I'm sure this conversion has been done alot of times but its kind of confused me and some of the old threads I have read about grounds completeing circuits for idiot lights and so on. I've done several searches on this but I can't seem to find the 72 year I need. I have a 72 Malibu with idiot lights. I purchased a 1971 Monte Carlo idiot light dash and the 1971 under dash harness. I thought I would just be able to connect the 71 dash harness to my 72 engine harness, they both look very differant. My gas gauge, and warning lights all work with my malibu dash fine. I just don't see why I can't snap the round gauge ribbon connector in the back of the round gauges, cut the wires say 10" long and just use a few butt connectors and fasten it to the sweep harness that is factory installed and works. It probably sounds easier than it is but I figure I should have about 5 or 8 wires to cut and reconnect, does this sound possible? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.:confused:

I'm no expert but I can tell you it's not that simple. I do know all years are different. If you have a '72 you need all '72 stuff. I'm not saying it cant be done but I would bet you would be hard pressed to make everything work properly.

The 71 harnesses WILL NOT interchange with the 72 engine harness unless you do some major reconfiguration in the fuse block. I've done it, I had to make my own wiring diagrams to do it, it's a MAJOR PITA. I bought a completely restored dash cluster with gauges for my 70, it came with a 72 dash harness. I found out the hard way. I made it work, it took me hours and hours to figure it all out.

It looks like I may be better off trying tp find a 71 engine harness or a 72 dash harness. Nothing seems easy when converting SS options.