[Squidward]

Thought I would share some quick details of my digital gauge cluster install. I put an Intellitronix DP-4000 digital cluster in my 67 Firebird.

Word of caution: resto guys might not like this. It's not for everyone. But I like it, and it fits my needs.

My 67 FB had the standard dummy light cluster - speedo and fuel gauge. Augmenting that was a tach clamped onto the column, and a 3 pod cluster of temp/oil/volts down at the console under the center dash. It was functional for years, but looked like crap.

Fast forward to the present. My speedo didn't work, and would bounce around in 30 mph swings. The gas gauge didn't work, likely the cause of a faulty sender, but even when it did it wasn't very accurate.

I thought about doing rally gauges, but didn't like the tiny gauges inside the right side pod. Gauges that small didn't have useful resolution. So I landed on the digital cluster. It has numerical values, but with analog bar display, which makes it somewhat of a hybrid.

Install had its challenges.

The instructions weren't the best. But they were adequate. The led display mounts in place of the gauges to the gauge panel.

Wires were pretty clearly described for function. Most were pretty obvious. But there were a few issues. One was what to do with the GEN light. I needed the resistance for alternator field, so I rewired my stock hi beam indicator to now become the gen light.

The hi beam wire was now routed to the cluster, which had a hi beam LED indicator.

Because the TEMP dummy light grounds at the ignition switch, I had to lift that green wire off the ign switch.

The temp sender plumbed right into the intake water crossover.

The oil pressure sender plumbed directly into the oil filter adapter.

The speedometer sender attached directly to the th350 speedo gear outlet. It is a pulse style transducer.

All my problems are now solved. I have speedo, fuel, volts, oil, temp, and tach. I no longer have mechanical gauge tubes entering the passenger compartment.

One VERY nice feature is the speedometer calibration. Just press a button to enter cal mode, hit the button to start, drive a known mile, and hit the button to stop cal at the end of the mile. It counts the pulses over that mile, and calculates displayed mph. It could not be any easier to recalibrate if I change tire size or gear ratio.

There are also features integrated for 1/4 mile, 0-60, and other performance metrics. I am not sure I will use them, but maybe. It might be useful for some WOT tuning to see if I got faster or slower. Track time is not possible, so that might be nice.

During this project I was able to enjoy the cheap availability of multi pin weatherpack harnesses to splice into the factory cluster wiring. And I also fell in love with low temp solder butt splice connectors. Those have changed my life, electrically speaking.

I am a fan. I had fun sharing.

[kingbuzzo]

looks great...huge upgrade

[JLMounce]

Nice upgrade. This is on my list as well. My speedometer is in the process of failing. While the speed reading is mostly good, the odometer has quit. Like you I also believe that my fuel gauge is on it's way out. It had a poor sender for years that I replaced last year. It was accurate for a time, but now doesn't like to read above half a tank.

I'm leaning towards the New Vintage USA gauges, but I'll give these a look as well.

[RocktimusPryme]

I looked at those a few times for my 67, but was never sure how much of a nightmare install would be. How much I would have to hack up my factory wiring. That looks great though.

A HUGE part of switching from carb to FI to me was the heads up display. I actually now have one of the 7" digital dashes in a box in the garage that I got in a trade that Im considering putting in the firebird.

[JLMounce]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

I looked at those a few times for my 67, but was never sure how much of a nightmare install would be. How much I would have to hack up my factory wiring. That looks great though.

A HUGE part of switching from carb to FI to me was the heads up display. I actually now have one of the 7" digital dashes in a box in the garage that I got in a trade that Im considering putting in the firebird.

This is really what I'd like as well, but it's a ton of fabrication to get on into a 69 Dash carrier. Unlike the 67-68 cars that have the insert which you can buy for various flat panel screens.

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by JLMounce

This is really what I'd like as well, but it's a ton of fabrication to get on into a 69 Dash carrier. Unlike the 67-68 cars that have the insert which you can buy for various flat panel screens.

Ha ha! I WANTED a flat panel dash insert for a configurable display, but concessions had to be made on cost to accomodate the rest of the stuff I want/need to do. I got the Intellitronix unit for $400 a few months ago on sale.

Ever since I got a touch screen media player in my truck years ago, I've developed an affinity for modern tech and its conveniences. I enjoy stock styling, but don't care for stock functionality. It's why I did EFI.

Now I need to figure out if I can do a double din touch screen media player. Since my ac system is a stock head unit converted over to Classic Auto Air fly by wire, I though about dropping the ac control head mounting down in the radio slot and see if I can fit a double din media player (no cd, shallow depth) where the ac controls used to be. My radio dash had already been hacked for a single din unit before I owned the car, so at the very least a single din modern media player is an option. We'll see. Quiet exhaust and more streetable gears are next.

Yes, I'm getting old.

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

...How much I would have to hack up my factory wiring.

So with regard to that... I used a 12 pin weatherpack connector, I bought a pair of them for this reason: I chopped off the factory plug, and spliced in a 12 pin weatherpack for the cluster, and a 3 pin weather pack for the speedo. Amazon is the devil, but they have so much stuff.

