80 series dashboard swap

[4Maooan]

Good day folks! I’m just wondering if it’s easy to swap a newer gen dashboard to an early model?

 

[bcomnes]

Older dashboard looks cooler, but the newer dashboard has superior mounting and switch options. You would also lose the airbags. Also looks like the climate tubes wouldn't line up. Guessing its way more work than its worth.

 

[Heckraiser]

I have to imagine that would be way more work than it's worth. A lot of changes from one dash to the other.

However, since we're sorta on the topic, anyone who has pulled their 95+ dash and put it back, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how many it was to take that mess apart and get it back together with all the switches, airbags and vents still working

 

[SmokingRocks]

The older dash is way nicer looking. People will say it looks like a Camry but if you look at Camry's back in the day both of the dashes look like different generations of Camry dashes. The early one looks more like a supra and is more driver-focused. The new one looks like it was hacked together IMO. but different strokes for different folks.

A couple of other pros/cons of the earlier dash:

1. PRO or CON depending on preference | Early interiors have the nonairbag better looking 3 spoke steering wheel (95-97 have a camry wheel)
2. CON | In order to access the radio / HVAC / Center Diff Switch / ECT / Defroster / Antenna up-down switches you need to remove a very large plastic piece that spans from the left of the wheel (it has the mirror controls on it) all the way to the right side of the radio. These two sides are connected by a thin piece over the steering wheel, over the years this part gets brittle, and removing it can often cause it to break. You should take the steering wheel off to lessen the risk of breakage.
3. NEUTRAL | While the process of mounting switches to the old dash is tougher due to the con above, you are not limited with what you can add. Getting extra ECT / Defrost switches that can be used for auxiliary things is easy and the knockouts already exist for them to be mounted. I use extra switches for a ton of things.
4. PRO | Once you've removed the main trim piece of the older dash you can easily remove the upper trim piece (clock plastic shroud) which, combined with removing the gauge cluster gives you massive access to the wiring harness and behind the dash stuff. This is nice if you intend to run a custom harness or punch any power cords up through the windshield defrost vent for a windshield-mounted iPad.

The swap is possible but it will take a lot of parts and time. Also the colors are different so you need to consider that.

 

[Njck22]

I have to imagine that would be way more work than it's worth. A lot of changes from one dash to the other.

However, since we're sorta on the topic, anyone who has pulled their 95+ dash and put it back, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how many it was to take that mess apart and get it back together with all the switches, airbags and vents still working

I did it solo, would definitely have been easier with a competent assistant. There is so many screws. label or take pictures where every single one came from. Follow the FSM and it's not too bad, maybe two banana.
Toyota routes all the wires to stay out of the way when you are reinstalling. Hardest part is just manipulating the dash to get it back in.

 

[SmokingRocks]

I have to imagine that would be way more work than it's worth. A lot of changes from one dash to the other.

However, since we're sorta on the topic, anyone who has pulled their 95+ dash and put it back, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how many it was to take that mess apart and get it back together with all the switches, airbags and vents still working

Can't speak to the later dash but I did pull my 93 dash to replace the hacked-up wiring harness and I did not enjoy it. Not because it was technically challenging but more so that it was tedious and frustrating. I'd agree with @Njck22 that it's about a job. Its as simple as following the FSM, taking your time, and exercising patience, it can easily become frustrating so knowing when to take a break and walk away is key.

Photos from my build thread, "Operation un-phuck P.O.'s chitty wiring"

Lower kick panel, radio / HVAC trim, upper trim & gauge cluster removed. This shows the central HVAC vent that is different from the early to later dashes.

Early Drivers side vent tube, there was a dash bolt hidden behind it which frustrated me when trying to remove the dash (there is another hidden one behind the ashtray.

Dash out old wiring, take a look at the central vent. The 90 degree turn out has been taken off, but I'm willing to bet the lower part is different from the early models to the later models. Not sure if that requires taking out the entire HVAC box?

Dash out harness out. Don't mind the craptastic wire mess, that's no longer part of my rig.

You can get both early and late gen FSM's from the link in my signature. Find the Dash removal section in each of them and compare, should give you a pretty good idea of whats different / needed for the swap.

 

[Njck22]

Photos for comparison:

 

[BILT4ME]

Depending on what year you start and end with, you may need to change the heater core and AC enclosures as well.

This is not a small undertaking.

I think someone here attempted this on one that they did a body swap and discovered that not all bolt holes lined up and there were variances in the firewall / dash line near the A-pillars.

Perhaps @slow95z will know more details through his parting / fixing.

 

[slow95z]

Man don't ask me, I just put stuff out most of the time. I thought about a swap one time but ended up just going back with the correct one