i am replacing the dash in my 89 formula, and i found one at the junkyard in a 83/84 firebird s/e, wondering if it would be the same dash, like underneath the gauges and stuff, would all the holes and such be the same? is there a difference, i need to know before i go there and spend all that time tearing it apart. thanks.

 

Me personally, I wouldn't do it. I know our dash is electronic, with no cables. just alot of plugs.

 

Are you referring to the entire dash, or just the dash PAD on top?

 

yea i dont think its the same, i went to the junk yard, ripped it half apart, and compared it to a pic i had of mine, and it was different. which sucks, so i'll have to search elsewhere.

 

there were at least 4 dash designs for 3rd gen firebirds. They are 82-84, 85-89, 90-92, and the digital dash. Aside from the digital dash, the changes aren't huge.Each "generation" of the dash does have their own unique trim pieces. The dash pads had two versions; 82-84 and 85-92. They are fully interchangable functionally... the only difference is a double trim edge on the early dashes with a more squared off look compared to the more smooth, rounded front edge on the 85-92 dash pad.

 

Yeah, 82-84 models were black and had that fake allen head screw design similar to the Camaros. Starting in '85 they were usually dark gray and they had a smoother looking design. Some of the '85 and '86 base Firebirds also didn't have a tachometer, they had lots of little idiot lights in the center.

 

Plenty of the 85 and up dashes were black also, but I believe you're right in that all 82-84 dashes were black. The models that had the lights instead of full instrumentation still had the same basic dash shell, just different wiring, instrument cluster, and instrument bezel/trim.