Hey guys:

As I stated in my build thread, I found a really reeeally rusted out RX7 in town. So bad, that I worry about actually moving it from its resting spot in a back alley. However: the interior is almost mint. It's.. bizzare. Like some kind of twilight zone thing, the dash is crackless and shiny. My dash is faded and dull, as well as the center console peices are thrashed and the bin lids shattered.

So.. I currently have an 84 GSL SE, and the car I'm looking at is a 81 GS.

Are the dashes interchangeable? I didnt notice any difference when I looked at them, however I have to make a decision and I want it to be the right one.

Thanks guys!

 

with a little bit of work you migh tbe able to squeeze it in there but as a general rule, no, they are not interchangeable. i beleave its something to do with the pillars between the doors and windows, but a search will tell you everything you need to know about that. i seem to remember a thread from a long time ago that listed all interchangeable dash/int parts and even modifications to make them fit in normally non-compatible years. hope that helps

 

Anyone have a link to that thread posted by rotornoob? I tried a search and looked for a few minutes and came up dry. I'd spend more time, but im under a time crunch with the guy selling it. I buy it or its scrapped.

I did find this though :

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...+compatibility

Anyone ever switch over an older dash into a newer car? Would it be a tonne of work?

 

Well, _nothing_ is impossible, but considering the diff between the updating done to the -SE, specifically an all new heating and ventilation system; and the updates in electronics back there, etc. etc. it would be a lot of work for a, er, retro-grade! Don't see how you could get the existing semi-automatic heater/control system to work thru the manual 81 controls. You need to use the -SE harness (so all your other tied-in electronics in the car would work) to some how re-attach to the old(er) school instrument cluster - means chopping up your -SE harness with no guarantee it would actually work. Get the 81, sell the interior...
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

As 7aull has stated, anything is possible.

But IMHO it is not worth the work to make it work.


I recommend that you take out your dash and repaint it. I did that with my Se and it looks great.

I'm the only one with a Tan interior on a SE. :-)

 

ive seen 84-85 dashes into earlier cars, i dont know why you'd go the other way though...