Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Hi gents.
Has anyone changed the interior instrument panel from the early orange on grey to the late white on black? I've seen bits and pieces of the changes, like I believe there are some wiring changes between the early gauge cluster and the later one?

Is there a thread somewhere that goes into this? Searched around and didn't come up with anything.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Just of out of curiosity, has anyone switched a pre-90 digital one into a ZR-1? Must be an even bigger challenge, as there was no production Corvette with a 7000 rpm redlined tach.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

I believe, most likely, 91 (and perhaps 90) cluster, headlight switch, radio bezel and shifter bezel along with door handle trims can be replaced with 92 (black/yellow) or 93 (black/white?) pieces.
Headlight switch and main cluster for 94 and 95 most likely will plug in as far as I know. However, 94 and 95 radio bezel and shifter bezel will not work due to early cars having flying buttress between the center console and passenger seat.
If you are willing to replace the dash board, you can use 94 and 95 radio bezel and shifter bezel.
Finding 93 to 95 ZR1 specific instrument cluster (because of 7,000 plus rpm) is going to be a challenge and expensive. Also, finding clean ZR1 specific radio bezel with secondary key is going to be a challenge.
If you have time and money, anything is possible.
Even then, splicing in pre-90, all digital instrument would require some electronic wizardry.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

I bought my first ZR-1 in October 1991. When 94 came out, I seriously considered doing exactly what you are contemplating including euro style carpet but gave up due to cost involved. Eventually, in 2000, I picked up a 94, drove it until 2009 and spent the next 7 years rebuilding and modifying to what I wish the car to be and stay relevant with ever improving performance of newer cars. Even had the motor rebuilt (twice) with 4? pistons/liners, offset ground crankshaft (from 3.66? stroke to 3.75?), heads and IHs ported, modified intake camshafts, bored out throttle body and higher compression. On top of that,brake conversions with 6 piston calipers up front, 4 piston rear calipers, separate mechanical parking brakes, updated nav/entertainment head unit, so on and so on and so on.
At first I kept running record of dates and cost on excel spread sheet. Once I passed $20,000, I followed Jagdpanzer?s suggestion and deleted the spread sheet.
One thing for sure, never had so much fun with any car I have owned since 1974. And, most likely, will never have so much fun period!
It all worked out and then some.:cheers:

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

If you really get serious shoot me a private message followed by a phone call. Also, I have a 94 Bose radio (black with white lettering) sitting on my parts shelf. Radio bezel and shifter surround can be sprayed in flat black or wrapped with 3M body wrap vinyl. It took me awhile but I solved recreating lettering for the secondary key with .1? Helvetica bold font vinyl lettering.
All can be done. Challenge is the instrument cluster.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

First question. Euro style carpeting? What's that?

I can see this getting expensive over time. Not that it hasn't already. At least the car was "well bought" as they say, with low mileage and in very nice shape.

I think my first mods will be around suspension. Lots of rough and bumpy roads around here!

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

The early, digital instrument swap would not be a minor undertaking, I bet.

Aside from coolness, seeing as how I have defeated the key anyway (Haibeck chip), I could just use a stock corvette bezel.

I do prefer the flying buttress look of the earlier interior. Hmmm. Decisions!

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Thank you, sir. Interesting timing, as I'm just looking at getting my radio rebuilt. Hmmmm.....

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Early cars have sorta fuzzy and a bit shiny carpet. Later cars, I think 94 and 95s, have what Chevy called ?true vette? (I think). Carpet naps are straight and not as shiny.
As for the suspension, 90 to 92 had higher rate springs (stiff) and softer FX3 shocks. Later cars (93-95) have softer springs and stiffer FX3 shocks. Also, later cars sit about 3/4? taller to reduce scraping front air dams due to softer spring. If you want to chase better ride on rougher road, GM addressed this with later car suspension. Again, conversion involves new springs, FX3 controller and later FX3 shocks. Another option is QA1 coil over shocks. Two way control (compression and rebound) QA1s are not cheap and correct poundage of coils, I have no idea.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

I changed mine. I'm running a 96' LT4 cluster. You have to move the LCD screen from the 90' to the later cluster. Luv mine.
Read this to the end...
https://www.zr1.net/forum/showthread...hlight=Cluster

H
:cheers:

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Early digital instrument panel (1984 - 1989?) will require early dashboard (flat) and corresponding radio bezel and shifter bezel.
Although I have also owned 84 Z51, I have no idea what mod is involved to make it bolt up to 91 vette.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Duh!
Lt4 Cluster. Brilliant you are.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

While off topic, I'm also running 96' GS brakes. Looks good but still compatible with stock J55 brakes. I don't race so I don't need big a$$ calipers. Just some bling.
H
:cheers:

https://farm66.staticflickr.com/6553...0e49131e_c.jpg

https://farm66.staticflickr.com/6553...a64ca022_c.jpg

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Well, long story short - I was offered a deal on Fikse 18? Profil 10s. When I put these on 13? front and 12? rear calipers didn?t quite fill the void inside. That led to 14? and 13? vented disks and needed calipers to bite these rotors. Like I said, it all worked out.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

And I thought the stock brakes felt pretty good so far! :)

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

No But I swapped the early dash (89) to a later model (1991) in my 89 back in 2002.. lots of work..


