I've seen alot of threads related to this topic, which is where I got all my "how-to" info, but they all seemed to be over a year old. So I figured I'd post my own to see what kind of response I may get. Good, bad or indifferent, let me know. The lights and HVAC are both wired up and working, but not the instrument cluster (yet). Also I got to trim and modify the a-pillar molding and the dash pad before installing them and make another trip to the junkyard for a 4th-gen shifter, HVAC vacuum lines, and a HVAC cable. Till then does anybody know where I can get my hands on a Z-28 instrument cluster with a non-digital odometer/trip for a good price?

 

I've got a cluster from a 93 Z28 with a mechanical odo/trip that i'll let go

PM me if you want it

 

Aren't the 93-97 dashes a little different from the 98-02?

 

yes the camaro clusters are different from 93-96. you will need a 97 camaro cluster or a 93-97 trans am/formula cluster i have an 93 formula cluster but its only a 120mph speedo.

 

Thanx Diztrubed but like the others said the 97-02 is different than the 93-96. Here is a before, during and after of the project.
before, during & after

 

whhat is that glove box looking item in the dash in the before photo? ive never seen one of those before. is it a factory option, dealer option, or aftermarket? Looks kinda neat.

 

It is in fact a glove box. I ordered it from Classic Industries (out of California) many years ago. I found it in their catalog and had to have it. It mounts using the screws that hold the dash pad down and is texted to match the dash and interior. I just removed my Z-28 emblem, shaved the backside smooth, figured out the placement, and glued it on. Afterwards I didn't like the gap between it and the driver's side so I removed my 12disc changer from the trunk area and it fit pretty nicely.

 

do you have any coments on how to get the wiring and ac controls to work. i am getting ready to do this soon

 

yeah, research, research, research, research.
i sat for a few good hours sifting through info on screw locations, different mounting modifications, wiring pinout diagrams (both 91 & 97), and different ways to make the HVAC work properly. also many hours of sitting in the car with the original parts out just looking at it and thinking of different factors. as for the HVAC i cut off the 3rdgen mounting area of the heater box and fiberglassed it to the 4thgen, cut the 4thgen heaterbox some, and hammered the firewall alittle. once i get my scanner working, i can send you what i got if you want. i see you got a 92, what year dash are you installing?

 

i am using a 95 dash, i have been looking for some info on the swap and there isnt much on the wiring. and also what about the fuse box???? and if you could i would like to get the stuff you have. ssean72@yahoo.com

 

IIRC, the 97 Camaro cluster is the only one that is analog (odo is still digital), the 98-02 Camaro/Firebird clusters are all serial data for most of the instrumentation.
If you want an analog Odometer, you will need to use a cluster from a 93-96 Firebird Trans Am/Formula.
The firebird dash and clusters stayed the same size and shape from 93-02.

 

Wasn't there a change halfway through 97 for the camaro clusters? The first half were analog odometers, the 2nd half were digital odometers. I found pics of the 97 V6 camaro gauges with both odometers but couldn't find any of the 97 V8 camaro with analog.

 

I concur, I have a 97 z28, the speedo heads were half and half, late production got the digital. It`s usually the other way around, everyone is looking for the digital, not the rolodex.

 

ssean92: here are some diagrams that got me started. i got them off of the following link; http://shbox.com/1/schematics_wiring.html
couldn't find a pinout for a 97 so i made a trip to the local chevy dealer and the guy printed out 1 or a 97 v6 and 1 for a 97 v8. turned out to be the exact same diagram with a different name.

as for the rolodex type, i just wanted this type because i rebuilt, bore and stroked my 350 out to a 383 about 300-400 miles ago and am planning to reset the odometer to reflect this. at first i didn't even know any of the 97's had them till i found my donor car in the junk yard with everything intact.

 

thanks again for the info, and i replied to your e-mail

 

i got mine at tacreationsusa.com $150 I needed one for a 97 155mph digital odometer that was the only year that would work with the L98. 93-97 firebird clusters would work but i like the camaro one.

