Ok, when starting this swap I thought to myself, "This is like a blind man crossing through traffic" what am I thinking. I wanted a dash swap in my car so badly I leaped at it with no fear. One day at the junkyard getting a part for my other car I see a Dodge Stealth with a complete interior. {The pic is after I started working.}

I ask the guy how much and you won't believe the price. $80!!! for the cluster, center console, and trim pieces. The next day I was there ready to tear it apart and there's a 300zx complete now sitting right next to the Stealth. I'm like WTF.

Isn't that a trip. Both dashes I really liked together at once. It was a tough last minute decision but I stood with the Stealth. So here is the beginning of my swap...

This is the dash coming out of the Stealth. I made sure I got all the mounts from the car that could be used in my Fiero.

As you can see getting it out was easy...

Here it is with all the pieces in place.

Looks good on the ground, let see how it looks in the Fiero...

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nice, I like that one the best already out of all the ones I have seen, does it fit pretty close from side to side? only one problem....Stealths are hard as hell to find around here so I'll probably end up going with the firebird dash myself

Out with the old in with the new. Let the swap begin....

For the record its a black 87gt, I've never driven the car not even a block and it runs. I have done much work that won't be seen like new fuel pump, pulsator, and strainer. Antenna mod in the fender. Front suspension repaint and poly bushing. Front compartment is freshly painted. New radiator installed in the process. Darrel morse strut tower brace installed, and much more. Now back to the dash...

Time to clean out the junk. As you can see my painted 2-tone shock idea is laying on the console to match the other red and black suspension components.

Center Console removed.

Gone. No More Stock. It's hammer time....

Moment of truth the first fitting.

It didn't fit flush wit the defroster ducts on (must remove).

Now it's ready....

What year dash is that?

Look, Its just sitting up there on it own. Amazing. It's like it wanna be apart of my Fiero.

Another Angle.

Passenger Side Shot.

Driver Side Shot.

Its amazing how well it fits in there with no mods to the actual apperence yet. good job A+

I didn't pay attention to the year of the car. It was hot and I was just trying to get in and out quickly as possible.

Hi all,

There's a guy on here who might chime in, that is doing a 3000 gt dash swap.Very similar dashes I think.........Maybe you 2 could talk as he might be further along....

That's a really good fit. At least as good as the Firebird. The door panels look like the will have to be notched a little though. I have have no idea how the dodge/mitsubishi gauges work in the Fiero, but good luck to you.

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1988 GT (Firebird Interior),1988 Fastback (4.9 Chop-top #1 of 1), 1984 Indy...Firebird Interior Installation Website

Hey! that looks like it has some great potential. Do you have a shot through the front windshield? Good find.

Nolan

quote Originally posted by pavo_roddy: Hi all, There's a guy on here who might chime in, that is doing a 3000 gt dash swap.Very similar dashes I think.........Maybe you 2 could talk as he might be further along....

Hi all,

Actually I think it is riceburner98, I think that is his username........

I will take a pic from the front windshield for you. When you look at the dash through the windshield you can see the stock defroster vent underneath. It's almost perfect like it was ment to be. As far as the gauges, I'll try to get the Stealth's to work but if not it will be all aftermarket.

Awsome job, and great looking swap.

Here's another thread of someone that was working on the same swap. Scroll down to see Riceburner98's install progress. He might have info that you could use. https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/20050119-2-053286.html

[This message has been edited by Deabionni (edited 06-07-2005).]

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[This message has been edited by magot (edited 06-07-2005).]

Holy crap.