This has my name all over it.. I will attach my pictures here again.. I have a 1990 here is what I did most recently

• LT4 cluster, there are 2 Warning lights that changed, Door Ajar and Brake maybe. Also the LCD from your 90 is needed ( but is plug and play)
• 1994-96 Door panels
• 1994-96 True Vette carpet (Torch Red and Black)
• 1994-96 Passenger side lower hush (dash pad was modded for it)
• 1994-96 Driver side console side
• Hybrid Radio Bezel and Console bezel to fit
• 1994-96 AC Vents (custom fitted)
• 1994-96 Sport seats (but look like base seats)
• All back with white lettering.. all are a direct swap except the LCD of the cluster, also the ASR button is there but not functional

I have a conversion PCB from Batee that allows the 92-96 LCD (however the added functions are not there)

Being we have a 1990 the Power key is easy to add, but I don't have the lettering near it.

I also replaced the DIC with an LCD. there is no black DIC that has the full power light like our 1990. In the pictures I have the splash ZR-1 in Red for full power and White when not. Considering changing it to be off completely with the key off. I printed a bezel adapter to fit the LCD to the bezel

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Damn, Jeff. You do have this all sorted out.

I wish you were my neighbour. :)

You've convinced me that it's very doable. And not that hard to do. Nor likely horribly expensive.

How come your sports seats look like regular seats?

I guess my goal is to not change the car radically, but rather find that best variants of ZR-1 parts to upgrade it.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

If you do go down this path and want an LCD. I fitted a 5" but had to trim the PCB to make it work, I also did a 4.3 version but like the 5" better. I can supply you with the bezel, but it is suggested you get a DIC a to 'gut' to make it work. There are other parts needed as I need to compile a list for the LCD. I have ideas for the added functions of the LCD but need to by a second LCD so I have one on my work bench for testing

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Missed this question..

I prefer the style and 'sit' of the standard seats. So I had some covers custom made to fit the sport seat frames and side bolsters. I find the base style with the 'extra' help of the sport bolsters is a good combo.

I like the 90 style seats but they get uncomfortable due to the power recline motor location and the way I fit/sit in the seats..

being a bigger guy these are very comfortable now

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Thanks.
That part I'll have to kick around.

Still sorting out my thoughts around the gauges!

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Interesting.
I'm 6'4, and not scrawny, so it's an issue for me too.

Where is the power recline motor located?

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

On driver side.. front left corner.. it would not sit right with my legs..

I am also 6'4"

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Not that I've driven it that much yet, but I can't say it was perfectly comfortable there. Did you lose any headroom with the swap?

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Not that I can tell.. I have more head room with the transparent roof vs the Painted roof due to the headliner

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

WOW!
While I am not in love with orange and gray either it seems like a heck of lot just to escape the clashing colors. I understand, but there are far better mods that can be made that will give more bang for the buck. The orange and black somehow looks quite a bit better.
Keep us posted if you make the change!
:cheers:
Marty

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Marty it depends on what your focus is.. I did it because when I am driving the car I am seeing all that stuff. I found the Black/white better and swapping the parts is pretty straight forward and could be do for a reasonable amount.. their are just a few pieces that are pricey.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

That's about the same thing I was gonna say. :)

I concentrate a lot on the things I connect with every time I drive. Wheel, seat, shifter and, of course, gauges.

I do have a touch of colour blindness in around the line between green and grey. So maybe the grey colour with the yellow looks particularly bland and cheap to me. It just seems a relatively easy and inexpensive mod, that will make every drive more enjoyable.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

While I responded to the major part of your question in the post above, I was just curious what you would consider the good bang for the buck mods.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Short throw shifter, any of them
Hurst shift knob
Shift Light
Additional straps under the seat cushion
Cupholders that hold a real cup
Sonar Like Radar Detection
Sirius XM Radio Capability
Sun visors that do not droop at the ends
Calibration of the tach
Speaker rebuilds

Your driving experience will be so greatly enhanced that you will no longer focus on the yellow / gray situation.

