The Car is a 1989 firebird which should have come with an electronic speedo but the t5 is from an 84 camaro with the mechanical speedo cable. From what I've read I have to swap the speedo gear to a vss one to work with the factory speedometer. Would it be easier to change the guage to an older one or get an aftermarket speedometer than have to mess with swapping the piece off of the t5?

 

No.

 

Given that "mess with swapping the piece off of the t5" consists of one screw and popping the thing out, takes literally about 5 seconds if you're slow like me (you can probably do it quicker), it's hard to see how ANYTHING short of voice command could be any easier.

 

So it's just the actual fitting that I would need to replace and not the gear inside? Anyone happen to have part numbers
The car is converted to a all mechanical carb setup if it makes a difference. Not sure if I still have the vss box in off of the top of my head.

 

That depends. Specifically, on the gear inside.

Different rear end gear ratios require different speedometer gear ratios as well. Bear in mind, you're working on AN ANTIQUE: think back to what your smartphone looked like back in 1989. Back then, you got a cable that turned at 1000 revolutions per mile, or you got (in an electronic speedo) a pulse generator that produced either 2 or 4 pulses per revolution, and turned at 1000 revolutions per mile; and then you got a mechanical gear train that drove the rotating part 1000 revolutions per mile. It was impractical at that technology level to create a DRAC or equivalent.

So yeah, you might have to replace the gear inside, if it doesn't match the requirements of the rear gear ratio of the car you're putting it into.

Yes you will have to have the VSS buffer box, and/or whatever other electronic parts & pieces the Firebirds needed to make the speedo work. "Carb" really doesn't have anything to do with it AFAIK.

If the gears match, and all that other stuff (the details of which I'm not sure of because I avoid Firebirds) isn't hacked off of the car, or the wiring all hacked up, then it's one screw and you're done.

 

So if the vss had been disconnected would it be as simple as swapping the guage cluster out for an older one with the mechanical speedometer?
Also out of curiosity why do you avoid firebird's? I figured the thirdgens were the same as the camaros.

 

Possibly; don't know about the Birds though. Like, whether that sort of thing (dash clusters) is interchangeable over the course of the years.

Coupla reasons, but I doubt you want me to list em. Prolly start a HUGE flame war. Some other time maybe.