 

I got my 97 camaro cluster for $35 shipped off of ebay. Been trying to sell my 97 trans am cluster(with digital odometer) for $85 shipped for a year and nobody's wanted it.

 

Finally! I've seen countless threads of fourth gen dashes put in, and none of them were finished. Yours my friend is top notch. Thanks for posting that up!

 

thanks it looks so good in there!!!

 

Finally got a chance to install the 4thgen shifter and get some daylight pictures. still need to cut the dash pad and a-pillars, and install a radio, but since i've recently lost 3rd and 4th gear finding a t-56 takes priority.
hey d10pins, i got a 120 v6 camaro cluster and as i expected the tach is way off. if i ordered one from the same guys you did would they set the miles to what ever you wanted or do they come at 0 miles? also, will the 155 speedo cluster's tach work properly w/o any modifications to the wiring?

 

Did you guys use the 3rd or 4th gen body harness? I started off thinking i would use the 3rd gen and just modify the instrument cluster connetor but then from what i have read about the HVAC controls, is it easier to use the 4th gen body harness and modify the other connectors?

Oh, i have a 97 digital dash going in a 92.

Cheers,
Richard.

 

When I pulled my dash and console out of the junkyard car I just made sure that I cut an extra six inches of wire (or as much as I could get) with the connector off the back of every switch or connector to be able to splice it into my harness to include the HVAC. As for the HVAC and heater box I cut the mounting surface of the 3rd gen and fiberglassed to the 4th gen heater box so the extra blend mode and cold to hot cable wasn't an issue.

 

So you used the 3rd gen body harness and spliced the 4th gen switches and controls into it? Do you have any construction pics of what you did with the heater box?

Cheers,
Richard.

 

Yes that is exactly what I did and sorry but no pics at this time. But I gotta pull it all back out at some point to hook up my heater core. That was my biggest task but even figured out a way to use the 4th gen heater core. Seems like a good thing to do today, may have pics later tonight. If so I'll post em'

OK I got it all out fairly quickly (pretty easy to pull out after the first dozen times) and started the holes for the heater core. Burnt up my drill the other week on another project so had to cut em out with my pocket knife. Got em all cut out and figured out I needed more clamps and some elbows, that is when it started raining on me. It anin't pretty but when completely installed it can't be seen and the air flow is almost twice as hard from before, here are some pics.

 

OK, maybe i am dumb but.. tell me what am i looking at in those pics? Is that the peice of thirdgen air ducting that bolts to the firewall with the 4th gen front grafted to it or is it the 4th gen peice that bolts to the firewall with the 3rd gen rear parts grafted to it?

Are you using 3rd or 4th gen heater core?

 

I have a 94 ta cluster if you still need one. It's missing the lense but otherwise is mint and it only has around 7k on it. If you want it pm me. I would let it go for 50 shipped.
lmk,
Kory

 

I agree it is alittle hard to figure out unless you've actually do it and have stared at both air boxes for a few hours. But what I did is cut the mounting portion of the 3rd gen air box off and my cuts were countured like the mounting surface of the 4th gen. Then I fiberglassed the two together and being that i'm not a pro with the glass I used marine grade selant for the smaller holes. hope this helps

 

I think I am going to use the 92 stuff and just make a plate to adapted it to the 95 dash. I will let you guys know how it turns out.

 

Not to change the subject but has anyone used Corbeau seats? The stock seats in my `88 Iroc are so uncomfortable, I can`t drive it until I replace them. I have heard that 4th gen seats are a direct fit but are they more comfortable that stock? Do they go back any farther than the stock seats? Also looking to replace dash and console.

 

I think I am going to try this. I thought I could use the 3rd gen controls but they wont reach were they ate mounted on a 95. They mount highter then the 97. I just need to find the firewall box out of a 96.

 

any updates??!! man this looks good imma get started on the hvac set up .. gimme a heads up ..
imlost right now .

 

what all schematics and diagrams will i need to do this swap?

 

Looks awesome!!! Who wants to come do mine??? LOL