New problem: swapping steering wheels? (pics inside)

[Jh8990]

I am doing a full black interior swap at the moment and I'm at a crossroads and need a bit of help and/or guidance.

Ok first of all let me start by saying I didn't exactly do this to the book, and I'm pretty sure I made it harder on myself by doing so, but I'm past the point of no return and I need to get everything back together again.

When I was pulling my old dash out I did not pull the entire wiring harness through the firewall like it says to do in the shopheonixproject website, instead I took all of the wiring out through the back of the dash, while the dash was still in the car. so I took all the vent tubes and everything out and then basically had at it with the wiring. Finally got the dash out and so I'm putting the new dash in when I basically realize that I did it bass ackwards and its gonna be hard as anything to wire it back up and attach the vent tubes while the dash is in the car because there is very little clearance on anything and its not exactly the most comfortable thing in the world to be crammed halfway standing in that car while trying to work on the dash.

so my main question is which way should I go about this? should I just try and see if everything can go back in the way it is? or should I try to take the entire harness through the firewall and wire it up while the dash is outside the car?

thing is I tried to take the harness through the firewall before, wouldn't budge so I just gave up and did it the other way.

here are some pictures of how the progress came and where I stand on it right now (last pic)








and this is where I stand as of a couple hours ago



Thanks for your help,

- Justin

 

[kevinspann]

I would work on trying to get the harness through the firewall if I was having a lot of trouble doing it your way. The way you are doing it is how I planned to do the dash swap on my car. That looks like more of a pain in the ass than I thought.

The harness may be easier to pull through, now that the dash is out.

 

[jmpSHO2nd]

I don't understand what you are having trouble with, I would just start plugging everything in and reinstall the dash. There is no easy way about it, you just have to get it done at this point.

 

[jmpSHO2nd]

I would give you a hand but you are a little far away.

 

[Jh8990]

I would work on trying to get the harness through the firewall if I was having a lot of trouble doing it your way. The way you are doing it is how I planned to do the dash swap on my car. That looks like more of a pain in the ass than I thought.

The harness may be easier to pull through, now that the dash is out.

see thats what I thought, but in the 5th picture down, that is when I disconnected everythign under the hood and thought I was ready to pull it through, but nope, did not budge at all. I was stumped so I did it the way I did it.

the main problem that I am stuck at now is that its just a PITA to get anything connected how it is, and I'm really stuck at trying to put up the vents that connect the defrosters to the windshield. there is no room to attach the (2) 7mm bolts that connect it at the bottom of the dash near the cigarette lighter/ash tray pull out thing.

 

[kevinspann]

What if you have someone or something hold the dash up, and do it from the bottom?

 

[mrecoolgar]

Recently I replaced a cracked dash with a good dash on a 1989.
Start connecting things on the passenger side working to the drivers side.
Memory and common sense work best.
Things go back together one way, almost one way.
Best of luck.

 

[Jh8990]

What if you have someone or something hold the dash up, and do it from the bottom?

im having my cousin come over tomorrow to help, it should be easier with someone else helping you're right, however that damn shifter does get in the way.

 

[kevinspann]

im having my cousin come over tomorrow to help, it should be easier with someone else helping you're right, however that damn shifter does get in the way.

Pull it out.

 

[Jh8990]

Pull it out.

if you mean the shifter, its not the original its Jose's shorty shifter. that was such a ***** to put in that I don't want to mess with it.

 

[kevinspann]

if you mean the shifter, its not the original its Jose's shorty shifter. that was such a ***** to put in that I don't want to mess with it.

You cant take the 4 machine screws out and pull it out of the top?

 

[Jh8990]

You cant take the 4 machine screws out and pull it out of the top?

I can, its getting it back on that will be the problem, it has a very tight fit and it JUST fits, I honestly do not want to worry about having to put ANOTHER thing back together again. I just want to get my SHO back up and running again. I now know how it feels to have a non running SHO and it sucks.

 

[firebat45]

Pull the harness through the firewall. It's got a big grommet that holds it tight at first, pop that out and have someone feed the wires through the hole as you pull. It's tricky, but shouldn't take more than 10-15 minutes tops.

Putting it back in is the same, tricky, but not impossible, only about 10 minutes to pull it through at most, once you figure it out.

 

[Jh8990]

ok so now I got the dash back in finally, my cousin and nephew came over and gave me some help.

however I am now stuck with a new problem, the steering wheel assembly I got when I picked up the entire interior is basically fncked. I can put the ignition in but when I turn it, there is nothing that stops it from accesorry mode, off, on then start. it just slides with absolutley no interference. and obviously it is not supposed to do that. however on my old column that I took out everything is fine and dandy, however if I put that in I then that will be the only peice of my car that won't be black. it will be gray and look horrible.

so my question is, can you swap just the steering wheels only? so that I can swap the black steering wheel to the column with the ignition that works?

when I was looking at it I couldn't figure out anyway to swap them.

but anyway here are some pics of the progress for today:

 

[kevinspann]

I'm confused. Why not swap ignition cylinders? Or, if you swap columns, you could just use the black column covers.

I'm assuming your car is a 92 and you are looking to put in a 93 to 95 wheel. In that case, you will need the later clock spring, and change the connector on the end of it at the dash, or keep your current clockspring and change the airbag connector.

 

[hawkeye18]

Please, please, please tell me you replaced the heater core and blend door actuator while you were in there.

 

[jmpSHO2nd]

Please, please, please tell me you replaced the heater core and blend door actuator while you were in there.

Also the a/c evap.

 

[Jh8990]

I'm confused. Why not swap ignition cylinders? Or, if you swap columns, you could just use the black column covers.

I'm assuming your car is a 92 and you are looking to put in a 93 to 95 wheel. In that case, you will need the later clock spring, and change the connector on the end of it at the dash, or keep your current clockspring and change the airbag connector.

no the other black interior I got was from a 92 so was just going to go put that in when I found out that not the ignition cylinder itself (not the thing that pops out) but the thing that is actually attached to the steering wheel that the ignition cylinder slides into and what catches it is effed. so I can't use it.

thats why I was wondering if you can just swap the steering wheels them selves over.

Please, please, please tell me you replaced the heater core and blend door actuator while you were in there.

i know i'll get scarred for this but the heater core no, and the bda was replaced recently with a new one anyway so I didn't touch that.

and I would have thought about replacing it more if I actually had money but I am just a younge college student and money is always a problem and I just want the interior color changed thats all.

Also the a/c evap.

that either. granted the a/c doesn't work and I don't use it anyway I just put the windows down.

 

[kevinspann]

Yes, you can swap the wheels. Remove the airbag and the bolt that holds it on is there in the center.

 

[Jh8990]

Yes, you can swap the wheels. Remove the airbag and the bolt that holds it on is there in the center.

oh stupid me, i did not think to take the air bag off. Thanks

so its only one bolt in the middle that holds the steering wheel on?