Instrument cluster replacement 85' bird
03-24-2018, 05:25 PM
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Car: 85 Firebird
Engine: 350 vortec
Transmission: 700R4 2 stage shift kit 2200 stall
Axle/Gears: 3.08
Instrument cluster replacement 85' bird
I am looking to replace my cluster so i dont have all these gauges mounted everywhere like i do now. Stock cluster for my 85' base bird is speedo, gas and a whole bunch of holes with those indicator lights beside it. I have a tach, oil pressure, water temp and voltmeter mounted on the a pillar and where my radio used to be.
On classicdash.com they have clusters for 82-84 firebirds but not my 85. Will this fit my 85 if nothing is electronic and i have sending units for them? I already have my own sending units for the water temp and oil pressure, and my speedo is a cable. I dont care if the indicator lights do not work after this.
Thanks in advance!
On classicdash.com they have clusters for 82-84 firebirds but not my 85. Will this fit my 85 if nothing is electronic and i have sending units for them? I already have my own sending units for the water temp and oil pressure, and my speedo is a cable. I dont care if the indicator lights do not work after this.
Thanks in advance!
03-24-2018, 06:27 PM
#2
Re: Instrument cluster replacement 85' bird
Probably not. 84 has the headlight switch in a different place/orientation, and probably has other differences in the dash.
85 is kind of a bastard year. The bulk of the dash is the same as 86-89, but the cluster is mechanical. 86-87 used the same mechanical speedometer with idiot lights as 85, but all the full instrumentation clusters used the electronic speedometer. That leaves you with either adapting to the later electronic cluster, or going full custom. Since it sounds like you already have the gauges you want, and senders, you're probably best off dumping the idiot light section of the factory cluster and fab some kind of plate you can mount your individual gauges into.
85 is kind of a bastard year. The bulk of the dash is the same as 86-89, but the cluster is mechanical. 86-87 used the same mechanical speedometer with idiot lights as 85, but all the full instrumentation clusters used the electronic speedometer. That leaves you with either adapting to the later electronic cluster, or going full custom. Since it sounds like you already have the gauges you want, and senders, you're probably best off dumping the idiot light section of the factory cluster and fab some kind of plate you can mount your individual gauges into.
03-24-2018, 06:50 PM
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Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
Engine: 334 SBC - stroked 305 M4ME Q-Jet
Transmission: upgraded 700R4 3200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 4.10 Posi w Lakewood TA Bars
Re: Instrument cluster replacement 85' bird
It sounds like you duplicated most of the factory gauges with aftermarket gauges, so you essentially have 2 of everything. From what I know, if your base 85 Firebird is just like my 84 TA, and I will assume it is, our cars gauges are separate from any computer wiring, meaning each gauge is separate and has it's own sending unit and the ECM is not tied into any of them. So YES, you should be able to get rid of the factory gauges.
If you wanted digital gauges done easily, check this out: http://stores.ebay.com/Digital-Gauge...&_sid=64906419
Lowest prices on ebay, but you can buy from Intellitronix, Summit & Jegs also. Choose your color.
03-24-2018, 06:57 PM
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Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
Engine: 334 SBC - stroked 305 M4ME Q-Jet
Transmission: upgraded 700R4 3200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 4.10 Posi w Lakewood TA Bars
Re: Instrument cluster replacement 85' bird
03-25-2018, 02:05 PM
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Car: 85 Firebird
Engine: 350 vortec
Transmission: 700R4 2 stage shift kit 2200 stall
Axle/Gears: 3.08
Re: Instrument cluster replacement 85' bird
Oh that instrument panel on ebay would be perfect! Sucks to cut up my original plastic so maybe I will find another to cut up instead. That will be much more clean having all the gauges there. The digital is neat but not really my style.
So all i have to do is get a new speedo and fuel gauge to replace my stock one right? everything else I have is from auto meter and I have put in the new sending units for them when i did a 350 vortec swap last year. The fuel gauge is specific, 0-90ohms i believe, (i will research before purchase just to be sure) but is there anything specific about the aftermarket speedo that i need to look for? Just make sure it is mechanical right? Can i go up to any speed, like a 160mph, and will it work with my existing stock cable?
So all i have to do is get a new speedo and fuel gauge to replace my stock one right? everything else I have is from auto meter and I have put in the new sending units for them when i did a 350 vortec swap last year. The fuel gauge is specific, 0-90ohms i believe, (i will research before purchase just to be sure) but is there anything specific about the aftermarket speedo that i need to look for? Just make sure it is mechanical right? Can i go up to any speed, like a 160mph, and will it work with my existing stock cable?
03-25-2018, 07:58 PM
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Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
Engine: 334 SBC - stroked 305 M4ME Q-Jet
Transmission: upgraded 700R4 3200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 4.10 Posi w Lakewood TA Bars
Re: Instrument cluster replacement 85' bird
Yes, I believe so, but I personally have not installed an Autometer speedo.
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03-25-2018, 11:22 PM
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Car: 84 TA orig. 305 LG4 "H" E4ME
Engine: 334 SBC - stroked 305 M4ME Q-Jet
Transmission: upgraded 700R4 3200 stall
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 4.10 Posi w Lakewood TA Bars
Re: Instrument cluster replacement 85' bird
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