so I got an 83 Lx and I really want an updated dash with all working compontents… ideally looking for the year that would reqauire the least amount of trimming and what not. I want the defrost and heater to still work. if AC is possible too, then bonus. any help would be greatly appreciated. if an older dash would work better im open to that as well. im just not sure on which year to purchase. do I need the steering colum ? etc...
Fox dash swap questions 83 to 2015
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Anything can be done....none of it will be easy.
The fax dash frame and HVAC stuff are pretty forgiving. You'll need to be able to cut and weld light steel. You'll also need to be able to make custom duct work.
I can tell you that making a 2015 dash work in a fox will be the hardest. The radio, hvac, and cluster all run through modules and canbus lines. The stuff in an 83 fox is archaic in comparison.
You could make a panel that the stock...87 hvac controls could install in to. Probably would be easier to buy a digital dash from stanglx2002 and get a stinger pimpxs or some form of megasquirt to run it and the car. If carbed you could adapt some gauges.
The steering wheel and column may have to be swapped in.....but that has its own list of stuff to deal with. If it was me ( which it ain't ) the stock column housing would be modified and the newer steering wheel adapted to work on a fox column. The buttons would be non functional though....because of the absence of the modules to interpret them.
The simple answer is....the dash physically fits with slight modification. I'd find a way to put the dash cover on the fox dash frame....seems like the simplest solution.
In all reality I think that megasquirt could be made to run the 2015 hvac box...and might even be able to read the steering wheel buttons. Megasquirt is the best thing since the " B " cam...just ask a91what...he tunes my car.
The sn95 dash is the easiest swap. I think the hvac stuff will even control the fox stuff. Column swaps right in. The plastic by the windshield has to be trimmed and a couple gaps filled. Easy peasy. Center console part swaps right in. There have to be tons of write ups on it.
The fax dash frame and HVAC stuff are pretty forgiving. You'll need to be able to cut and weld light steel. You'll also need to be able to make custom duct work.
I can tell you that making a 2015 dash work in a fox will be the hardest. The radio, hvac, and cluster all run through modules and canbus lines. The stuff in an 83 fox is archaic in comparison.
You could make a panel that the stock...87 hvac controls could install in to. Probably would be easier to buy a digital dash from stanglx2002 and get a stinger pimpxs or some form of megasquirt to run it and the car. If carbed you could adapt some gauges.
The steering wheel and column may have to be swapped in.....but that has its own list of stuff to deal with. If it was me ( which it ain't ) the stock column housing would be modified and the newer steering wheel adapted to work on a fox column. The buttons would be non functional though....because of the absence of the modules to interpret them.
The simple answer is....the dash physically fits with slight modification. I'd find a way to put the dash cover on the fox dash frame....seems like the simplest solution.
In all reality I think that megasquirt could be made to run the 2015 hvac box...and might even be able to read the steering wheel buttons. Megasquirt is the best thing since the " B " cam...just ask a91what...he tunes my car.
The sn95 dash is the easiest swap. I think the hvac stuff will even control the fox stuff. Column swaps right in. The plastic by the windshield has to be trimmed and a couple gaps filled. Easy peasy. Center console part swaps right in. There have to be tons of write ups on it.
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you would almost need an entire donor car to do the swap and have all the components function like they should.