LOL, you've made more progress in a day than I have in 2 years! I "test fit" mine one day, and it's been that way for like 10,000 miles now. I don't even have any brackets holding it in. I do have the 3000GT speedo working, as well as the gas gauge. (needs reversed sending unit (same ohms but backwards), so I installed a Summit universal GM unit in the tank, backwards.) I plan on hooking up the tach, stock boost gauge, stock everything else gauges, along with the automatic climate control... But hey, I also planned on having the thing installed before 2 years! Just way too much to do lately. Been working on a Lambo Diablo and Ferrari 355 replica climate control system for the kit car guys, which is taking up all the free time at the moment. (Lambo one will be same size / mounts as the Fiero one, so can be installed in a Lambo kit or any Fiero, woo!) I did temporarily mount a radio under the dash to the top of the center console a few weeks ago, I got sick of having the boom box on the passenger seat slide around! Hahaha... I have my crappy dash (sun-shrunken and cracked in spots) in the car now, with a much better condition '96 3000GT dash in my living room waiting for me to finalize the mounts and stuff on the crappy one. The earlier (94 anyway) dash doesn't have a passenger airbag, the later one (96) does, which I intend to use for an extra glove box, or hold a computer or some nonsense like that. If you want, you can (with a couple of welds to the column) install the 3000GT tilt column and steering wheel in the Fiero. I've had one in there for years now. Just need to cut off and reattach the tilt bracket, and cut off the Fiero column's tip and weld it over the tip of the 3000GT one. I'm working on a circuit to convert all the 3000GT column switches to work with the Fiero. Right now I have the Hazard switch, horn, turn signals, headlights, and partially (low only) the wiper switches working. Also have the "headlight flipper" switch wired to keep the headlights up when turned off if I want, I have the foglight switch controlling a relay for future foglights, have the defrost switch hooked up, and have the 'ECS' button hooked up as the trunk popper. The cruise swtich is multiplexed down 1 wire, so it needs a decoder circuit to convert it to the GM type cruise outputs. The Ferrari 355 AC controller circuit I'm working on just happens to be the exact circuit that's needed, just have to adjust the programming of the processor by a few lines of code. That should be ready by the end of the month. Getting the other 3000GT / Stealth gauges working should be similar - just a conversion circuit --OR-- (easier) just swap in 3000GT senders. They wire right to the gauges, except for the boost gauge. But the factory boost gauge is notoriously innacurate. It's more of a "you've got boost / you don't have boost" type of gauge, with numbers on it for decoration. (from what I've heard and experienced driving one) What else am I forgetting.... ? Oh yeah, in addition to the cruise switch and such in the steering wheel, I also have to add about 25 wires to the clockspring. (don't need the airbag, so that frees up 2 wires! lol) What for? The 7" touchscreen monitor.. That will put the GPS navigation right up front, no more laptop on the passenger seat to get around. Again... Some day.... Maybe in the next 5 years! hehe If I can possibly answer any more questions, let me know! Either by email or here, I'm definitely going to keep reading your progress! Oh, I have the 3000GT service manual on CD if you need any wiring diagrams or anything like that for the dash... Keep up the good work!!!

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Bob Williams
Multi-colored '86 Mutt, a work in progress! (3800SC running great! Fixed the bent roof, now I need an intercooler! Yeehaa!)

It looks good...Keep up the good work

(welcome to the world of customization good luck)

Bob

Hi all,

Riceburner I follow your posts about the climate controls and theres something that has been nagging me....DO you EVER not post a book sized post........???

Pavo: hehe You think the posts are long, you should see some of my emails! Just always been that way, don't know why! Edit -- and the smilies... I've used smilies everywhere for as long as I can remember. That was my nickname in college. Smiley. A guy that was interviewing me once asked - Why are you smiling so much? Get me talking about cars, and I get all happy. Now lets see some more pics of the interior!

[This message has been edited by Riceburner98 (edited 06-07-2005).]

Or better yet, does it come with those beads?

quote Originally posted by pavo_roddy: Hi all, Did you ever take measurments of the zx dash to see if it would fit???

Mardi gras, anyone?

Riceburner98, congratulations on the progress that you've made getting the correct guages to work with that swap. I don't think I'd have the courage to try a GM to non GM swap; but seeing your progress, makes me reconsider and think that it might be possible.
Also, great progress on your swap 4.9 PFI. It's looking great so far, and I can't wait to see the finished product.

quote Originally posted by pavo_roddy: Hi all, Did you ever take measurments of the zx dash to see if it would fit???

No, I never measured none of these dashes. I was reading about them on the forum and said, "If they can do it, I can do it." Thats where the whole dash swap delima came from. The photos I've seen of both dashes were nice. I like the fact that the 300zx has the vents on the doors that was my first choice. I like the 3000gt because of the aftermarket gauges but after having the stock gauges with the dash and changing the lights different colors it will look exotic and stock. More pics to come waiting to get cam back from my friend friday.

