hey guys i am going to be swapping interiors and dashboards from my 91 notchback to my 89 hatchback. I have a couple of questions...is the wiring any different from the two, and will the dashboards bolt right up, any input would help me out a ton before i start the swap. i have heard that the dash cage will not bolt right up is this true?
NEED HELP swapping dashboards!
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trbkrb
Founding Member
I would just use all the 89 wiring and 89 gauge cluster (unless yours is a 85 unit) along and the 91 AC control panel. That is what worked for me. The only difference in the wiring is in the two plugs for the instrument cluster. The wiring was revised for the airbag and such. I don't know if swapping out the underdash wiring would work or not to make a 90-93 cluster work. I think the steering colum wiring is different too.
The AC controls are swapped and have diffferent mounting holes, but you can make a 87-89 fit a 90-93 and vice- versa with some drilling and relocating of wires and lengthening a vacuum line. The actual wiring for the AC controls did not change.
Cluster wiring diagram differences: http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/cluster87-93.pdf
Otherwise the 90-93 dash is a direct fit as far as mounting it. The fuse box is below the dash on the 90-93 and should be relocated for access, but I cut out a hole in my 90 dash for the 87 fuse box under the knee pad so it would be in about the same place as stock. Plus I did not install the metal backing plate for the knee pad. IMO it was just a heavy chunk of metal that was not needed, plus it allowed me to mount the fuse panel under the pad.
Fuse box pics:
http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox1.jpg
http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox2.jpg
http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox3.jpg
The AC controls are swapped and have diffferent mounting holes, but you can make a 87-89 fit a 90-93 and vice- versa with some drilling and relocating of wires and lengthening a vacuum line. The actual wiring for the AC controls did not change.
Cluster wiring diagram differences: http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/cluster87-93.pdf
Otherwise the 90-93 dash is a direct fit as far as mounting it. The fuse box is below the dash on the 90-93 and should be relocated for access, but I cut out a hole in my 90 dash for the 87 fuse box under the knee pad so it would be in about the same place as stock. Plus I did not install the metal backing plate for the knee pad. IMO it was just a heavy chunk of metal that was not needed, plus it allowed me to mount the fuse panel under the pad.
Fuse box pics:
http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox1.jpg
http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox2.jpg
http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/fusebox3.jpg
There is no need to touch any of the wiring at all.
I swapped a 1990 black interior into my '88 with very little mods.
As far as the dash goes, you simply remove the plastic dash from the metal dash frame. Do not remove the frame and do not touch any wiring. Swap the new plastic dash skin over to the frame. A tiny peice will need to be trimmed from behind the gauge cluster for it to mount to the frame. You will see what i mean when you put it on.
The area around the driver's knees will need new holes drilled into the metal frame since this is different. Just use a small drill bit, drill a pilot hole and then screw the dash into the new hole.
Resuse your orignal gauge cluster, gauge pod and steering column trim.
Use the newer 90-93 style HVAC controls. The wiring and vacuum lines are the same, but reversed, so you'll need to pull some more slack.
You'll need to drill a small hole to retain your gas cap popper if your car has one. Take your time and it will look OEM.
The fuse box is the toughest part. you can either stuff it behind the dash, or cut out a block and mount it to the new dash and then have the knee trim peice cover that area up. downside is to check the fuses, you will need to take this trim peice off. Tough to do on side of road, but looks cleaner.
My conversion
Original
And my new black interior using OEM parts. No repros or dyed/painted parts here
I swapped a 1990 black interior into my '88 with very little mods.
As far as the dash goes, you simply remove the plastic dash from the metal dash frame. Do not remove the frame and do not touch any wiring. Swap the new plastic dash skin over to the frame. A tiny peice will need to be trimmed from behind the gauge cluster for it to mount to the frame. You will see what i mean when you put it on.
The area around the driver's knees will need new holes drilled into the metal frame since this is different. Just use a small drill bit, drill a pilot hole and then screw the dash into the new hole.
Resuse your orignal gauge cluster, gauge pod and steering column trim.
Use the newer 90-93 style HVAC controls. The wiring and vacuum lines are the same, but reversed, so you'll need to pull some more slack.
You'll need to drill a small hole to retain your gas cap popper if your car has one. Take your time and it will look OEM.
The fuse box is the toughest part. you can either stuff it behind the dash, or cut out a block and mount it to the new dash and then have the knee trim peice cover that area up. downside is to check the fuses, you will need to take this trim peice off. Tough to do on side of road, but looks cleaner.
My conversion
Original
And my new black interior using OEM parts. No repros or dyed/painted parts here
trbkrb
Founding Member
Not from what I understand. As I mentioned before I understand the connections on the newer columns are different than the older ones. I wanted to put a leather SN95 wheel on my car, and will have to address the wiring differences if I ever do, using a 90-93 column. It is the turn signal and possibly the other connections that are supposedly different. As for the steering wheels themselves, I know they have totally different wiring connections from 87-89 and 90-93. The older ones have a copper disc and pins, while the newer ones have a coiled clockspring wire connector for the airbag.
Basically yeah, but it can be done, but you'll need to swap the column and change some wiring.
Just use your original for now and pull the column and wheel and some of the wiring from your parts car (if you have a car you are just stripping for parts) and set it aside. Save the trim and anything related.
Just use your original for now and pull the column and wheel and some of the wiring from your parts car (if you have a car you are just stripping for parts) and set it aside. Save the trim and anything related.
trbkrb
Founding Member
So the 88 has a connector between the switches and the main part of the door wiring harness so you can remove just the switches, and the later one doesn't have this connector? Sometime later on (90 or 91?) Ford changed to a one piece wiring harness for the power doors. You either use the 88 wiring and the 88 switch panels or change all the door wiring to the 91 wiring. The main harness under the dash between the doors is the same. I actually have one of the older door harnesses and one of the newer ones in my car. The switches themselves are interchangeable as they just plug into the plastic base.
trbkrb
Founding Member
The harnesses connect together under the dash right above the kick panels on the sides. There is a door harness for each side and a center harness that connects the doors under the dash right below the windshield. It has about 8 wires in the harness for the power windows/locks. Here is a wiring diagram:
http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/doorlockscan.jpg
The center under dash harness connects the two connectors on the left side of the diagram.
If the dash is out, you should see them. You will have a bit of a problem threading the harness through the rubber boot between the dash and the door. If I were doing it, I would just reuse the wiring that is in the doors and just swap the switches and face plates if the 91 parts are better than the 88 switches and face plates. That gives you the ability to remove the door panels a bit easier than with the one piece design. Ford changed it I bet to save a few $$ and make it easier to install on the assembly line, but the newer style is harder to take apart IMO.
http://statefilingsoftware.com/pictures/doorlockscan.jpg
The center under dash harness connects the two connectors on the left side of the diagram.
If the dash is out, you should see them. You will have a bit of a problem threading the harness through the rubber boot between the dash and the door. If I were doing it, I would just reuse the wiring that is in the doors and just swap the switches and face plates if the 91 parts are better than the 88 switches and face plates. That gives you the ability to remove the door panels a bit easier than with the one piece design. Ford changed it I bet to save a few $$ and make it easier to install on the assembly line, but the newer style is harder to take apart IMO.
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