I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) March 15, 2006, 02:45:24 AM :flame: ... anyway, i have an 83 cougar 5.0 with the digital spedo, but it has nothing else other than the odometer... i want to have temp, battery and oil guages, but i want to try to keep it looking "stock".... can i interchange say and 87 cougar/t-bird full digital dash for mine, or will it need heavy modification in the plugs? (i know i will probably have to add leads for rpm and temp and stuff, just wondering about the harness and fit and such.... thanks!!! Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #1 – March 15, 2006, 11:52:39 AM alot of have said that the cluster wont fit in the older style dash, but noone really confirmed it. It would prolly just be easier to add aftermarket gauges, or maybe try to see if you can get it to fit. You could always mesure it and see if it will. Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #2 – March 15, 2006, 08:13:27 PM OR you could track down a very hard to find 83 84 tc cluster. Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #3 – March 15, 2006, 09:21:29 PM I wonder if he could swap in a dash from say an '85-'88?Might have to change out the door panles too, but it'd be cool.Or perhaps, a Mustang dash...? Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #4 – March 15, 2006, 09:24:59 PM They won't fit. I looked it over and it would be easier to swap in a later dash than to modify a cluster to fit in an early dash. I'd love to have a later TC cluster in my Cougar instead of the stock tach and speedo. I'm going aftermarket with everything eventually but right now it'd be nice to have more. I put in a water temp just to confirm my suspicion that my car was overheating.Oh....what good would an 83 84 TC cluster be? It just adds a tach instead of the buttstuffog clock. It still lacks water temp, battery voltage, and oil pressure. Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #5 – March 15, 2006, 09:45:05 PM Oh, I did not know that. Quote Selected
hmmmm Reply #6 – March 16, 2006, 12:18:01 AM i see your point.... i'm thinking of getting rid of the eec iii piece of i have and puting in a 5.0 ho from a 1989 cougar i saw yesterday... it's a lot of wires to have to replace, but my engine feels like i have 5.0 hamsters under the hood instead of 5.0 liters :)..... anyway, i hadn't thought of a full dash replacement, but i have to take it apart to run the new cpu wires and such through the firewall anyway.... i wonder if the wife would let me..... Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #7 – March 16, 2006, 08:10:27 AM All you need is an engine harness from an 86 Coug/Tbird. And the 89 Cougar didn't have a V8 option. Others here will suggest a Mustang HO 5.0 before a Cougar HO as well. The Cougar HO didn't make as much power when it was offered in the Cougar starting in 91. Quote Selected
thanks for the correction Reply #8 – March 16, 2006, 01:51:32 PM i see now that the ho wasn't there in the cougar, but it does say an 89 and it has a ho in it, so how can i tell if the engine was swapped and whether it was replaced with a mustang ho or not.... is there a way to tell? Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #9 – March 16, 2006, 02:14:22 PM The 1991-93 intake is flatter (in height) and has the crooked air inlet elbow...that's the only factory 5.0 intake that will fit under the 1989-97 hood.Back to your question...Chuck would probably be able to confirm this but I do believe the Fox chassis LTD/Marquis cluster interchanges. Not that that helps. There is no "ultimate" plug-and-play swap for your dash.1983 Cougars and T-Birds in general got the short end of the stick, as far as electronics. EEC-III is virtually useless for diagnosis, and the nice things we take for granted with EEC-IV aren't present. So, if you have a 5.0 it's MUCH easier to carb the motor and bypass the EEC-III system. The same principle applies to the gauges. All you want is to know what's going on with your fluids and battery. You don't want anything complicated getting in your way. Therefore...the easy solution is aftermarket gauges. You get the exact gauges you want, that display the information you need, in your own configuration, and it's much more accurate than any stock gauges would be anyhow.The down side? Yeah, you would have to run some new wiring...not a major issue though. And it can be a little pricey at first glance. But think about this...a set of nice Auto Meter gauges for around $400 US. That's all it costs in the real world. Do some price comparisons at Summit Racing and you'll see...they're pretty affordable if you go with a lower line of gauges (Pro Comp, Sport Comp, etc.). I did mine up for under $400, and that was with a special new $190 speedo that calibrates for tire/gear combos. I think you have enough room for the 3-3/8" speedo and tach, and probably 2 of the 2-1/16" gauges around them. The others you can put below the radio, or in place of the clock, or take out a vent in the dash panel...you do have a lot of choices for the 1983-84 dash. Really, even though it's not as flexible as 1985-88 gauges, I like the looks of the older one better. It's nice and orderly and relatively symmetrical, so it appeals to the eye.If you would like to attempt to make a custom panel, I can help assist you with that. I've already made a template for the 1985-88 dash and wouldn't mind having the older dash template too. Quote Selected
guages Reply #10 – March 16, 2006, 02:32:32 PM see what i get when i buy a 83 cougar instead of the 86 that the wife REALLY wanted...... oh well i guess that was just a good way for me to be able to get the wife to let me buy 2 cats..... the one we have now (which is secretly for me) and the 86 i need to get her to make up for the fact that i bought an 83 now.... tricky ..... anyway, the wife loves the 86 with the full digital dash.... i was kind of hoping to be able to do a simpler swap and still keep it digital (while getting more engine onfo than i have now'which is NONE').... anyway, i guess i'll be going the buttstuffog route...... do you think i could add guages to the origional digital dash without having to hang them from the pilliar or under the dash..... or should i just go all buttstuffog Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #11 – March 16, 2006, 02:44:03 PM Cyberdyne makes a universal digital panel...you configure to your car...very slick. If you want all digital gauges, there you go. Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #12 – March 16, 2006, 04:12:53 PM Quote from: EricCoolCatsCyberdyne makes a universal digital panel...They also manufacture the T-800 and the T-1000, and soon they're planning on bringing the new SkyNet defense system online.....Sorry.... thought I saw an opening for a funny! Quote Selected
I hate the 83 guages (or lack there of) Reply #14 – March 16, 2006, 06:17:22 PM I saw that coming. Quote Selected
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