1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck?

urbex · 10-21-2009, 12:49 AM

I'm on the hunt for my next S-truck project, and ideally I'd like to get a '91-'93 extended cab S10/Sonoma 4.3L, but I've been seeing some decent deals on '94-'97 trucks as well. I know the newer trucks have the better drivetrain, but problem is that I hate, hate, HATE the 2nd gen interiors. I feel like I'm crammed into a sub compact car in the things (I've driven my buddy's '96 a few times). It's probably just me, but even with the extended cab I just feel like I have no leg room in the things.

That said, would a 1st gen dash physically fit into a 2nd gen? I'm not much concerned about mounting it, as brackets are a pretty easy thing to fabricate, and I'm the guy all my friends come to when they need something wired (I've done dozens of full custom chassis and engine wiring harnesses over the years), I'm just more wondering if the dash will physically fit in the newer truck without massive carving of the dash or cab sheetmetal.

90blueS10 · 10-21-2009, 01:07 AM

Should be smaller actually, should have plenty of room.

Good luck

neo71665 · 10-21-2009, 01:15 AM

Gonna be 2 inches short if I recall.

urbex · 10-21-2009, 01:28 AM

hmm....2 inches could be a lot of gap to fill and have it look halfway decent. I'll have to put some research into this. Although really, the only likely way I'd end up with a 2nd gen anyways is if I came across one of those way too good to pass up kind of deals. I would just as soon drop a V8 into a 1st gen rather than put a ton of work into changing the interior of a truck just to gain 40 ponies for a couple years.

draggindime072010 · 10-21-2009, 01:41 AM

do you not like the newer 98+ up dashs i swapped one of those into my 95 cuz im with you i hate those 94-97 dashs

90blueS10 · 10-21-2009, 01:46 AM

first gens arent that bad, and easy to get hp out of.

urbex · 10-21-2009, 03:45 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by draggindime072010

do you not like the newer 98+ up dashs i swapped one of those into my 95 cuz im with you i hate those 94-97 dashs

While I haven't been in a '98+ truck, looking at pictures, it looks like it would have that same bloated feeling to me. To be honest, there's very few late model vehicles that I like, exactly for that reason. The interiors on these things make me think of the old Loony Tunes cartoons where some character eats a bomb, it explodes in them, and their body balloons up

To me, it seems like the interiors got the same bomb treatment. In fact, for a quite a few years now, I've wondered what something like a 1st gen truck would look like with something like a mid 60's Chevy 3100 truck dash in it (except that I've never been able to bring myself to chop up a vintage truck like that just to take the dash out).

neo71665 · 10-21-2009, 06:27 PM

To me the 98+ dash is more closed in feeling then the 94+ cause the way the radio kinda wraps to aim at the driver.

Me personally I've never liked the bubble bodied 2nd gens at all.

urbex · 10-21-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by neo71665

Me personally I've never liked the bubble bodied 2nd gens at all.

I'm not either. Really the only reason I would even consider one would be for the newer 190HP stock engine. Even then, I would have to get a screaming deal on one to consider going through the amount of work needed to make it comfortable to me. I figured it at least doesn't hurt to ask, as I'd be pretty bummed out if I found that awesome deal, and passed it up only to find out later on that the interior swap would have been an easy bolt in operation.

Although that said, I'm not all that wild about the 1st gen gauge panels either with that goofy sliding/rotating disc kinda thingy for the speedometer, although I really did like the digital dash I had on my '91 Sonoma (despite knowing they had a habit of suddenly dying, I never had a single problem with mine). Haven't seen another truck like it for quite a few years now. But then a custom gauge panel is a pretty simple thing to fab up.

neo71665 · 10-22-2009, 01:46 AM

Hell I'm fitting a 160 from the factory 200 after being rebuilt 3.4 in my 87 so??? Guess I'm a jack ass cause I'd rather run a v6 that was designed as such over a afterthought v8 with 2 cylinders chopped off. Got a 350 sitting in my shop if I want real power I'm not gonna waste my time lying to myself trying to make a 2/3 motor produce the power. Even after I've seen these little crappy 60 degrees produce more power than a 4.3 e3ver hopes to

nd4spd18 · 10-22-2009, 02:08 AM

The 4.3 is a good reliable and powerful motor just like the 350 it was based on. When chevy had such a good motor in the 350 why not design a V6 based on that. Seems to have worked.

urbex · 10-22-2009, 03:16 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by nd4spd18

The 4.3 is a good reliable and powerful motor just like the 350 it was based on. When chevy had such a good motor in the 350 why not design a V6 based on that. Seems to have worked.

