Dash Question

[m240]

After spending a couple of hours everyday this week I finally got the dash loose in my 71 parts car ( it was a major PITA). It is crack free and I want to put in my 73 car that has alot of cracks in the dash. Does anyone know if the wiring is the same or even close? I was thinking of swaping some of the gauges if I have to to get it to work. Has anyone tried this and was it successful? I'm starting to understand why you see so many advertisments for dashcaps.

Thanks, Mark

[EScanlon]

There is some difference between the 71 and 73, but you can take your dash apart and transplant the whole thing. If you already have it out of the car, then just follow the items and you can replace them. It's not hard.

[m240]

I got the dash out of the 71 and just wanted to make sure that the stuff from the 73 would fit. It looks like a good winter project switching things around.Thanks!

[St.stephen]

as escanlon said there are some minor changes but it;s a simple swap. Winter project? shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to get in and out.

[EScanlon]

Depending on when in 71 your car was built, the dash may NOT have an indent to the left of the hazard switch. After 71, the dash had an indent put into it to accept a label for the toggle style hazard switch.

Additionally, the 73 will likely have the wiring harness that has the wiring for the seat belt and choke warning lights, something the earlier 71's did NOT have. The buzzer that sounds when you open the door with the key still in the ignition is now incorporated into the seat belt buzzer system where in 71 it was a stand alone item.

Another item would be the light for the cigar lighter that was placed above the hazard switch. Early 71's had a fiber optic transfer system where the 73's had a light bulb attached to the body of the lighter.

The 71's also had reinforcement plates on the mounting areas where the lower side mounting bolts go on. The 72 and later did not have this "step" or reinforcement. In order to fit a 72 and later into a 71, you will have to bend those arms down.

I have a Jan 72 dash and a Sep 71 dash out of the cars right now and I am about to do a swap myself. If you need I can take some pictures and post.

Let me know.

[WillieBoy240z]

You guys either must be mechanical geniuses -- or I am a 'tard.

It took me about 2 hours just to remove the dash from my 72. And that was with the windshield already removed.

Getting to all the screws wasn't bad. The hassle I faced was that many of the electrical connectors were way to stubborn to cooperate with me. A couple turned out to be melted and fused.

And, to make matters worse, I think I should have removed the heater/vent/radio panel first.

After getting the dash out -- I scratched my NEW PAINTJOB in the process :-( -- pulling all the gauges, vent stuff and harness was painless.

If/when I do it again, I will have a buddy there to help maneuver it around. Doing that alone is very cumbersome.