about to swap dash and door panels 97 in a 91 - tips?

[blackedoutZ]

ok the 1991 square dash and broken door panels have to go! I picked up a dash and doors from a 1997, I plan to wrap it all with leather and blank out the gauge/radio portion on the bezel and have it fiberglassed and painted then install new speedhut gauges and a double din radio

here are my issues right now:

what should I use for AC controller?
I hate the 1991 AC controller with the little arrows that move slow, since I'm blanking the dash out I can install anything, what will be easiest for wiring?

what am I going to need to change behind the door panels to make the 97 panels work on my 91 doors?

 

[lester622]

The dash I don't know how the 97 dash will hold up as there is a bracket that's welded to fire wall on the passenger side for 97-99 that braces the passenger side where the airbag is. Ive seen where people swap the dashes out but idk how long or even if it will crack from the weight of it bouncing around on the passenger side. For the doors you just need to swap out the inner shells from 95-99. Id like to see a picture of how the gauges come out ive been interested in seeing that for a while.

If you find a 95 model dash harness and engine harness everything should plug right in since 95 is still tbi, but it has to be from a 95 only. Then you could use the factory 95 gauges and a/c controller but only 95 will work. 95 is pretty much all the same mechanically and electrically as 91-94 but it uses the 95 up dash and door panels.

As for wrapping it with leather why not just dye it? same thing for the door panels?

 

[blackedoutZ]

I'll look at the dash supports before I install it, I can always take a chopper gun and spray some fiberglass inside it to stiffen it up. I'm taking the airbag out as well and going to blank that panel over to possibly mount something there down the road. Swap the inner shells from the 91 doors into the 97's? So I don't need to get any new parts? Do you have a link to a wiring diagram to help me with the power window and locks? I know I've seen it somewhere, I'll try and search it back up. I think the gauges should turn out real nice, not sure if I'll pull a mold off of the old bezel and pop one out of glass or blank the back with composite and smooth it up. This is why I was thinking of wrapping the dash instead of dying them. But I think it would make the most sense to dye the dash, the doors, recover the door pads and carpet, then either paint of wrap the bezel when its finished. As far as the ac controller goes, the one I have works (fan is on its last leg, and AC isn't cold) but I like the look of the newer twist knobs better.

 

[lester622]

No swap the shells from the 97 to the 91 doors. Id like to see what you come up with with the gauge mounting and fiberglassing.