And that's why I want a truck with one for now. I know they're rock solid engines, and it's not about getting the most power under for me - right now I want/need the reliability. That said, I do want to be able to get out of my own way on the freeway too

I know the 150HP engines are enough for what I need right now. When I'm ready to get more power out of it, I'm not even going to bother trying to build the 4.3, I'll be going straight to V8 power.

Zeeke98 · 10-24-2009, 11:37 PM

You're all crazy. 2nd gens have way more room in them than first gens. I hate the dash on the 86-93 trucks even though I had an 86. It was cool in it's day but it's very dated now. The 82-85 dashes are the best 1st gen dash. I was never real big on the 94-97 dashes but absolutely love the 98+ dash and bodies. That's why I've owned 5 different trucks/blazers in that year range. You might better do something custom than swap a 1st gen dash in. The company that makes the 39 Studebaker bodies for S10's has a nice fiberglass dash replacement and door panels. I can't remember the name of the company though.

urbex · 10-25-2009, 11:32 PM

Well, I don't have to do a swap now

Just came home a real clean '91 S10 Blazer. Has the typical peeling clear coat issue, but no body damage (not even the usual dents and dings that vehicles this old get), and a real clean interior. Needs a tune up, and has the typical broken console lid and glove box door, some other minor stuff, but overall, I'm happy with it

