Digidash swap!

[Hearsesrock427]

I never liked analog speedos or tachs. I've been looking at various digidash designs, both those offered on the panthers from the factory (such as the kind seen on box Townies and aero Crown Vics) and dash clusters from other cars (C4 Corvette, Thunderbird, etc.). I want a digidash in my '89 Grand Marquis GS.

I'm 98% sure I want a digidash like the one in Zack's Thunderbid. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiAEspn4lxs

From what I can see in the video, it's got everything I want:
-Tach
-Speedo
-Temperature gauges
-Pressure gauges
-Fuel gauge

***I'm sure it has more stuff, but I'm just going off google image search & the linked video.

Now for the fun stuff. How would I go about swapping the cluster? I know I'll need a new sending unit for the gas tank. (Not sure how'd I go about swapping the sending unit, and/or where to buy the digidash sending unit.) What about a 3 digit speedo? I know stock MN12 Tbird digidashes only go up to 85 IIRC. And yes, I know I'll need to rewire lots of stuff. But I'm obsessed with digidashes, and I'm willing to pay to play here.

Also, if you guys know of other digidash designs that fit the specifications I outlined above, let me know. I plan on doing lots more of these. I'm always looking to further refine my tastes!

[fmansfield444]

I've heard that the digital speedo and possibly other parts from the digital Aerostar dashes can be disassembled and fit in nicely. They are pretty rare though. It's the early boxy Aerostar dashes too. 86-91 I think

[HiFiMerc]

There is a mod to some (or all?) older Ford digital clusters that let's them read higher than 85. I believe it's quiet simple. Changing a resistor or something.

[Hearsesrock427]

@fmansfeld444: Aerostar digidash is interesting. Its tach is much more vertical compared to the MN12 Thunderbird's tach. I would have to compare the tachs side by side to see which one I like more. Both tachs are sweet. Speedos are good too. Only issue with the Aerostar digidash is a lack of oil pressure, oil temp, and other secondary gauges. I could theoretically just use part of another digidash to incorporate those readouts.....

@HiFiMerc: I think this is what you were referring to: http://www.coolcats.net/modifying/199speedo.html

I knew I had something sweet saved for making digidashes cooler. Works with '85-'88 T-birds digidashes. Not sure if it'll work on later versions though. Worst comes to worst, I could trial-and-error it with a bunch of WOT runs late at night, hahaha.

[HiFiMerc]

That be the one.

[Hearsesrock427]

After comparing a whole bunch of different digidash designs, I've got my mind set on a Tbird digidash. I really like the MN12's horizontal tach, as well as its suite of aforementioned overlays. Only issue is I'm not sure if the said speedo trick will work. If not, I'll just buy a pre MN12 Tbird dash. I can afford to throw little parts like used digital dashboard clusters at Ebyt, if only in the extreme near term. Haha.

[purplebomb302]

I've always enjoyed digi dashs. Too bad one from a GM wouldn't work. I had an '89 cutty with a sweet one like this:



Buick Regal:



Olds Toronado or Buick Reatta:



I had a '94 Jimmy that had one of these. The also came on the Astros.

[HiFiMerc]

And one of those touchscreen CRT radios like the Reatta had.

[dmccaig]

Dear Panthers,

This conversation confuses me. If we're talking about replacing the gauge cluster with a cluster from another Ford - bolt orig out, bolt replacement in, I can understand what's going on. If the idea is to remove the 89 cluster and replace it with new, individual instruments, pick and choose, it's a big project. When you remove the old cluster you have a hole which needs to be filled with something to attach the instruments to and there isn't much room for them and what about that mechanical shift indicator?

The Replacing the Gauge Cluster thread is what I learned.


Donald

[85crownHPP]

Someone here did this, with the aerostar digi cluster. They took pieces out and made a hybrid cluster using a box shell.
Also, Fatnasty plopped a 80's towncar digi speedo (It can work standalone) right into his box GMQ cluster, IIRC it went in pretty clean. I think he did the fuel gauge too...

I have a box TC cluster I will send you for shipping if you think you can use it!

[sly]

@HiFiMerc: I think this is what you were referring to: http://www.coolcats.net/modifying/199speedo.html

now that is the easiest hack I've ever seen. Simple option pin.

[Hearsesrock427]

@purplebomb302: Oh yeah. It's neat comparing the different styles. The Cutlass digidash looks like it was based on the analogs (note the curving tach and curved gauge face), with some gauges spruced up and rearranged. Same thing with the Toronoado and/or Reatta. They've got all the important readouts too. My favorite of the set is the Regal dash. It's got the horizontal tach, plus a nice layout of all the readouts. The important stuff (speed, tach) are right in front, with the secondary stuff off to the side. The Jimmy/Astro digidash is a very close second. I really like the unique colors. The horizontal tach and vertical secondary readouts make for a cool cocktail. But I'd need to play with the positions.... tach should be front and center, right next to the speedo- not below and to the right!

@HiFiMerc: With the loud "BEEP. BEEP." sounds. Haha. I'd have hearing damage in no time with that suff!

@dmccaig: That's why I want an MN12 Tbird digidash. I won't need to pick and choose instrumentation a la carte. I just bolt in and re-wire accordingly. I'd like a digital shift indicator, but I'm not sure how that'd work. If for whatever reason I couldn't make it work, I could just leave the analog shift indicator; it actually looks pretty sharp.

@85crownvicHPP: Yep! He was the guy who inspired me. And I'll have to think about getting a T-Car digidash..... I really want a tach to go with it, but I really dig the T-Car digidash. I could (theoretically) just add a digital horitontal tach later. Even the digital speedo on its own would be a huge improvement over what I've got now.

@sly: You just made me think of those Geico commercials "So easy, even a caveman could do it."

[purplebomb302]

@purplebomb302: Oh yeah. It's neat comparing the different styles. The Cutlass digidash looks like it was based on the analogs (note the curving tach and curved gauge face), with some gauges spruced up and rearranged. Same thing with the Toronoado and/or Reatta. They've got all the important readouts too. My favorite of the set is the Regal dash. It's got the horizontal tach, plus a nice layout of all the readouts. The important stuff (speed, tach) are right in front, with the secondary stuff off to the side. The Jimmy/Astro digidash is a very close second. I really like the unique colors. The horizontal tach and vertical secondary readouts make for a cool cocktail. But I'd need to play with the positions.... tach should be front and center, right next to the speedo- not below and to the right!

I loved those gauges in my cutty when I had it. It's unfortunate Ford didn't have anything cool like that for any of their line-up other than the Aerostar and T-bird/Couger.

[fmansfield444]

Mark 6 and mark 7 came with digi dash options too didn't they?

[sly]

yup.