79 firebird guages?

I have a 79 Firebird w/o factory guages. I'd like to buy a factory guage cluster and install it. What is involved? Thanks, David

Reply to
D&LBusch
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The two dash wiring harnesses were different. That's kind of obvious, since the gas gage on a Trans Am isn't in the main cluster where your gas gage is. But the cluster itself has all the circuits different compared to yours. So you could either swap your dash wiring harness or just cut and paste all the items you need. The swap of the gage cluster is extremely easy. You'd need:

  1. T/A or Firebird Rally gages including side volt/gas cluster
  2. Trans Am or Firebird w/gages Dash face plate (the woodgrain part)
  3. Trans Am or Firebird I.P. wiring harness from a car with rally gages
  4. Tach wiring harness (you can make this)
  5. Oil Pressure Sender for gages
  6. Water temperature sender for gages

75-79 harnesses are very compatible, but because of the relocation of the dimmer switch in 79, followed by a total harness overhaul in 80, the 79 is technically a one-year-only harness. The 70-79 gages will "look right" in your car, but only beginning in 74 did they have the two idiot lights in the speedo and the same basic circuit layout in the main cluster. The 160 mph speedo in the 74 is very popular, and they can be pricy on ebay.

Reply to
Joe

FYI, the two idiot light speedo came out in mid-1972 when the seat belt buzzer warning system was added. 1974 has that nasty system that won't let you start the car without buckling up. I have yet to find a 74 car with that system still functional ...

The circuit boards for rally gauge are pretty much the same from mid 72-79.

70-71 are odd ball with two less contacts so the gauge housing is even different. They also used one wire tach rather than two wire like 72-up.
Reply to
Dennis Smith

Reply to
buschky

Not at all. What we're talking about is cutting every single wire off your current main cluster plug, and then putting the rally gages plugs on. You'd have to splice every wire back. It's about 10 wires I guess. It's really easy, though, if you've ever spliced a wire.

Reply to
Joe

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