Can you swap cluster surrounds?

[asvander]

I was wondering if it is possible to swap a wood grain surround for a black one while using the old wood grain gauges?

[dondmar]

I think all the black face clusters just have the wood grain panel removed. The problem with that is that the wood grain panel holds the glass in place as well. You would need to get a set of the trim rings like the older clusters have to hold the glass in place. The gauges themselves will fit with no problems.

[jrhone]

I was wondering if it is possible to swap a wood grain surround for a black one while using the old wood grain gauges?

Yes, I did in mine.

[Mike Self]

1. cover the fake wood with real veneer--lots of exotic wood veneers are available at specialty wood shops--get somthing that'll match your woodrim steering wheel and/or shift knob.

2. paint the fake wood with semi-gloss black paint or if you want the Turbo look, semi-gloss red paint.

cheers

mike

[TobyB]

Yes, the gauge clusters are interchangable.

The 'surround' is actually the structure of the instrument cluster,

so you install your gauges into a different cluster.

There may be some detail differences in the brake warning light area.

fwiw.

t

[JohnS]

Yes, you can swap the gauges from a wood grain surround into the black surround. But you can't go the other way (gauges from a black surround into the wood grain surround) because of the little Brake Failure button on the fuel/temp gauges from the black surround. Likewise, you'll have an empty hole where the button is supposed to be if you swap the wood grain gauges into the older all-black surround. One way to rectify that is to unscrew and swap the face plates on the fuel/temp gauges so that you can have a newer style cross-hair face plate on the older fuel/temp gauge that has the little button for testing the brake warning light.

[davidmcw]

You also can sand the fake wood off and just fine sand the black plastic, no paint required. Start with 220 grit then 320, 400, 600 then 800 grit. Nice satin finish.