I came across a basically free dash out of a 97 Z28 which is the LS1 style dash as well as a set of leather seats from the same car. The seats are tan but I know a guy that can die them gray for me to match my interior.

The seats are the easy part. This dash will be a winter project for me. I've seen it done really good here. A few questions I have off the top of my head:

1- can I use the stock third gen column?

2- what exactly is needed to physically bolt the dash in the car?

3- without doing door panels, I'll need to figure out what to do with the window switches, what has everyone else done?

4- with my car having an LSx engine swap, will the wiring be different for me than someone putting this dash in a stock third gen? What needs to be done with the wiring anyways?

 

Yes u can use the 3rd gen column. Brackets on either side of the car need to be modified to get it to fit correctly.. tpiterror did a great write up on this I believe. I would talk to pocket about the wiring. And the center console bolts right in place.. I personally think the t/a dash looks so much better in our cars but free is free..

 

I'm in contact with both of them but pocket hasn't done a dash swap before so he's not too sure on it.


A big concern I have is, on my engine swap harness, I'm utilizing the stock third gen fuse block under the dash. Would I lose any circuits or potentially over work a circuit swapping to the fuse block on the side of the fourth gen dash? Fourth gens have a second block under the hood so I'm not sure what is missing there with me using my stock one. I suppose I could try to figure out a way to reuse the thirdgen one and locate it somewhere behind the dash.

 

Just an update on this. I came up with a pretty easy way to do the dash swap and minimize down time on my car. I'm getting a stripped out shell of an '88 Camaro and I'm going to put it in the garage next to my car and use it for mockup so I can still enjoy the convertible this summer.

I got the dash out of the donor car today also, along with the T56 center console. Tomorrow I'm going to take all the ducting out and will bring it all over to the garage. A friend of mine's dad is possibly going to help me wire it up.


Question of the day: How do you wire up the VATS in the car? The LSx side of VATS is disabled in the ECM on my engine swap, but the passkey box and the chipped key in the column are still functioning. Any idea how this will integrate into the dash swap? Even if it doesn't integrate, I want to make sure the car will start when I'm done with the dash swap.

 

Very legit! Do u have any more pictures ?

 

Not really right now since I haven't really started the swap. I do have a picture of the 30th Anniversary car the dash and console came out of, as well as the tan leather seats that I got for free and am having changed to Dove Grey leather to match my interior.


I'll have to post them later though since my internet connection right now is blowing chunks.

 

The tan interior in my brothers 97 convertible is being swapped out for black with white houndstooth seats from the 97 donor car where my dash came from, and the tan seats are going to be grey:

 

For those that have done this swap and retained the use of your heat and a/c, when you made a hybrid for the duct work, did you use any of the 4th gen squirrel cage / heater box? On a 4th gen, this stuff is inside the car as opposed to a 3rd gen where it is under the hood of the car. I wasn't sure if I should pull what's left in the car or leave it when I crush the car.




Also, should I be pulling out the power window/locks mini harness or can I splice in these features from the 3rd gen interior harness?

 

The module on the tranny tunnel in the bottom pic is the RAP (retained accessory power) module, and it's worth wiring in. It provides 8 minutes of power to the stereo and power window circuit after the key is turned off, or until one of the doors is opened.

 

Cant wait to see the dash in the car. Mine had one in it from te previous owner but swapped it back when I bought it off of him

 

I can't wait either! It will be nice to have cup holders for once! Haha

 

LOL that would be nice for sure as I keep getting bottles of whatever and shoving them between the door and seat on the floor

 

cup holders!!!!!! lol

 

How is the swap coming alone ? Hey on your grille what mesh did u use or where did u get it. Did you just wrap that metal mesh around your grille and then paint over.