Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Dashboard updates
From:John Brush
Date:Tue, 22 May 2001 21:25:09 -0600

>I want to take out the old non tach dash,and put in the newer dash from
>the 85 in my 83. Is this a plug and play deal? Will all the gauges work
>the same? Do I need to run extra wires for the new tach? Should I have
>researched this a little further before I Bought the new dash??

Brian,

I recenty did just such a thing with no problems. I also just sent
photocopies of the two connectors to someone else. The file is about
2.2megs, so if you want it, just say so.

It is plug and play, and it works better than M$ :-) The connector can be
popped open, and the wires swapped according to the pix I can send.

You do need to run a wire from the Coil up to the dashboard for the tach.
Just one is all that is needed.

The swap is quite easy with one bummer, at least on the one I did. The
speedo connections changed somewhere between my 81 and the 85 I got the
panel from, so I cannot not use the 'newer' speedo with the trip odometer
until I find time to scrounge a new cable from a junker somewhere. Dunno
when the change occured, but in 81, the cable screwed into the speedo, and
on the 85, it is a snap on connection.

Lemme know if you want files.

Regards,

John