Speedo clusters???

blacksunshine89 · Feb 12, 2006

This is probably a stupid question, but can I use a air bag car's(1990-93) gauge cluster in a 1987-1989 Mustang? From pictures it looks like it will bolt in, but are there any other changes besides the cuttout for the airbag column?

RsStanG1987 · Feb 12, 2006

mines from a 91 and it looks the same

1SLO306 · Feb 12, 2006

i think u will have to use the 87-89 plastic cover tho right??

blacksunshine89 · Feb 12, 2006

I dunno... Looking at pictures it looks the same except for the cutout, but I think the dash would cover this... As long as it plugs in and works and doesn't look like crap. I am asking because I have found a couple on ebay, but they are the 91-93 style.

Euphoric306 · Feb 12, 2006

the answer is yes it will work, but the wiring on each harness is different due to the airbags. you can rewire the harnesses to work, but it is a little complicated.

if you're doing it for just the 140 speedo, i would just swap out the speedo with yours OR find a nice 89 speedo

here's a link with info on the harnesses

http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/cluster87-93.pdf

good luck

wazazzle · Feb 13, 2006

Last year I tried putting a 91 speedo into my 89. Sure it will bolt on, but the circuits are diff due to the airbag. It will not work.

jrichker · Feb 13, 2006

You can make it work by moving some of the wires. See http://www.stangnet.com/tech/cluster87-93.pdf for more help. You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Euphoric306 · Feb 13, 2006

thanks jrichker but i beat ya to it except for the reader download link

skip nay · Feb 13, 2006

It can be down but what a big PITA

trents99 · Feb 13, 2006

Related question. I'm picking up a dash out of a '90 to go in my '89. Both clusters are 140mph so that's not a big deal. If I use the '90 dash will my '89 cluster fit without modification? I know the wiring won't matter since I'll be using the '89 wiring but physically will it need to be modified?

wazazzle · Feb 13, 2006

(((trents99)))In theory since you are using the same harness and speedo it should work. However it will not! I tried this too. The fuse box on your driverside will not fit due to a slightly different shape and mounting bracket of the '90+. Although the connectors will fit, the inset depth of the 89 speedo into the 90 dash is different. It will not go in all the way. Sorry dude, just something I learned the hard way after installing the dash and wiring, then having to reinstall the old '89 dash.

trents99 · Feb 13, 2006

wazazzle said:
(((trents99)))In theory since you are using the same harness and speedo it should work. However it will not! I tried this too. The fuse box on your driverside will not fit due to a slightly different shape and mounting bracket of the '90+. Although the connectors will fit, the inset depth of the 89 speedo into the 90 dash is different. It will not go in all the way. Sorry dude, just something I learned the hard way after installing the dash and wiring, then having to reinstall the old '89 dash.

I had read where the fuse box will be different. What I was thinking about the fuse box is this. I know it will take some customizing so on the airbag cars they had the part by the knees bulged out. When you look at the fuse cover on the '87-'89 model it has the slits cut in the dash and male ends on the covers that let it snap in and out. I was thinking of doing something like that for the knee panel. I would hide the fuse box behind it and then make that whole piece removable by just snapping in and out of place.

Thoughts?

wazazzle · Feb 14, 2006

trents99 said:
I had read where the fuse box will be different. What I was thinking about the fuse box is this. I know it will take some customizing so on the airbag cars they had the part by the knees bulged out. When you look at the fuse cover on the '87-'89 model it has the slits cut in the dash and male ends on the covers that let it snap in and out. I was thinking of doing something like that for the knee panel. I would hide the fuse box behind it and then make that whole piece removable by just snapping in and out of place.

Thoughts?

If you can fab that up but won't the steering column get in the way? There's also a ton of wiring behind there and I'm not sure it the fusebox will reach that far because i believe the wiring connected to the driver side wall is attached to it. Along with the little pc box hidden by your left leg. If you can do it post up some pics. It'll be interesting to see. Good luck

trents99 · Feb 14, 2006

I should be picking up the dash Sunday and getting started on it then. As an after thought to my post I forgot about the wiring not possibly being long enough to move the fuses that far over. Once I have the dash I'll see what I can work up for the fuse box.

trbkrb · Feb 14, 2006

Trents99,

I have a 90 dash in my 87, and the 87 cluster fit just fine. I also have relocated my fuse box like you were thinking in roughly the same spot as stock. It is under the knee pad and fits just fine too if you cut out a hole to mount it in. I didn't use the metal backing plate for the knee pad and the knee pad pins snap right into the holes on the dash. Here are some pics:

http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox1.jpg

http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox2.jpg

http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox3.jpg

My cuts are a bit rough, but I had to move it so it would clear the under dash stuff. The knee pad is a little tight against the column trim, but you can remove and install it if needed.

trents99 · Feb 15, 2006

trbkrb said:
Trents99,

I have a 90 dash in my 87, and the 87 cluster fit just fine. I also have relocated my fuse box like you were thinking in roughly the same spot as stock. It is under the knee pad and fits just fine too if you cut out a hole to mount it in. I didn't use the metal backing plate for the knee pad and the knee pad pins snap right into the holes on the dash. Here are some pics:

http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox1.jpg

http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox2.jpg

http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox3.jpg

My cuts are a bit rough, but I had to move it so it would clear the under dash stuff. The knee pad is a little tight against the column trim, but you can remove and install it if needed.

Thanks Thomas! I had seen one of those pics in an old thread and that's why I thought it may be possible.

trbkrb · Feb 15, 2006

A couple of notes I remembered on my way to work today. I used my 87 steering column cover and the 87 instrument surround, or whatever it is called. I don't think there is a big difference in the 87-89 and 90-93 on the surround, but the column covers are quite a bit different. I cut a paper template in the fuse box shape and used a drill to make holes to start the cuts and a hand coping saw to cut out the shape. Learn from my mistake and cut it lower on the dash to clear the upper braces.

Good luck!

Zero_chance · Feb 16, 2006

While it may not be a simple plug and play swap, it is possible. And if you think thats a tough swap, check out March's issue of 5.0, a guy put a dash from a 94-98 style into a Fox. Ten hours of cutting and fitting just to get it sit right

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