:cheers:
Marty

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

1) I like the stock shift knob
2) Never needed a shift light.
3) Thinking of removing the existing straps
4) Don't drink in my Corvette
5) Radar Detectors big time illegal up here
6) I've had XM in my last three cars and never used it. The sound quality is dreadful for music. And I do pod casts for talk. Bluetooth or an auxiliary input would be nice.
7) My visors are fine. No visor Viagra needed here
8) Never thought about it. Will have to figure out if mine is off
9) Rebuilt fronts in the garage awaiting installation. Rears and deck go next.

Nope. None of those will come close to making up for truly lousy gauges. Something that I use constantly.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Different strokes for different folks

I agree with Erik and did some of Marty's suggestions
I have a Hurst Short throw
C5 Shift Knob custom stitched by Flyman 27
Shift light, had one in my 89.. not really needed now for me
Changed to Later C4 seats
Never found a GOOD solution for a cup holder (would be useful for my Travel Coffee when I drive it to work)
No Radar detector
I have an Alpine iLX207, has XM, HD and Car Play..
replaced with Visor without Vanity Mirrors..
Tach, yeah mine is not off by too much
Rebuilt speaker? I replaced..

Again, I made my 1990 my own car..

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Jeff, do you have any more pics of your car anywhere?

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

What would you like to see?

I have a bunch of pictures not sure I have them all online.. tell me what you would like to see and I can get some

Here are some album of photos

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iCGWT985EAPe5mFn8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PGis9tpZn3dosVcD6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qkcWeK4K6ZKTgYVU9

https://photos.app.goo.gl/NQSLn5eyemfDrxag9

I don't have many recent pictures though

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

here is my Member Rides thread

http://zr1.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28765

It needs some updates too

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Erik,
Very well, as you please.

Changing the color will not upgrade the performance of the gauges as I am sure you know.
Might be easier to change the color of the lens on your sunglasses and as suggested improve aspects to make driving the car more FUN.

As you own the car longer, your focus on the gauges will lessen.
After 25 years with my current one, rarely have the gauges ever alerted me to anything of import, other than excessive speed. Therefore a quick glance is all that is needed at this point.
Perhaps that is why the orange fails to annoy me.
Might also have to do with owning an Atomic Orange Pace Car, as well as loving the 1700 mile Brazen Inferno Orange Solstice I just scored for the dealership yesterday.

At any rate, CHANGE AWAY!

Life is preciously short.

If white paint on gauges will make you smile more, then have at it ASAP!

ENJOY that ZR-1!

:cheers:
Marty

p.s.
You failed to mention the shifter. That means more to me than my engine mods or any other mod. I LOVE IT!

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Marty, I'm guessing you are trying to be helpful, but you are coming incredibly close to sounding really condescending.

This might amaze you, but this is not my first car, my first performance car, my first Corvette or my first C4. I'm driving it daily right now, in New Brunswick, in December, to learn and connect with the car while I can before the snow hits. I'm looking for flaws, weaknesses and things to be corrected over the winter. There are actually very few things about it from a design perspective that bother me. But yes, the instrument panel colour choices are just plain stupid and don't work. You know who agrees with me? The Corvette team at GM. They walked this colour combo back almost immediately and stopped tinkering once they got it properly sorted, in white on black. Not coincidentally, the same colour combo used in every other serious performance car. Why? Because it works. It's quick and easy to read at a glance. Which is the goal of any instrument panel, especially in a car you are driving fast. Plus, that grey plastic just looks cheap.

I've never been a NCRS kind of guy, so I'll never take it for judging. If I can do some minor tweaks to make it work better for me, then I will. And yes, popping out the gauge cluster from and earlier C4 and popping one in from a later one is not a major mod. It will look factory, because it is factory. I've been looking at pricing already, and it won't be expensive. So I get to tinker with my car, I get to do it pretty inexpensively, and I get a car that works better for me. How is this a bad thing?

And the shift knob? I'm undecided on that. I'm just enjoying the wonderfully mechanical feel of operating the transmission right now.

How about you do what you consider to be fun and worthwhile with your car, and I'll do what I find to be fun and worthwhile with mine. And I promise, I wont pop by your threads a tell you why what your doing is wrong.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

Nothing particular. Sounded like you had done some cool mods and I was just curious how the whole car looked. Thanks. I'll take a peak.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

The LCD info is not there, I will post some info and pictures

Oh I might have the C68 controller and Headlight switch if you go to white/black

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

That would be awesome. Would love to have those! Let me know what works for you.

Re: Changing Early ZR-1 Instrument Panel to Late One
 

You have done some incredible work on that car. Nicely done. I can't imagine I'll ever get anywhere close to that. Hope to see it in the flesh next year, if the world returns to normal.