How are you planning on changing the colors of the stock gauges? (you mean Stealth stock?) The 2 ways I've come up with are 1) sand the color coating off the back of the gauge faces, and use colored bulbs. Problem with that method is the back of the gauges are printed with some varying patterns to get the light bulb light to show evenly through. Sand it all off and you may get some "patchy" color. 2) Sand the color coating off the back of the gauge faces, and use some aftermarket Electroluminescent panels behind them. That's the method I chose. I'm not 100% sure if anyone makes colors other than the blue/green panels for the Stealth / 3000GT, but I have seen red and green for other cars, so I'm sure it's possible. It came out very well, I just need to figure out a conversion circuit for the dimmer box so the light dimmer knob for the dash can control the panels in the instrument cluster. For the needles, the plan was to sand the color off, then mount tiny blue LED's somewhere on / under them to make them blue. Or you can leave the stock light bulbs in the cluster, and use them to illuminate the needles like normal. If you have other ideas, I'd love to hear them! (always looking for an easier way!) - Bob

Hey Ya'll todays my big day (no not the dash swap). It's My BIRTHDAY!!!!! I took a little time off for myself.

As far as the lighting, I have a friend that makes all kinda custom interior stuff for cars. He was telling me what he could do to it as far as looks not electrical rigging for the gauges and stuff. The lighting, he was talking about tinting the overlays for the gauges and using some thin neon tubing creating a dim glow with the stock lights coming through. Sounds like it would be how the newer cars are made with the blacked out dash but with a color bulb lighting the inside like a disco ball (example) or something. I don't know how to explain it but he makes it sound interesting. If I could get those stock stealth gauges working I'll let him do his magic....

Hi all,

Happy belated birthday!!! and GET back to work....lol....

Ok pavo, I'm back on my game lol. The Interior is almost complete. I got to upload the pics and show off the mounts (sorry dial up for now, not tonight). The dash swap looks GOOD!!! Check me out tomorrow.

Time's up. Tomorrow is now yesterday.

quote Originally posted by 4.9 PFI FIERO: Ok pavo, I'm back on my game lol. The Interior is almost complete. I got to upload the pics and show off the mounts (sorry dial up for now, not tonight). The dash swap looks GOOD!!! Check me out tomorrow.

Hmmmm, the old dash looked OK in the photos above, nothin' a little Armour-All couldn't brighten right up! Thanks for taking the time to post the pics and details, if the 300zx dash is still available, you may want to consider going back to get it- there will probably be someone here that would gladly pay the cost, time and effort to have it. Keep up the good work, I look forward to following your progress.

The 300zx is still availible if anyone wants it. Now for the moment you all been waiting for. MORE PICS!!!!!

The first two pics are for Sourmug. Here is how the dash sits against the windshield. If you were to look at the it in person, you can see the fiero defroster underneath. It's almost perfect.

Now for the good stuff . I wanna make this swap easy for those who want to attempt it. So here is how I did it. I got all the mounting brackets from the stealth and used them for the fiero. Get all the screws you can also.... They are useful.

This is bracket 1. It comes from the right-side of the stealth steering column and is used on the left-side of the fiero column.

Bracket 2 comes from the left-side of the stealth steering column and is used on the right side of the fiero column.


Note: When setting up mounts 1 and 2, install the dash in place, bolt the brackets in place on the dash, and use white out to mark the holes to be drilled into the fiero frame. There's a lip where the holes will be drilled into. You'll see it look in the pics.

Bracket in place for marking. Use screws to hold it in place

Bracket 3 is on the bottom right side of the dash. It also has a floor light so you don't have to rig one (see the red wires). I used a flat piece of iron slight "S" shape and screwed one end to the fiero and the other to the bracket. Simple! Once in place drill second screw in bottom of piece into the fiero to stabilize it. Let the dash pivot until you know where you want it.

Close Up.... The silver screw is not screwed into the fiero. It just looks that way.

More on mounting next post.

still posting???

looks good bro! ill pass ova tomorrow

[This message has been edited by Exotic Rida (edited 06-21-2005).]

Great progress! Keep those pics coming.

Thanks for the pics through the windshield. It's going to look great when you're done. a big + for you.

Nolan

Ok the swap is getting easier and the dash is going good. Everything is aligned and now I'm working on those top mount. Yesterday I got the hood release cable hooked up and a/c controls setup under the middle vents (pics later). After everything is in, I'll work on the air conditioning vents then the dash will be in permanently. Not bad for a month of work with my job and all in between. If it wasn't for that it would be done by now.

very nice, best looking dash swap in a Fiero yet IMO, but what are you going to do about the door panels?(not that the stock ones would look too bad....but there is potential)

I want to make my own door panels but I'm looking into using late model cavalier door panels. I like the way they look but im gonna try making custom ones first.