I haven't done it yet, but planned on splicing the factory gauge plug into one of the spare 12-pins so I could convert back with relative ease. The only problem I would have converting back would be to undo the GEN light and Hi beam bulb shenanigans. Not a big deal tho. I made a schematic of my hookups.

I will probably write an email to Intellitronix support to let them know that they could benefit their customer base by including support to address a GEN light, maybe by engineering that function into the dash unit with a resistor to take the place of the gen light. A 50-100 ohm resistor of the right wattage would have been adequate, but strangely enough, I like my gen light functionality, even tho the volts gauge would tell me all I need to know. Had I gone with the resistor for the gen bulb, install would be VERY simple. The hi beam bulb wire would've spliced in for hi beam indicator, and the gen light brown wire woud get a resistor instead of a bulb. I'll let their engineers geek out with that.

[kingbuzzo]

My dash was cut and also enjoy Android auto so I went with one of these if it helps at all...



That was before I found out ramc put out a double din converter for the eight track hole...doh

[Squidward]

Does that have screen mirroring?

Looking up that model took me to some other alternate selections, including single din with a 7" diagonal screen. But it looked like some seriously cheap no name offshore stuff. Something like this would be cool if it had some reasonable quality...
Single din touchscreen


I will keep the Boss stuff in mind. I've always enjoyed Pioneer, but I'm not married to it.

[kingbuzzo]

No I don't think so...only Android Auto and crApple Carplay which is already built into any phone.

The feds don't really want you to take yer eyes off the road so only apps that support the above two platforms will have large buttons on-screen. Also nice to have the album art.

For me I like that it supports Slacker, MediaMonkey, Waze and has voice control. I have an older model that doesn't have BT media support but other than that it has been solid.

Yes, I used to rock the pioneer or alpine and had my doubts about this one but there aren't any moving parts - just a big dumb screen.

You can also change the wallpaper for shows etc which is nice...

[Squidward]

Love that dash. 2nd gens are my true love.

Here is what I have to deal with...

If I have too much active screen hanging down, then I will have my shifter in the way. I thought of chopping down the shifter shaft, or cutting/welding to get it shorter and laid back more where it won't be in the way.

Idk... I might try one of the single dins made of Chinesium, and see if I am pleasantly surprised.

That pic reminds me, I need to reinstall the center AC vent "roller". It launched into the backseat at one of my last track outings years ago.

[kingbuzzo]

The one I have would obscure yer heater however what is that space below yer head unit?

If its useless space then you have room for a double din in dash and it wouldn't be blocked if the car was in drive would it?

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by kingbuzzo

The one I have would obscure yer heater however what is that space below yer head unit?

If its useless space then you have room for a double din in dash and it wouldn't be blocked if the car was in drive would it?

Ashtray. You have a very good idea. Only issue is that the lower everything goes, the more difficult it is to access it with the shifter. If the shifter was shorter, then I would be in business. Hmmm...

There is also a wood applique bezel thing that trims out that entire center dash - currently not installed.

I am wrestling with how weird and choppy choppy I want to get with the dash.

[kingbuzzo]

Ah I gotcha...lots of options is good

You could always get a steering wheel control.

Typically I set a playlist before I leave and rarely touch the screen anyways - just informational.

[Squidward]

Actually, I'm taking another look at those Boss units. The detachable screen moves up and down, and tilts. And it's single din. And it's 85w x 4. Video resolution isn't super high def, but I don't plan on watching vids while driving.

It would save me some fab work. Chopping the shifter arm is a must, tho.

[kingbuzzo]

Yes, mine has those features as well. It is also removable if I park somewhere shady or leave the car for any amount of time. Most units automatically disable video playback when the car is in drive however my rear camera still works which is funny lol.

I ended up putting two amps in the tunk, one for 6x9s and one for the sub. I didn't want to cut the doors and it's an ac car so no room inside the dash for any speakers unfortunately. It needs some mids in the front so I just end up turning the volume higher as of now...lol

Is the shifter arm stock? I had a 69 auto and the shifter was super short.

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by kingbuzzo

Is the shifter arm stock? I had a 69 auto and the shifter was super short.

No. It's a Hurst ratchet shifter. It's a blast to ratchet through the gears, and it has the NSS and reverse light switches. It was a freebie from a friend, and I liked it. I plan on putting a shifter boot on it and making a retention plate.

[Squidward]

Buzzo (and Rock and JL), thanks for your posts. I have now found my solution with the Boss unit. I only need to decide which screen size to get.

Was just out for a drive in the bird, and maybe I won't even need to chop my shifter. That tiltable screen has me excited.

Now I need to clean up all my wiring project mess, and get ready for the next phase - quieter exhaust.

[kingbuzzo]

Good luck!

I think mine is a ten inch.

[JLMounce]

I'm really kind of liking that BOSS head unit. I have a more traditional single din CD player from Kenwood in the car right now. It's set back and under the dash and I have to reach pretty far for it. My original dash was cut previously for a tape deck and I have an ABS plastic panel over it.

Having the 80watt/4 would be helpful as well. My current deck at 45x4 powers the Focal 6x9's nicely, but the 4" speakers in the kick panels are underpowered. That deck would fix that. I might inquire with the local audio guys to see how much it would be to add that deck, in the dash itself and maybe a small sub/amp at the same time.