figure out how much a PITA it is before I tear into it. I have a friend that is an Electronics specialist at the local chevy dealer.. He was concerned if its possible to hook the new setup to the transmission and remove the old gear that was for the cable driven???

pennylessz28 you are giving up on the 4th gen interior????

Tonyrodz

Well-again I'm assuming you have a Camaro--am I right?
As I stated before-I think the easiest thing would be to find a complete donor car in the year that you'd want(for the swap).
hopefully this isn't your only car. You'll have to start to completely disassembling your car. I started w/my 89 Formula that was totaled in a rearended collision--car had a great drivetrain in it. I was able to get an 86 T/A for the body--had a blown motor and ratty interior. Before I started this project I didn't really know these cars as well as I do now! I sure learned alot.
Now--the 86 had the 9th injector and the 89 was the 1st year that didn't--the drivetrains were swapped using the 86 harness(w/the 89 drivetrain)car ran like crap! That's how it all started. I had to completely re-wire the entire car--which really isn't that bad. That's what you're going to have to do w/your car--to get your desired results. The car will have to be completely gutted and the dash dropped. Make sure you label EVERYTHING--and if possible take plenty of pics to help w/the process. Make sure that you're up to the task--and do it right!! Try not to splice anything--that might set you up for problems later on. Also-if you can--if your car is tbi, try to get a 91-92 tbi car--it'll save you alot of headaches. On both of my swaps I was lucky--both cars were tpi and both had the electronic type speedo cluster--so not much to worry about there.
I hope I made a little sense.
If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.
I'll be posting pics whenever my swap is done.

Tonyrodz

Ok-I was buttoning up my dash project today--and I was putting the padded bolster on(under the steering column)-it didn't fit!!
I think I got it from a Camaro--is there a differance between the birds and camaros? does anyone have a pic of that area they can share w/me? I really need to finish this up.
also--where does the aldl go??

Tonyrodz

Anybody??

CHCKLS

www.jagsthatrun.com has an adpater that screws in place of the cable on the tranny but converts it to an elcetric 4000 pulse signal. Its about $55 I think when I got it from 2 years ago when I did an 89 to 92 dash swap.

Tonyrodz

bttt

Hulk0202

The grass is always greener........

Tonyrodz

no it isn't!

Tonyrodz

I can't believe no one has a pic!!

Tonyrodz

hello? I still need a pic of the setup.

Tonyrodz

bringing it back--anybody has that pic yet?
Als-there's a small metal thing w/heat sink fins on it underneath the column--would this have anything to do w/the car not starting?

deadbird

I really doubt the 'bird and camaro dash parts can interchange. This probably helps none but the p/n for the bird is 10193373 and the camaro is 10193370. Also, here is a (crappy) pic of the part on my 91 camaro.... if yours matches this, then you probably have the wrong part....

Freeze

Yes, the Firebird part looks different. Maybe I can get a good pic tomorrow..

MrDude_1

this is just a idea, but...


instead of using a cable drive converter box for the VSS, why dont you just get a VSS from a 90-92 camaro or a elec speedo 'bird and plug that into the tranny..


then you only need to run the wires, and not spend hundereds on a converter box...

Tonyrodz

Yep--the pads are different. I bought a Camaro pad by mistake--doesn't fit right.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Not to bring this back but.. looking at my car. and looking at a '91 parts bird. can't you just pull the harness back and swap the whole dash??

Use the existing harness??

Or would you unplug the harness from the firewall?? i'd think you'd have to get the exact same deal (i.e tpi - tpi) else youd have pinout differences..

-- Joe

onebinky

iTrader: (1)

I did a 92 camaro dash swap into an 85 camaro with a 91 firebird harness. All I have to say is schematics schematics schematics

The framework is different between the firebird dash, old camaro dash, and newer camaro dash. I ziptied the ALDL up under the pad on the driver's side, did the same with the fusebox and convenience center. As long as it is out of the way and completely immobilized it'll be fine. There really isn't much framework to screw the stuff to. For the frame, I used the 92 dash's and modified it to hug the firewall. If you don't trim back certain parts of it it will stick out about 1.5" at the bottom.

And like the other guys said, the pads are different between the birds and camaro's.

To bad I didn't see this when you first posted it, I finished my GF's about a month before your post

And yes, you can use the stock VSS as long as it is a stock guage pod. If it's aftermarket, you have to find out how many PPM's the speedo will be looking for or the reading will be inaccurate.

Matt

onebinky

iTrader: (1)

and to answer your question, it will be cut and splice. The dash harness comes from the engine bay, the ECM, and the light harness that attaches to the huge plug on the drivers side firewall. The pinouts, wiring, relays, and switches changed ALOT through the years so many of the wires will be different.

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Soo.. it would be better to completly pull out the harness in the dash from the car (1989 firebird) and use it and the gauges/column.. Then put the '91 firebird dash in, and reconnect everything.. Only stuff that might need splicing is the hatch release connector right??

I have a '92 Z28 dash that I really dig to, but I don't know if I feel like splicing all the gauges and dash lights.. I do like the Z28 dash better though.


-- Joe

onebinky

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, get all the wires and everything. It will make it alot easier, but you will still have to do some splicing. The big stuff I had to do was the guage pod plugs, the headlight switch harness, and the harness that goes to the rear of the car (for tail lamps).

anesthes

iTrader: (12)

Hrmm.. maybe I need to look at it closer.. I figured, dash is dash. If I pulled my '89 harness and gages, to swap the '91 dash all the electronics should go back in.

Guess the headlight switch is different eh??

-- Joe