So before everone starts flaming, ive been searching every website for days looking for the info i need. im going to be doing a dash swap in a couple weeks, and there is only ONE thing holding me back. everything ive read has been on a z28 car. Since mine is a v6, i have a couple questions.

1. What gauges will be the easiest to use, 93-97 firebird or 97 camaro? i have found the pinouts in case i do have to splice all the wires but just want to know the easiest gauge to use?

2. Will the analog odometer be easier than the digital since it is the v6?

anyhelp would be appreciated, and please dont just say "use the search button"...i have, no one talks about the v6 and when they do its only about the dash swap, not about the gauges. Which is the only part i need help with.

And if you do feel the need to say use the search button, please help me out and find something i havent already read. because i feel like ive read all the same posts, three times over. thanks

 

I don't think anyone on this site has done this swap in a V6. If so its not been in the last 2-3 years.

 

Well I know some one who did the swap out of necessity when he went from 96 V6 to 2000 V8. I can tell you what I learned from that adventure.

YOu will need the heater box as well, it was a different design under the dash
Your door pannels may not fit right. I know they look the same but my friend had to get ones off a newer car to keep them from hitting the dash when closing the door.
the analog ODO is electrically driven, not sure if the digital ones will accept the same signal. The Digital meters store their memory in the dash circuitry and most speedo shops can readjust them for you but you will have to prove that the old dash is your dash, Legal stuff ya know
Not sure the firebird cluster will fit the updated camaro dash. I know they look alike but if memory serves me the firebird has a taller cluster.
And since you are using an OBD2 dash in an OBD1 car there could be other things that may not work correctly, I would try and see if the signaling from the PCM and ECU are similar.

I think that is all I can think of right now. Good luck with the swap, I like the nose on the early Camaros but the dash in the new ones. Only one year that happend. Kinda like I also like the 70-78 dash but the 78-81 body, again only 1 year for the combo I like.

Massey

 

well i dont see how it could make much of a difference? everyone with a z28 uses a v8 donor car, so wouldnt everything be pretty much the same on a v6, if i just use a v6 donor car? and another thing, there is no body difference in any of the cars, its just visual stuff that changed, so i dont see how the door panels wouldnt work? the dash from the 97-02 is the same dimensions. if anyone could help me with these questions, let me know. i may just have to tackle it, and see what happens.

 

another thing, your the only one who has said anything about the OBD1 and OBD2 mattering? everyone else said it has nothing to do with this swap, any insight on that? dont think im trying to prove you wrong or call you out, just trying to get the correct info from a bunch of misleading posts, yeah know?

 

I am not sure if the OBD1 and 2 will matter, I just know there is a HUGE difference in the way the car's engines and computers are wired up. You will have to use your wiring in the new dash but you may have to adapt the heater wiring to work. Also the rear hatch button if you have it is located in a different spot, like the other side of the car. I'm saying things are not going to just plug in and run. Maybe if it was a 96 to a newer car but I still am not sure there. I do know the heater box is different and the old one will not fit under the new dash.

Also not sure why the door panels on Rs/ssCamaro's car didnt work but they hit the dash when he closed the doors. New door pannels later and no more hitting. He gave the door panels to a guy that owns a 95 and they fit his car perfectly.

Massey

 

from my brief experience with trying to plug in a 99 TA gauge set in my 99 camaro Z28 all i managed to do was melt a wire on the new dash, so luckily my old one went back in. This ment that on this with same year that they don't match, so you might have to do some wiring.

i wouldn't worry about the visual stuff as you can swap them with ease, but the dash wires are the problem !

 

yeah i was aware that id have to use the new heater vents and stuff like that, and the hatch button shouldnt be a huge problem if i just have to extend the wire. From what ive read and been told its pretty much like this, the dash, new heater vents, and all the accessories will fit just fine.. The door panels i will have to check out because massey is the first one who mentioned that. The only major problem i see from people is the gauges. everyone say that the early 97 gauges that have the analog odometer but still the rounded shape, will wire up fine, you just have to match the wires up and add an extra wire and ground one wire so it wont stay lit. does any of that sound to be correct? i know probally all my questions wont get answered because it sounds like no ones tried this with a v6, but any help is nice. i can handle the cosmetics its the wiring i dont want to mess up.

 

Yeah the door panels are different. The newer style dash is longer widthwise, so the newer door panels are shallower. The older style panels extend into the dash area more so that there is no gap between them and the dash. This is why I couldn't shut my doors until I installed the newer style door panels onto my doors. It is the little things like this that makes a guy scratch his head.

 

^^^ that is the guy I was talking about. Now here he is telling you the same thing I just did. Trust us here guys! they look the same but they are slightly different

Massey