10-21-2009, 12:49 AM	#1
urbex Registered User Age: 29 Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Glendale, AZ User is: OffLine	1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? I'm on the hunt for my next S-truck project, and ideally I'd like to get a '91-'93 extended cab S10/Sonoma 4.3L, but I've been seeing some decent deals on '94-'97 trucks as well. I know the newer trucks have the better drivetrain, but problem is that I hate, hate, HATE the 2nd gen interiors. I feel like I'm crammed into a sub compact car in the things (I've driven my buddy's '96 a few times). It's probably just me, but even with the extended cab I just feel like I have no leg room in the things. That said, would a 1st gen dash physically fit into a 2nd gen? I'm not much concerned about mounting it, as brackets are a pretty easy thing to fabricate, and I'm the guy all my friends come to when they need something wired (I've done dozens of full custom chassis and engine wiring harnesses over the years), I'm just more wondering if the dash will physically fit in the newer truck without massive carving of the dash or cab sheetmetal.
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10-21-2009, 01:07 AM	#2
90blueS10 Calico 1st Gen Age: 17 Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4,101 Location: Ottawa, Kansas User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? Should be smaller actually, should have plenty of room. Good luck
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10-21-2009, 01:15 AM	#3
neo71665 4x4 v6 blazer Age: 30 Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5,351 Location: rison arkansas User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? Gonna be 2 inches short if I recall.
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10-21-2009, 01:28 AM	#4
urbex Registered User Age: 29 Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Glendale, AZ User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? hmm....2 inches could be a lot of gap to fill and have it look halfway decent. I'll have to put some research into this. Although really, the only likely way I'd end up with a 2nd gen anyways is if I came across one of those way too good to pass up kind of deals. I would just as soon drop a V8 into a 1st gen rather than put a ton of work into changing the interior of a truck just to gain 40 ponies for a couple years.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-21-2009, 01:41 AM	#5
draggindime072010 ROLL TIDE!!!!!! Age: 18 Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,205 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? do you not like the newer 98+ up dashs i swapped one of those into my 95 cuz im with you i hate those 94-97 dashs
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10-21-2009, 01:46 AM	#6
90blueS10 Calico 1st Gen Age: 17 Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4,101 Location: Ottawa, Kansas User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? first gens arent that bad, and easy to get hp out of.
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10-21-2009, 03:45 AM	#7
urbex Registered User Age: 29 Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Glendale, AZ User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? Quote: Originally Posted by draggindime072010 do you not like the newer 98+ up dashs i swapped one of those into my 95 cuz im with you i hate those 94-97 dashs While I haven't been in a '98+ truck, looking at pictures, it looks like it would have that same bloated feeling to me. To be honest, there's very few late model vehicles that I like, exactly for that reason. The interiors on these things make me think of the old Loony Tunes cartoons where some character eats a bomb, it explodes in them, and their body balloons up To me, it seems like the interiors got the same bomb treatment. In fact, for a quite a few years now, I've wondered what something like a 1st gen truck would look like with something like a mid 60's Chevy 3100 truck dash in it (except that I've never been able to bring myself to chop up a vintage truck like that just to take the dash out).
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-21-2009, 06:27 PM	#8
neo71665 4x4 v6 blazer Age: 30 Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5,351 Location: rison arkansas User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? To me the 98+ dash is more closed in feeling then the 94+ cause the way the radio kinda wraps to aim at the driver. Me personally I've never liked the bubble bodied 2nd gens at all.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-21-2009, 06:48 PM	#9
urbex Registered User Age: 29 Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Glendale, AZ User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? Quote: Originally Posted by neo71665 Me personally I've never liked the bubble bodied 2nd gens at all. I'm not either. Really the only reason I would even consider one would be for the newer 190HP stock engine. Even then, I would have to get a screaming deal on one to consider going through the amount of work needed to make it comfortable to me. I figured it at least doesn't hurt to ask, as I'd be pretty bummed out if I found that awesome deal, and passed it up only to find out later on that the interior swap would have been an easy bolt in operation. Although that said, I'm not all that wild about the 1st gen gauge panels either with that goofy sliding/rotating disc kinda thingy for the speedometer, although I really did like the digital dash I had on my '91 Sonoma (despite knowing they had a habit of suddenly dying, I never had a single problem with mine). Haven't seen another truck like it for quite a few years now. But then a custom gauge panel is a pretty simple thing to fab up.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 01:46 AM	#10
neo71665 4x4 v6 blazer Age: 30 Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5,351 Location: rison arkansas User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? Hell I'm fitting a 160 from the factory 200 after being rebuilt 3.4 in my 87 so??? Guess I'm a jack ass cause I'd rather run a v6 that was designed as such over a afterthought v8 with 2 cylinders chopped off. Got a 350 sitting in my shop if I want real power I'm not gonna waste my time lying to myself trying to make a 2/3 motor produce the power. Even after I've seen these little crappy 60 degrees produce more power than a 4.3 e3ver hopes to
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 02:08 AM	#11
nd4spd18 I am sofa king we tod did Age: 22 Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 467 Location: PA User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? The 4.3 is a good reliable and powerful motor just like the 350 it was based on. When chevy had such a good motor in the 350 why not design a V6 based on that. Seems to have worked.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-22-2009, 03:16 AM	#12
urbex Registered User Age: 29 Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Glendale, AZ User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? Quote: Originally Posted by nd4spd18 The 4.3 is a good reliable and powerful motor just like the 350 it was based on. When chevy had such a good motor in the 350 why not design a V6 based on that. Seems to have worked. And that's why I want a truck with one for now. I know they're rock solid engines, and it's not about getting the most power under for me - right now I want/need the reliability. That said, I do want to be able to get out of my own way on the freeway too I know the 150HP engines are enough for what I need right now. When I'm ready to get more power out of it, I'm not even going to bother trying to build the 4.3, I'll be going straight to V8 power.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-24-2009, 11:37 PM	#13
Zeeke98 Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 4,054 Location: Michigan User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? You're all crazy. 2nd gens have way more room in them than first gens. I hate the dash on the 86-93 trucks even though I had an 86. It was cool in it's day but it's very dated now. The 82-85 dashes are the best 1st gen dash. I was never real big on the 94-97 dashes but absolutely love the 98+ dash and bodies. That's why I've owned 5 different trucks/blazers in that year range. You might better do something custom than swap a 1st gen dash in. The company that makes the 39 Studebaker bodies for S10's has a nice fiberglass dash replacement and door panels. I can't remember the name of the company though.
	[Reply w/Quote]

10-25-2009, 11:32 PM	#14
urbex Registered User Age: 29 Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Glendale, AZ User is: OffLine	Re: 1st gen dash in a 2nd gen truck? Well, I don't have to do a swap now Just came home a real clean '91 S10 Blazer. Has the typical peeling clear coat issue, but no body damage (not even the usual dents and dings that vehicles this old get), and a real clean interior. Needs a tune up, and has the typical broken console lid and glove box door, some other minor stuff, but overall, I'm happy with it
	[Reply w/Quote]