I found a nice dash in an 81 Grand prix and would like to put in my 82 El Camino. I did a search and found where Rust Rocket, Tommy and Howard were discusing this. Can't remember now but I don't think either had done it yet but had dashes and intends to do so. The dash in the GP has one screw in each defroster vent, the EC has two. Will that one screw line up. I will take measurements and go check and see if I can tell but hopefully some of you know for sure. Doesn't look good when I already see that difference. However if that one screw will line up that should be good. They were talking about the wiring harness pluging to the fuse box. See any problems there if they had difference options or will that harness take care of that. The dashes I've found for El Camino are as bad as mine. Wonder why the one in the Grand Prix is nice and soft. It's been sitting in the junk yard since 97. I guess if it spent its life before that in a garage when not in use it would be soft. If no more of a problem to change than normal dash change I'll do it.
BTW how do the dye for dashes work. I'll probably want to change colors.
L.D.

Once the dash is out of the car you will see metal standoffs welded to the cowl at the base of the windshield about an inch or 2 wide that defroster ducts and stuff screws to. My guess is all G-Bodies would have them in the same place, but if not something could be tacked on quite easily.

It works best if you are able to get all the harnesses from the car you got the dash from and mark the connectors as you dissassemble it. There really wasn't much to the harnesses as an assembly, most of it is contained in the dash area all leading back to the fuse box. Its best to swap it as a complete assembly rather than try to mess around with clusters etc. Branch harnesses plug in under the dash and go to the following areas...
1>Engine compartment harness plugs into fuse box on engine compartment side and runs to engine sensors, front lights, horn, alternator etc.
2>If equipped with power windows and locks a harness will plug in under dash by kick pad on each side and run to the door through a rubber flex tube and plug into the power window motor and lock solonoid.
3>Harness will plug into steering column.
4>rear light and fuel sender unit harness will plug in under dash and run to the rear of car through a plastic channel under the carpet then go through a gromet and run along the frame to the rear where the harness separates, 1 harness goes to the tailights and one to the fuel tank sender unit.
5>wire will plug in under dash and run up windshield pillar to power the dome/map light
6>I don't have them but there is probably another harness to the power seats if so equipped.
That pretty much sums up the major wiring in the car. If you have the GM shop manual it shows a lot of the connector locations as well as a wiring diagram.

For painting dashes most automotive paint shops can supply you with the proper color code, flex agent and proper plastic primers to give your color change a factory look. Again if you have the shop manual and trim tag you can decode the interior and exterior colors.
Hope this helps you out
Must be time for me to start a web page on this project :D

although your RE: has one doubt where you said " My guess is all G-Bodies would have them in the same place, but if not something could be tacked on quite easily", I think I'll go get it tomorrow. Dash is great, price is right so that makes it worth going after. I can get all I need, dash and under dash. L.D.

The Grand Prix dash is home and I'm pretty sure it will go in and fit. The plugs that the printed circuit goes in won't work. They are a different size. Does anyone have a wiring schematic for 81 Grand Prix instrument panel wiring for lights, not analog guages. I have one for the El Camino. If I had one for the Grand Prix I could MAYBE splice the pluges for the GP dash into the EC harness. If anyone has any ideas or help it will be appreciated.

L.D. :? :?

It will work provided you get all of the duct work from the donor car as well as the dash wiring harness up to the firewall.

I gotta get the right schematics. The schematic in my shop manual for 82 EC shows 1 connection to the instrument panel and the contacts aren't in the same position as mine. I found a schematic for 82-87 EC on internet and and it shows to have 2 connections to the panel. The GP instrument panel is in 2 pieces and there are 2 connections for them. I did get the harness from the Grand Prix. There is no harness for the instrument panes. There are plugs coming from the wiring harness for the panel, but no separate harness that just plugs in on both ends. Some of the wires on the GP instrument panel plugs go to the far right where the computer is and others go to the fuse block. I've separated the plugs from the GP harness and I believe I can splice them into the EC harness if I had schematics.
Any Ideas?
L.D.

It will bolt right in. Several years ago I bought a 84 burned in the dash and put a complete 85 grand prix interior in the el camino, down to the carpet-seat and door panels.