Blake Noble

Hmmm ... wonder if there are colored equivalents of the stock bulbs out there. I'm mainly interested in just changing the back lighting, not changing the bulbs to LEDs (except for the odometer where I would have to swap it out). Maybe I'll skip on this for a while and just worry about getting the bezel on there.

From what I'm reading, the lighting on the '97 and up clusters is reasonable to access. I'm continuing to read up on it. Blue back lighting is what the gauge cluster needs. Red is definitely a Pontiac color and doesn't belong in a Camaro.

It's all good. Agreed. Honestly, any car looks trashy with Altezzas. I can't think of one car that can pull that look off, including the car that originally started the whole trend (the Toyota Altezza/Lexus IS).

Well, found out I can somehow change the odometer LED to a blue one and have the display blue instead of red to match the backlighting of the Kenwood receiver. Oh so tempting. I wonder how hard it is ... ? EDIT: Found out the Firebird bezel and lens are actually one piece: That's how it'll look on my cluster. Very nice. The way GM should have made it.

Exactly. Good old, GM. The odometer can be removed and swapped out between clusters, but that's too much hassle for what it's worth IMHO. I'd rather just buy what I need and move on. Plus, it'll save a few bucks that I can use for some real floormats and not these cheap, flimsy $10 dollar department store specials I currently have.

Well, DF, it seems the BCM doesn't store odometer data on F-Body cars. It is in the cluster, according to a guy on CZ28 that screws around with them: http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/showthread.php?t=487498 However, that same guy said he bought a '98 Firebird cluster just for the bezel, so I guess it does come out of the assembly. I'll just go this route and get the lens for good measure, just in case the Camaro gauges do not clear the bezel (I don't see why it wouldn't but you never know). I also discovered more info. Whatever overlays I buy need to be for a '98 year model cluster specifically due to differences in gauge readouts ('98's temp gauge started reading out at 160, '99 and beyond started at 100 for some retarded reason).

Welcome.

I can't tell if you're being serious or sarcastic here. I hope its the latter.

Well that's good news. I do remember reading about cars with cluster swaps, though, to find out that the mileage didn't read correctly after the mod was performed. I'll get one and try it out for good measure. Of course, I need new overlays to go with the new cluster. The stock Pontiac ones won't mesh too well with the rest of the interior, neither will the backlighting. I think the lenses are the same shape here, so this may actually a simple drop in mod. Awesome. On a semi-related note, I don't know if you can see it or, but apparently the '90 Fiero prototype also shares its gauge cluster with the '93 - '96 Firebird: Seriously. From what I can see, it's exactly the same without any changes. Interesting ... Wonder if it's from the makers of the Shake Weight and something that rhymes with meshfright?

Any tips on making the odometer read the correct amount of mileage if I swap clusters?

Noyce.

Chrome would work too. I don't know why I'm leaning to black housings. I guess I want more of a seamless appearance to the exterior of the car while keeping the look close to factory. That might be a little hard to pull off in some respects, but I guess I'm getting ready to find out.

I checked out the Tom Henry SS again and noticed something different about the gauge cluster: Here's something I long suspected but didn't have any confirmation of: the F4 Pontiac Firebird and '97 and up Chevrolet Camaro gauge clusters are exactly the same except for the overlays and the Bird cluster has a bezel. However, I don't think the bezel can simply be removed from the cluster, so that requires an entire cluster swap. Hmmmm ... I really like that bezel. It really makes the gauge cluster look more complete versus the Camaro's. I'm hoping Wednesday will be interior/junkyard day, so I'll see if the bezel can be popped off.

Can we add this to the list of emoticons, please? Plundered from CamaroZ28.com.

Well now we have to make up a name for them. Honestly, I agree. I really don't have any real problem with them provided the execution is carried out cleanly and correctly. I actually think those look better than what's out there for the Camaro. I think a set would (obviously) look nice in your car. I wouldn't mind a jeweled set of Camaro taillights personally. Or a simple, heavily Chevrolet-inspired two element design. I did a little research and simply installing the ASR switch won't magically give me traction control. My wiring harness is all set up for it, but lacks the correct sensors and computer controls.

Look at the following picture. See if you can spot the subtle mod that made me run out and quickly to the same to my car.

Made this for a thread on here a while back and forgot to use it. Saw the Hetfield stuff on the previous page, thought I would throw this in. I didn't make this.

