<VV> dash / instrument panel swap?

[Norman C. Witte]

John, just to summarize, to convert the Corsa dash and have everything
function, you will need:

The dash (duh);
The plastic hose that runs from the dash to the engine compartment and
connects the manifold pressure gauge to the manifold;
Correct wiring (more below); and
A thermister, which goes in the left head.

On wiring harnesses, you could make your own.  The tach lead has to be added
as does the thermister lead.  Tach lead length may make a difference on
accuracy; I don't know.  Someone on the list might comment on that.  If you
were going to buy new or used harnesses and you wanted to go stock all the
way, you would need the instrument cluster harness, the body harness, the
engine compartment harnees, and the thermister harness, really just one wire
and easy to make with the right connectors, but you have to use the correct
high temp fabric wrapped wire.

Thermisters run about $75-100 each because they are rare.  Also don't forget
that '65 and '66 turbos had a warning buzzer to keep the driver from
grenading the motor.  You might want to add that feature, too.

One interesting thing is that the aftermarket Corsa quartz movements work
great--dead nuts accurate--and are far cheaper than acquiring a Monza clock
(which was a rare option) and converting it to quartz.  I have seen the
Monza clocks go for as much as $200.

Another idea is to get a second temp gauge from another Corsa and rig up
left and right temp gauges.  I think this would be more helpful in a 110 or
140 as it would be a good indicator of loss of carb sync.  If you did this,
you would just delete the clock.

If you haven't bought the cluster yet, make sure it comes with the trip OD
reset cable.

Also keep in mind that you will want to acquire the glove box door and dash
panel, since the Monza unit is silver in '65.  I like the silver look but it
might look mismatached with a COrsa dash.  Are you building a Corsa clone,
or a turbo Monza.  I think a turbo Monza would be cool.  Different, and you
can add all the Corsa stuff.  Monza crosses on the fenders, turbo emblem on
the deck lid.  You could either refinish the Corsa dash silver, or use a '66
Corsa dash ('65 Corsas had an exposed silver line around the edge of the
cluster that is black in '66) with a '66 or later Monza glove box door and
panel.  I think refinishing the Corsa dash to match the '65 Monza silver
would look really neat.

Norm

> -----Original Message-----
> From: virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org
> [mailto:virtualvairs-admin@corvair.org]On Behalf Of John Sconiers
> Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 11:42 PM
> To: Virutal Vairs
> Subject: <VV> dash / instrument panel swap?
>
>
> Are  the corvair dashes swappable.  IE can put a 65 corsa dash (the
> instrument panel with gauges) into a non corsa without much fuss?
>
>
> JOHN
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