I have a 72 Malibu that I have made to look like a SS. The sweep dash is still in the car. I do not care about being correct as far as the seat belt light the 72's had, I just like the look of the Dash much better. Now I have a couple of questions/. I have been watching ebay for a complete dash from an original car so I could get the instrument cluster and all that...I am not against buying a new housing but can't really afford 1500 bucks plus for the whole kit. One question is, I see these on there sometimes and they most times really show their age..so one question is, can they be made to look good again by cleaning and painting? Also, will any of the gauge clusters fit into any of the SS dash housings or are they different? I ask this because I may end up buying a new housing and then getting the gauge cluster used from ebay if I can. Also what is a fair price for an average original complete dash ...Didn't some have a tach and some just a clock?

P.S. My car had factory air..I would like to one day put it back on ..are there any differences from anon air car to an air car as far as vents in dash?

of course you can clean em up, and maybe a new coat of black paint if it needs it.

About 2 weeks ago, someone had a WHOLE gauge cluster, backing plate and all going for a $25 bid. I emailed the guy and asked how much he would want out of auction, he said his reserve had already been met. So, i bid up to $150, but by the end it was over $200.

You can get some mean deals, and sometimes, actually win them. But there is a trick to it. Last minute!

The SS dash should be the same for gauges or idiot lights. Just be sure to get a dash harness for 72. The 70, 71 harness is different. I found that out when I put a 72 Monte Carlo dash and harness in my 71.
There's a dash without anything else on Ebay for about $350. I also painted the dash before I put it in my 71. It came out pretty good.

I have a 72 Malibu ... I do not care about being correct as far as the seat belt light the 72's had, I just like the look of the Dash much better. ... will any of the gauge clusters fit into any of the SS dash housings or are they different? ...Also what is a fair price for an average original complete dash ...Didn't some have a tach and some just a clock?

P.S. My car had factory air..I would like to one day put it back on ..are there any differences from anon air car to an air car as far as vents in dash?

I am pretty sure ANY of the guage clusters will fit in any of the housings, and into your car... 1970-1972 Chevelle and Monte Carlo... While Monte carlo dashes fit, they have a wood grain cover that needs holes in the plastic dash. So If you pick up a Monte dash, you'll need to keep the wood grain, fill the holes in the plastic (and try to re-texture those fills), or buy a new "carrier", the main dash plastic (About $300)...

BUT, wiring harnesses vary with the different years, and I think even the fuse boxes are different, so the front (lamp and engine) harnesses also differ... The harnesses are also completely different from the "sweep" style dash...


Yes, some had tachs and guages (small Amp, Temp and Fuel in the smaller holes) while most had the large gas guage and clock, with idiot lights in the smaller outer holes... You can buy either a correct repro tach, or a "replacement" tach that goes in place of the clock and looks pretty good ("close" to factory)... I think they all had clocks, just the tach replaced the LARGE gas guage...

You could splice you factory "sweep" harness and get the tach, gas guage and stuff to work, if you are really on a budget...


As for A/C... I thought that non-A/C cars used a bolt-on plate in place of the center vents, but I am not sure...

I picked up my "1972" non-tach dash, sightly butchered radiao opening, and a few small cracks, for $140-$150, but I was in no hurry, and I planned on aftermarket guages eventually... Of course, that was two years ago... Ithink with the economy, and the availability of complete repros, you might get lucky and find something down around that range, if you can wait it out...

The only difference in the air conditioning that I know of when converting to a SS style dash is the air distribution tube that moves the air from the distribution box to the driver’s side vent. That tube that crosses behind the cluster in the SS dash has two dimples in it to accommodate the gauge cluster. It has been awhile since I have looked at it but the dimples might be for the light sockets

Just picked up a dash from a 70 monte carlo with the floor shift speedo and two wiring harnesses and ac controls for $100. Also has part of the harness to the front but it looks like trash...(I know mine is diferent being a 72.)It has the green numbers...the Gas gauge is starting to rust on the face of it...is there any way of spifing these up or are you just out of luck and either live with it or get another? Also the printed circuit loks like trash in this dash so I'll need one of those.