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V6FBody
Online's - Techbase: |
4th
Generation V6 FAQ: Interior
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Dashboard Trim kits Pedal covers
Door sills Leather
interior 150 mph dash in a V6 ? How does the 150 mph cluster
work on my V6 ??? Where to get a
150 mph cluster, how much ?? Can the V6 tach problem be solved
?? A pillar gauge pod Cassette holder gauge plate White faced gauge plate Billet (polished stainless steel) gauge face
plate Shift knobs Car alarm systems Steering wheel covers
Dashboard Trim kits
There are several brands that make several dash
trim kits. Exotic materials like Carbon Fiber and
real wood are most often used. Personal taste is of
course an important factor here, but most people
agree that kits like these really enhance the
interior. They are attached with 3M adhesive tape in
less than 1 hour and cost between $175 - $250. There
are kits available for both Chevy and Pontiac models
between 1993 and 2000. Fake Carbon Fiber kits are
also available, but they don't look half as good as
the real ones. Be sure to check on the parts list of
every dash kit before buying, as some kits have a
few more bezels/panels than others. And don't forget
to check the type of material that's used (Fake ?,
what type of wood ? etc.)
Kits are available
at
RKSport and
LGM
Pedal
covers Aftermarket pedal covers
are a great way to improve the interior appearance.
They are relatively cheap, yet providing better
looks and grip. Carbon Fiber and Billet materials
are most often used. Installation is normally
straight forward but getting them aligned can be
tricky at sometimes (depending on kit). A complete
kit normally costs $35-$45.
Door
sills There are aftermarket door
sills that replace the plastic stock ones. The stock
ones simply remove by tearing them off (connected
with a few clips). Most aftermarket sills attach
with 3M tape. The CF door sill from
RKSport is by
far the best looking door sill I personally have
seen.
Leather interior
Some people wish they ordered
leather seats when they ordered their car. It's
known that leather has some unique comfort features
and add a finishing touch to any car. No need for
regrets, as aftermarket leather packages are
available. Aftermarket leather is usually of better
quality than the factory hides, but they do cost a
pretty penny. RKSport sells a complete leather
package which includes:
- Front and Rear Seats
- Both Door Panels
The kit is very high quality and can be
ordered in 3 colors but a '2-tone' custom
application is also possible.
150
mph dash in a V6? This question has
been asked a thousand times, "Will a 150 mph
instrument cluster in my car?" YES! But,
let's get 1thing clear: Instrument cluster
= the unit that houses the gauges covered by a clear
plastic plate, it's hold down inside the dashboard
with 4 bolts and is connected to the PCM with 1
multi pin connector (Blue colored). DO NOT
confuse this with a 'white faced gauge panel' like RKSport
is selling. These panels are like a sheet of sticky
colored plastic that replaces the existing 'foil'
that has the printed digits on it (mph, temp, oil
pressure, etc.) These plates ONLY add 'looks' to
your existing instrument cluster. In other words,
putting a 150 mph white face plate will NOT turn a
110 mph cluster into a working 150 mph one, you
actually have to replace the whole cluster.
How does
the 150 mph cluster work on my V6? The
PCM gets speed info from the VSS (Vehicle Speed
Sensor) which is located in the transmission. It
gets anything between 1-4000 pulses each mile, the
more pulses the faster the car is going. The PCM
recalculates these pulses into speed and send that
to the Instrument cluster. That way the 150 mph
gauge will display the correct speed in any 4th Gen
(V6 or V8 !!), the Tach is a different story .. The
150 mph tach expects 8 pulses for each revolution,
but only gets 6 (V6 car), so the tach displays only
75% of the actual rpm ! Not very noticeable at low
rpm, but very noticeable at high rpm. I must admit
that some others and myself haven't really
experienced this to be a real nuisance. Please read
below to find the solution to the tach. Note:
All other gauges, odometer, etc. work 100% on the
V6! Note: V8
vehicles that want to swap their 110 mph in favor of
a 150 mph cluster will NOT have a single problem.
Where to get a 150 mph
cluster, and how much? I got mine
like most others at a wrecker yard from a Z28, make
sure it's in mint condition as replacing 1 burned
light bulb requires a complete cluster removal
afterwards. I would prefer a cluster from a rear
collision wrecked car. HINT: install it at the
wrecker yard yourself and check it at the spot.
That's what I did, I drove around with this funny
looking dash (wires all over the place), just to
make sure every thing was working properly. I
paid $125 for the cluster, and I believe some others
paid about the same amount for it.
Can the V6 tach problem be
solved? Well, you can swap the V6
tach unit with the V8 tach, however the cluster will
be useless after opening since it needs to take
place in a de-pressurized room. If you simply open
it, the gauges will be way off and this renders the
cluster useless. There should be a sticker on the
back of the cluster that warns for this. Note:
you can safely take off the the clear plate on the
front of the cluster and you can even remove the
needles (white face panel install for instance), but
don't open the cluster from the back!
A pillar
gauge pod For those who are
desperate for some extra gauges should look into
adding an A-pillar gauge pod. They normally hold 1
or 2 gauges in the sizes 2 or 2 /18 inch. Ideal for
those who have a Supercharger kit and want to keep
an eye on the amount of boost and monitor the fuel
pressure. Installation of the pod is easy but
connecting the gauges to the sending units can be
very hard! Most people recommend getting a digital
fuel pressure gauge with an electronic (under hood)
sending unit, to save a lot of hassle.
Cassette holder gauge
plate The Camaro owners can also
mount a Gauge-plate in the area which is rather
useless. The cassette/cd stowage area.
RKSport sells
a plate that fit's over the 'hole' and can be
ordered pre-drilled for 2 gauges. Ideal for those
who want some extra (bigger) gauges .
White
Faced Gauge Plates White face
plates can Greatly enhance your dashboard and thus
whole interior. They are available for both Chevy
& Pontiac and they have both 110 or 150 mph
versions. Check around to find a good deal. They can
be found at RKSport,
SLP or NRauto
Billet
(polished stainless steel) gauge face plate Another
great product to enhance the dashboard, this
'overlay' will go around the gauges and installation
just requires removing the instrument cluster and
the clear instrument plate. It's available at
RKSport, the plate is made by Mallory Billet
Products. Note:
It's not available for Pontiac (yet).
Shift
knobs There is a wide variety of
knobs, so i can't go into detail here. Be sure to
check whether they WILL fit your specific shifter
(OEM, Hurst) cause the Hurst 'style' knobs do NOT
fit the stock shifter. Look at
Internet Racer's Supply (IRS)
or RKSport for a whole variety of knobs, including aluminum
ones.
Car
alarm systems Like the knobs, there
are a lot of systems to choose from. It's just again
a matter of personal choice and budget. A few good
systems to look for are:
- Clifford
- Excalibur
- Viper
- Alpine
It's VERY important to make a good alarm
system one of your 1st priorities as the PASS Key 2
anti theft system from GM isn't a real problem for
thieves, it's bypassed with in minutes ... Take a
system that allows multiple 'paralyzing' options,
like: starter block, ignition block and fuel pump
cut off. These 'tricks' will avoid most thief's from
stealing the car as they simply require much time
and a great deal of knowledge.
Steering
wheel covers GRANT makes great
steering wheel covers for the 4th Gens. They have a
(fake) Carbon Fiber version which is the perfect
compliment to a CF dash kit. Replacing the OEM wheel
in favor of a leather wrapped wheel is also
possible. I did it myself and it's not really hard
to do when you have the proper tools and some elbow
grease.
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