I told you you shouldn't have asked. I also found something out about my car earlier. It is equipped with ASR (Camarospeak for "traction control"), but no ASR off switch oddly enough. As it turns out, my car already has the module that plugs into the off switch in it (noticed it yesterday when I pulled off the IP bezel) behind a plastic switch delete blank next to the fog light switch. I'd like to be able to turn it off should I want to and it's a simple modification that will take 10 minutes to do. Are we talking F1 or F4 here? The early F4 taillights do have a turn signal bulb in them (not amber), however it isn't in the clear section like I thought. I started looking at aftermarket options for the F4 and they all pretty much, well, suck. You have a choice between cliche ricerboy Alteeza-style asslamps or poorly executed, hack up your wiring harness LED ones. I think the '93 to '96 ones are really my best option here. Like you said, a good mod should look it might have came factory on the car. I like the sound of that mod for your F1. I'd like to go with a Hurst-style theme for my car ... hmmmm ...

I know, I know. That's all that's really out there for the F4 Camaro, though. Even the ones on NOS's car have a halo/angel eye ring around the middle element. You shouldn't have asked. No, really. You shouldn't have. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1976-1985-Oldsmobile-Toronado-Halo-Diamond-Headlight-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem414ff229d9QQitemZ280514144729QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories They're $20 for a set of 2.

Well, I know I'm not buying those headlights or that grille now. Seriously though, opening up the bottom-breather grille is something I need to do as long as I keep the 3.8 in this car. The stock fascia/grille insert really chokes off some of the cool airflow to the engine (and 3.8 cars need all of the cool air they can get, especially near the back of the engine where the coil packs are). I really like the Tom Henry SS grille insert. It's a variation on the billet grille theme, yes, but it's black: If you'll notice, the front bumper still reads "Camaro" behind whatever fascia insert you have. I really think GM started to release the car without that dorky stock plastic insert but changed their mind at the last minute. I'm also a fan of what SLP makes: I think you'll get slightly less airflow here, but even still it'll be more versus the stock one. Regarding headlights, I seriously do not like those headlights NOS had on his car. Not because he had them, no. My main beef here is that they are a three-element design that looks, well, awkward. I personally think this set will be the way I'll go: It's a clean, two-element design with outboard LEDs that really works with the shape of the headlamps. For this set, I'll have to modify some wiring, so I'm not too sure about buying these particular examples. But whatever replaces the yellow, dull stock lamps will be a black, two-element design.

I don't care for amber lenses on a car either. The '97 and up taillights were a real step backward from the '93 - '96 ones. The earlier 4th gen tails looked cleaner and had better flow with the rear cutlines. Adding the amber section for '97 and on just screwed things up. I do agree the Firebird had a better ass than the Camaro, but anyway the key here is to make effective modifications without spending a whole lot of cash. Plus, this mod I want to do is subtle, simple, and it should be cheap which is why I really like the idea. If I can't find a decent set of early 4th gen tails tomorrow, or if prices are just way too high, I might see what other options are out there and hold off for a bit. There's a turn signal bulb hiding in there somewhere in the clear section, I'm sure. I do know the sockets on the earlier taillight lenses do require very light modification to fit the later style bulbs.

To illustrate the difference that the earlier style taillights make: Now, I've already sorted out how I'll get my new rims for basically nothing. I have a spare TH350R laying around that came out of my Regal. I'm going to load it up and take it here on the last weekend of The Cruise: http://www.somernitescruise.com/october.html I can always find something awesome at the swap meets there. I also need front lap buckles for the Olds, so I'm going to try to knock-out two birds with one stone here. I did go one weekend previously (no photos, sorry ... and Ben Jones was there too, for those of you who might would have wanted to know; maybe I'll snap a few pics do this time) and found a set of basic C5 'Vette rims for $275, so ...

GM's been out of bankruptcy for a little over a year now and the crucification has already begun? Uh, I think we need to drink a big glass of Chill The Hell Out and follow that up with a dose of Paxil. I can smell the biggest load of unnecessary fear through my screen. Let's just see what happens in five to seven years, shall we?

The 1998 Big Old Black (Less Of A) POS That I Overpaid For. It's a Camaro. It could really stand a good hand-washing before the weather gets too cold. I'll give it a complete clean up when I switch the seats and door panels out.

Nope. She couldn't get the hang of driving stick. XD