swapping dashboards

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swapping dashboards

Postby monzacoupe » Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:29 pm

Hi! I`m in the process of swapping dashes from the parts car I got awhile ago to my car. The parts dash is un-molested with a working am-fm cassette, thats why I`m swapping them. The instrument gauges on the cars are not the same. Mine has tach, voltmeter, oil pressure gauges where the donor doesn t. How do I wire these up to the donor dash . Can I take the circuit board from my car and swap that to the donor or is there a better way

Rick
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby spencerforhire » Tue Aug 12, 2014 6:43 am

If the printed circuit from your original full gauge package dash will fit the plastic of the new dash AND the mounting holes for all the gauges line up it can be done easily.
If you can physically fit the old gauges into the new dash but the printed circuit does not, then you could possibly hard wire the gauges if you carefully follow the original paths on the circuit.
If nothing fits, I guess you could cut the back out of the instrument area of one dash and glue it into the other.
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07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
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and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby monzacoupe » Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:37 am

Thanks Spenser! I'll give the boards a close look and give that a try.

Rick
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby my79monza » Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:07 pm

The two dashes, the one with gauges and the one with the idiot lights are completely different so only the speedo transfers.
Won't the radio just switch rather than try to mess with the gauges ?
Merle
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby monzacoupe » Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:52 pm

My dash has a large rectangle cut out for an aftermarket radio and a random hole cut out of the panel beside the heater controls AND a hole beside the rear defrost switch for a manual choke the the P.O, put in. The donor dash is uncut as I`ve said. I`ve had a look and I think i will give it a shot to modify the donor dash to accept the gauges.

Rick
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby my79monza » Tue Aug 19, 2014 9:30 pm

No way you can easily modify the dash to make the gauges work,
BUT, I just happen to have two NOS dash panels for gauges.
They are basic black and will need to be repainted to match your color.
You still got my email address from when I bought the seat belts?

Merle
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby monzacoupe » Wed Aug 20, 2014 11:18 pm

Merle, I've got an idea that I think will work. Rotary tool to cut out the area around the guages(the area behind the bezel) then sand the cut to get a smooth edge, then glue it on to the entact dash. It'll take some time but should work, I think.

Rick

p.s. How much would you want for the dash in case I screw up? :D
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby monzacoupe » Thu Mar 19, 2015 4:42 pm

I'm finally putting the dashboard back in and having a great time!!! Does anyone recognize this wiring clip? Behind the left side of the dash. Can't remember if it was plugged in before I started removing the dash last fall. My memory tells me that it wasn't and I can't find anywhere in the dash to plug it into.

Rick
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby zzip » Thu Mar 19, 2015 5:42 pm

Hi Rick,

that wiring clip go into the printed circuit .

Grtz

Peter from Antwerp
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby cosvega76 » Fri Mar 20, 2015 7:51 am

Rick,

That's the connector for the steering column harness.


Chuck
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby spencerforhire » Fri Mar 20, 2015 10:15 am

It doesn't look to be the right kind of connector for the cluster printed circuit; it's the right type to be either the steering column harness or the rear body harness(tail lights, etc.). My guess is the latter. Kind of hard to tell from a small, fuzzy pic.
The "fleet"-
72 Vega HB Drag Car -383/'Glide/9"(9.35@146.19)(5.94@117.28 1/8th)
77 Vega Estate wagon- project(someday)will have TPI305/T-5, S-10 spindles/axles
76 Vega GT- 400/4spd/9" retired from active duty(rusty)
06 Silverado 2WD ex.cab daily
03 Silverado 2WD ex.cab (retired)
06 Haulin' 20ft enclosed car transporter
06 GMC Canyon Shop truck
07 Colorado project( 5.3 4L60e swap)
99 Saturn SL1- wife's car
01 Saturn SC2- son's project
07 Saturn Ion Redline project
and 4 more Saturn "parts cars"
Note- the very act of listing all of these has made me realize I have some kind of problem.....

Visit http://www.spencerforhire.ca
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby TimMcCabe » Fri Mar 20, 2015 11:54 am

Looks like the plug for the turn signal switch on the steering column. Plugs in down near the ignition switch.
Good luck with your project.

Cheers,
Tim
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby zzip » Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:45 pm

You probably right, the connector for the rear body harness .
If I make the picture bigger then I see in the middle a black tab(?) .

Peter from Antwerp
1988 Monza L4 2.5L
1989 Monza Spyder L4 2.5L
1990 Monza Spyder V6 3.2L
1991 Monza Spyder V6 3.8L
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Re: swapping dashboards

Postby monzacoupe » Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:42 am

Ok, thanks everyone! I've got the dash back in place and will remove the seat to perform the body contortions required to plug everything back in. Picturese to follow.

Rick

P.S. If I mention wanting to remove the dash again...please feel free to give me a slap!!
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