• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

Early dash w/later speedo?

Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Location
Central NH
Have a '79 244 shell that will be receiving damn near everything from that free '89 I picked up a month or so ago. Motor, trans, wiring, rear ebd, LH. The only stuff I want to keep from '79 are the original dash and interior. I know I need the electronic speedo to keep idle happy with LH 2.4, but want to keep the original style dash and cluster. There's an uncracked dash in the mix and I'm not giving that up for the sake of convenience!

Has anyone found a way to make a post-86 electronic speedo fit and work in the 75-80 cluster? It looks like the faces almost line up, but still don't know how well it would mount to the back of the cluster.
 
Yeah, if you still need any more input or pictures tell me, I may have a few more photos on the computer. I tried to install it as clean as possible, but eventually it turned out to be just so-so... I'd do it differently now, actually i may redo it once because it bugs me a bit. :lol:
 
Yeah, if you still need any more input or pictures tell me, I may have a few more photos on the computer. I tried to install it as clean as possible, but eventually it turned out to be just so-so... I'd do it differently now, actually i may redo it once because it bugs me a bit. :lol:

Sure, send it along. What don't you like about it?
 
For the installation: I needed to trim a bit both from the speedo pcb and the cluster pcb. On the cluster pcb i had to trim it so much that one track is cut thru. I reconnected it with a red wire just as the other two stock ones.
On the speedo pcb i needed to desolder a few parts and solder them back in an angle to make clearance to the cluster plastic.

Sure, send it along. What don't you like about it?

https://drive.google.com/open?id=14m1Q7bDMJHqWz0CtVOt7xyz3_Z0uQzrs

Well, few things:
-proper backplate that positions the speedo properly. I have a hacked steelplate from the cable driven original.
-custom tripmeter reset button, as it has a slight offset and moves a bit tight and weird because of it.
-dont know how and why but the needle sometimes stick at 110kmh when accelerating, and i need to slightly slap on the cluster to get it moving.

Also the superseal connectors werent the best idea. The stock speedo connector is just fine. Openings also dont line up too nice with the numbers, maybe a modified custom face plate could do better...

Other than these, I'm fine with it. :)
 
For the installation: I needed to trim a bit both from the speedo pcb and the cluster pcb. On the cluster pcb i had to trim it so much that one track is cut thru. I reconnected it with a red wire just as the other two stock ones.
On the speedo pcb i needed to desolder a few parts and solder them back in an angle to make clearance to the cluster plastic.



https://drive.google.com/open?id=14m1Q7bDMJHqWz0CtVOt7xyz3_Z0uQzrs

Well, few things:
-proper backplate that positions the speedo properly. I have a hacked steelplate from the cable driven original.
-custom tripmeter reset button, as it has a slight offset and moves a bit tight and weird because of it.
-dont know how and why but the needle sometimes stick at 110kmh when accelerating, and i need to slightly slap on the cluster to get it moving.

Also the superseal connectors werent the best idea. The stock speedo connector is just fine. Openings also dont line up too nice with the numbers, maybe a modified custom face plate could do better...

Other than these, I'm fine with it. :)

Awesome! How hard was it wiring the LH stuff up to the earlier cluster?
 
Awesome! How hard was it wiring the LH stuff up to the earlier cluster?

Those two wires? Not that difficult. Check engine light wire to stock lambda sond light location (ecu grounds the brown wire), and speedo wire connected to the speedo (blue wire). It can be seen clearly on picture 2017-01-21-2836. Shift up indicator is not working, and not important anyways. :lol:
 
Those two wires? Not that difficult. Check engine light wire to stock lambda sond light location (ecu grounds the brown wire), and speedo wire connected to the speedo (blue wire). It can be seen clearly on picture 2017-01-21-2836. Shift up indicator is not working, and not important anyways. :lol:

What about turn signals, fuel, temp, etc? Were those plug and play with the stock connector?
 
What about turn signals, fuel, temp, etc? Were those plug and play with the stock connector?

Oh! I used the cars original wiring so i did not have to fiddle with it. As i know it mostly fits just fine, maybe a few wires need attention, (depin and put in correct location) but its minor afaik. Check wiring diagrams!
But! Dash wiring is different, locations, connectors so that part is not that straightforward.
 
You can use the cruise control output for the speed signal that the 1980 speedometers have the capability of providing if you need a speed signal for 2.4 and keep the early cluster/dash and leave it totally alone. BTDT. Why make a mountain out of the proverbial mole hill?

Wouldn't I still need a way to drive the mechanical speedo? The donor car has a later M47 without the gear drive on the back.

EDIT - I should have been clearer. I want to have a way to keep the look of the original cable driven speedo in a car that will for all intents and purposes be an '89 electric speedo car w/M47 and LH2.4. Can't spend the $$$ on one of those fancy converter boxes unfortunately.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top