The Overhead Console Thread

[Supertex]

I just got mine installed. While I was at the bone yard, I cut a template out of a suburban that already had a crappy headliner, and a missing console. Worked out really nicely for my install. I can get some precise measurements and add it to this thread as an attachement, if there is a desire for it.

I noticed too, that there are apparently a few different styles of the maplights. The twist-lock type have to be ground to clear LED's, but the later style do not. The later models require only a small flat-head to remove the lens, as opposed to the entire bulb assembly, and the reflector just falls out in your hand. You drop the reflector over the socket-side of the LED, and they actually hold it in place while you push in the bulb.

For reference, the later style to not have a recess in the center of the lens, but out on the perimeter edge, they have a tiny notch.

 

[scorpio82]

Ok, so I've been all over this site hoping to find what I was looking for, but to no avail. I have a 93 RCSB and I am installing an overhead console from a suburban with the rear HVAC controls. My question is, is there anyone out there who knows how or if the HVAC controls in the console can be wired to be used as the primary HVAC controls in my truck? I need to clear the space in the dash as I will be widening it a little to add either a Double Din or an Ipad. Any info on this will be a lifesaver, I'm a fabricator by trade, so electric related things are nothing short of astrophysics to me!! Thanks to anyone for some help.

 

[Darkrider]

Hmmmm some great info in here! How difficult is it to remove the headliner to locate the mount points for the overhead console? It would def be nice to have the basic S10 overhead computer (temp/compass) or like others have done place 2 guages up there and run the Temp/compass style mirror.

 

[outalne94z71]

Ok, so I've been all over this site hoping to find what I was looking for, but to no avail. I have a 93 RCSB and I am installing an overhead console from a suburban with the rear HVAC controls. My question is, is there anyone out there who knows how or if the HVAC controls in the console can be wired to be used as the primary HVAC controls in my truck? I need to clear the space in the dash as I will be widening it a little to add either a Double Din or an Ipad. Any info on this will be a lifesaver, I'm a fabricator by trade, so electric related things are nothing short of astrophysics to me!! Thanks to anyone for some help.

if you could fit the circuit board from your hvac into the space in the console i dont see why the knobs/switches from the console could not be wired to that circuit board or even swap the knobs/switches into the console plate and then wire back to the original circuit board to make it work, i don't have the two here to compare but in theory it should work and would be pretty cool
i guess even if there is not room you could remote wire the switches to the circuit board elsewhere

 

[scorpio82]

Remote wiring it is! i've since decided to use the controls from a 96 Monte Carlo as it's circuit board is much less "attached" to the face housing and allows for easier remote wiring. The Suburban controls that come in the console wouldn't work because of the fact that those controls need the other head unit from the dash to get power and i just didn't want to deal with having 2 hvac controls essentially for no reason. I've also since procured a 03 Suburban center console that I will mod into mine, if nothing else because it's cooler looking and will give me more options for mounting the controls since it already has 2 pockets built into it. Wish me luck

 

[ccreddell]

Have you found schematics for both of them? Ive been looking around, and it appears that a 2001 Grand Prix heater control would almost fit in the O/H console (big opening).

 

[scorpio82]

I do have the schematics for both of them, the Army has an entire library online of schematics, pretty cool actually. Anyway, the fitment isn't my issue, I can fabricate anything to fit into any space I need it to since I'm a fabricator by trade. The Grand Prix controls won't work either though I don't think because (and correct me if I'm wrong) all the cars (camaro, grand am, etc.) as well as the s-10 blazer HVAC controls use vacuum tubes for the mode selector switch.

 

[outalne94z71]

I do have the schematics for both of them, the Army has an entire library online of schematics, pretty cool actually. Anyway, the fitment isn't my issue, I can fabricate anything to fit into any space I need it to since I'm a fabricator by trade. The Grand Prix controls won't work either though I don't think because (and correct me if I'm wrong) all the cars (camaro, grand am, etc.) as well as the s-10 blazer HVAC controls use vacuum tubes for the mode selector switch.

if you are working with a 93 then perhaps a 95 controller could be used(still obd I and i believe it all works the same as 88-94 with a/c as the 95 controlls do not work with 96-2000), the suburban rear controller uses 3 knobs just like the dash controller in 95 so in theory the 95 controller knobs could be swapped along with the overlay (so the selections display properly) to the suburban overhead controls and then the 95 dash circuits get remote mounted and hooked up to the 93 encoder motors to operate the ducts and climate control, the only issue would be a/c and recirculate buttons, i had thought of using the overhead map light buttons to operate those and just repower the map lights elsewhere.

 

[ccreddell]

Would it be possible to get a copy of the 96 schematics? And if the Monte Carlo HVAC works like the trucks, could I get a schematic for that too? If theres a link to a number of them that I can compare that would be cool too.

 

[scorpio82]

if you are working with a 93 then perhaps a 95 controller could be used(still obd I and i believe it all works the same as 88-94 with a/c as the 95 controlls do not work with 96-2000), the suburban rear controller uses 3 knobs just like the dash controller in 95 so in theory the 95 controller knobs could be swapped along with the overlay (so the selections display properly) to the suburban overhead controls and then the 95 dash circuits get remote mounted and hooked up to the 93 encoder motors to operate the ducts and climate control, the only issue would be a/c and recirculate buttons, i had thought of using the overhead map light buttons to operate those and just repower the map lights elsewhere.

I like your plan, but the fact is that I really just like the look and feel of the monte controls better (and no the knobs don't switch over). There's been alot of helicopter work lately so my electronics guys haven't had enough time to map out the connections yet, but hopefully we can get that done this week and I can get to fabricating in the controls