Dash Interchange?'s
 

Hey guys/gals I just purchased a 74 SWB/Fleet w/my insurance settlement $$ from my beater 68. It's a clean truck but the dash is seriously lacking. I was wondering if anyone had swapped a newer (say 82-87) dash in place of the older unit?? Anything I should know/look for? Any tips to make the swap go easier?? Thanks in advance.

Just the pad or the whole thing, with the pad you shouldnt have any problems, with the cluster your only problem is the oil guage, in 74 the guage was mechanical (ie hard a hard line going right into it) but in 82 it was electric, you can change the guages out of anything between 73-77 with no problems, Whats wrong with your dash anyways? I like the 73-79 dashed better anyways

The dash itself isn't actually that bad. The lower painted portion (red) is decent but the top half has typical fading/warping damage & the coffee color has got to go + the guage cluster is the 'woodgrain' laminate cover & I don't want that look for this truck. I was thinking of using some billet trim pieces on the dash ( painted to match the vinyl ) & if I'm not mistaken they won't work w/earlier style dashes. I'm not sure what I'll do w/the actual guages yet . . .

Dash pads do differ. 73-78 dash pads are the same, but 79-80 still the same but has cut out for VIN id tag. 81-87differ slightly with the trim panel curving outwards on the right side and I believe the dash panel area is not as angled as the earlier years.

THanks for the input. I was considering using an 84-87 dash & prob swapping out the guages w/some aftermarket units. I'm not to concerned w/the notch for the VIN on the later dash cause it's in the corner & really out of direct line of sight.

'73-76 had an ammeter, 77 up had a voltmeter.
'73-'79 had a mechanical oil pressure gauge, 80 up was electric.
Just these few changes will mean your old wire harness won't work. But you can figure out what wires to rearrange in the dash plug and make it work. I've done it, but I had both the old and the new harnesses in front of me.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Duallie
[B]'73-76 had an ammeter, 77 up had a voltmeter.
'73-'79 had a mechanical oil pressure gauge, 80 up was electric.

My 78 has a electric oil pressure gauge.

Why install the factory guages. Install digital guages or afermarket mechnical guages. I personnally have digital guages. Just follow the link on my signature to the "cab and instruments" page. :flag:

I'm still contemplating about the guages. Your digital set-up looks cool... but I'm undecided.

Sorry I'm late, but here is what I did to my gauges. http://www.73-87.com/photos/gpics/24.jpg

These are Autometer Procomps, installed from the rear of the bezel.

That looks clean. I did a similar set-up years ago in a 74 Z-28 I had. I used just regular autometer 'autoguages' back then. Maybe I'll play around w/something similar.

Mike you're killing me with those pics like that ;) I want that setup so bad!! You seem to make everything look great.