mons72 Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 i have a 86 gl 5sp d/r and i have just bought a 87 gl 5sp d/r, the 87 does not have the same dash as the 86. and i'm thinking about swaping the dash from 87 to the 86. but the big question is, do i need to take wiring harness and swap that to, and how hard is that. and is there anything else i need. those dash is not digi dash. i have searched usmb and usrm for info about swaping dash. but nothing found. i have attached som pictures of the dashes. and does the steeringwheel from a 87 fit right on in a 86. or do i need to replace the steering axel. all info is helpful and very welcome. sorry for my bad english mons72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 I'm fairly certain the dash uses a different harness for the windshield wipers, headlights, parking lights, flashers etc. BUT, I do know that the steering wheel, gauge cluster, and heat/AC control will swap right over. ditto on the dash clock (different plug there, but the wires are the same color...so you can easily splice it to make it work). I did all of those in my '85 with parts from a '87-'89 GLs. By the time I parted that thing out, the lame orange-colored back lighting was almost completely gone! if you do swap gauge clusters....make sure you take note of where the redline is. I did my swap pretty early on in it's life, and only realized after the fact that the carbed motors have a 6k rpm redline, and the FI ones had 6500....so my occasional trip to 7k and beyond was a bit harder on it than I thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86BRATMAN Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 Looks like both of those in the picture have 65oo red lines. NOt sure if they are his or just for instance stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mons72 Posted March 3, 2007 Author Share Posted March 3, 2007 pictures are not from my cars, but they are identical and have redline at 6500 rpm. and both cars are carbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 The only differences I see are that in 86 there is a "Rear Defrost" light on the instrument cluster. However there is not a wire shown going to it. But there is a rear gate lock light wired to the same pin. that the R.defrost uses on the 87 so you can plug in and go. But i think you're defrost light will stay on when ever the r.gate is unlocked? So maybe you can wire it so the defrost is used insdtead. Note this is from the USA market FSM's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 The only differences I see are that in 86 there is a "Rear Defrost" light on the instrument cluster. However there is not a wire shown going to it. But there is a rear gate lock light wired to the same pin. that the R.defrost uses on the 87 so you can plug in and go. But i think you're defrost light will stay on when ever the r.gate is unlocked?So maybe you can wire it so the defrost is used insdtead. Note this is from the USA market FSM's I'm pretty sure, at the very least, that the wiring is routed completely different for the older style. I would assume so since the switches are in completely different places. and, IIRC, the plugs are completely different...they may use the same pins and wiring, but I don't think the whole dash is interchangeable. I just found the gauge cluster from my '85 feedback carbed EA82, and it has a 6k rpm redline.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mons72 Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 ok thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mons72 Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 does anyone have a wiringdiagram to the dash for 86-87 sub, it would be nice if somone could post it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 I'm pretty sure, at the very least, that the wiring is routed completely different for the older style. I would assume so since the switches are in completely different places. and, IIRC, the plugs are completely different...they may use the same pins and wiring, but I don't think the whole dash is interchangeable. I just found the gauge cluster from my '85 feedback carbed EA82, and it has a 6k rpm redline.... Okay we need to clarify. I am saying the instrument cluster will interchange plug and play. You are right that other components in the dash have been relocated. But actually the plugs for most of those things are still the same. and not moved that far away I've interchanged many parts from an 88 to an 86 in the past. As far as the ENTIRE DASH there are some differences in plugs at the big multiple junction. So I guess we need to ask the OP Are you talking about swapping instrument cluster? or the ENTIRE dash? The big differnece is the Windsheild wiper switch which was moved to the stalk. If you want to swap entire dash, you would need to get the turnsignal/wiper switch assembly from an 87+ steering column. Which brings us to that question. Yes the steering wheel and infact the entire column from an 87 will fit the 86. but If you are not swapping entire dash, it would be easier to just swap the Steering wheel itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mons72 Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 the plan is the entire dash. i'm gona part out the 87 sub and move it over to the 86. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 the plan is the entire dash. i'm gona part out the 87 sub and move it over to the 86. Hmm. not sure why you would want to do this? In that case yu will have LOTS of wirning headaches. but Pulling out the whole dash is easy. Just unplug all the connectors in both footwells, unbolt and remove. There is one cable for the air door on the drivers side that is hard to see. You could pull both dashes, and strip the wiring from your 86 and put it all into the 87. then you would not have to rewire anything, just fit the 86 harness into the 87 shell. It would all just plug back in. I am assuming that the vinyl is cracked or for some other reason you want to swap the whole dash? Not like its a big jump in style or anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mons72 Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 i need too pull out the dashes because i need too switch the heatcore. if it hasnt been for the heatcore i havent been thinking about it. but as i say, the heatcore need replacement becaus it's a hole in it. and it's leakin some coolingfluid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Okay we need to clarify. I am saying the instrument cluster will interchange plug and play. You are right that other components in the dash have been relocated. But actually the plugs for most of those things are still the same. and not moved that far away I've interchanged many parts from an 88 to an 86 in the past. yea, that's what I said in my first post. gauge cluster, steering wheel, heat/A/C control, etc. well, if you have to tear them apart anyway, lay them out on the ground next to each other and take a look. but I think you'll find there are a lot of differences... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mons72 Posted March 4, 2007 Author Share Posted March 4, 2007 thanks guys. i let you now how it's going with all the swaping i'm gona do. and i'm should try to get some photos before and after swaping also. what i'm gona swap. fenders, doors tailgate, bumpers and the hood. + more on. i think it will take a couple of month's to do it, because of the cold wheater up here in norway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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