Need help converting standard 68 dash to XR7.

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Community Discussion
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Hello y’all! this is my very first post. I have a very standard 1968 Cougar. The cougar was in poor shape when I acquired it, my intention being to create a wild hot rod. I set about creating this hot rod, dubbed the Super Cougar, through a four phase process. The first phase was making the car drive-able, which was completed when I replaced the engine, transmission, and suspension. The second phase is rebuilding the interior, third phase is modifying the exterior, the fourth phase is involves some oddball modifications. Currently I am on phase two, just this summer I re-upholstered the seats, repaired the headliner, and fixed some miscellaneous doo-dads. Now, onto the reason for this post…

All the gauges in the car work fine. But I want to replace the gauges with the xr7 cluster and dash insert. Originally my intention was to replace the gauges with some customs from Classic Instruments and using the toggle switches to activate custom functions of the car, such as killing the rear lights and activating a supercharger. The toggle switches don’t need to be functional for some time, but I had the intention of replacing the gauges this winter. When I called West Coast Classic Cougars for advice, I spoke on the phone with the man Don Rush, who strongly urged me not to proceed. Don told me that after 25 years in the biz, it was simply not worth it and that I was better off simply buying an xr7. This, however, is not an option for a variety of reasons. First, I love my car and would not sell it. Second, I only want the XR7 dash, and were I to buy an XR7, I would remove all the other XR7 features, which would be wasteful and unethical for historical reasons.

Don told me that his reasons against converting to an XR7 dash were mainly electrical, and that all the rewiring would be both nightmarish and costly. When I asked Don what I would need for the conversion, he would not tell me, which I thought odd. I understand that the conversion might be both difficult and expensive, but I am undeterred. I bought this car as a time and money sink, and that is exactly what I intend to do.

I would like to know, in as much depth as possible, exactly what is needed to convert the dash to an XR7-style system. I have yet to open up the dash myself, so I really have no idea whats lurking down there. Remember, the toggle switches will be inactive, so I won’t have to worry about wiring any of that crap for some time.

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I have restored several late sixties mustangs and cougars and I have to second Don’s advice. For your wild hot rod there are no distinct advantages with the XR7 dash. You can purchase aftermarket tachs, pressure gauges, etc… and install them. It’s not a matter of what you need to convert… it’s how. There are no aftermarket wiring harnesses and there are no accurate wiring diagrams for an XR7. The WD that you can purchase from WCCC is of the standard model. I, as well as other 68 XR7 owners, have piece-mealed together wiring diagrams as we trouble shoot and explore. I’ve taken two XR7s apart and put them back together and I would not have the “huevos” to try something like what you want to do. Please take our advice. As fellow cat owners we have your best interest in mind and only want you to learn from our experiences. Even if it means hearing something you don’t want to.

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If you want to see a bare dash look at my profile, or check out my Tearing down the 67 thread. As far as converting to XR7 style dash. I too love the XR7 wood dash panels. I however plan on custom making a wood panel to replace the pad on the standard dash. I think you may look into doing this instead, even if you paid someone else to do it, probably still be cheaper than buying all the XR7 components, especially since they’re not all being made by the aftermarket. You could buy the XR7 toggle switches and just drill the holes yourself. It’s a shame I’m not closer to that part of my project, I would show you the completed look. I’m probably looking to do this in March, or April…

Is it just the wood and toggle switches that you like, or the 4 separate gauges as well?? Either way, I think you’re better off with aftermarket gauges and making a wood panel yourself. It really isn’t that difficult, and you’ll get much greater satisfaction…

And please tell me that you’re talking about one of those electric fan “superchargers” to be activated off a toggle switch???
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It’s not impossible, Im doing the same thing, but the parts have been put together over, I think 7 years, ya I know not too fast.
As for some of the parts, your going to need a full XR7 wiring harness from front to back, that includes the engine harness and even the extra lighting and over head console. As well, the plug that goes into the steering column is different, so you will be changing that as well, the column that is, I could be wrong on that one. There is wiring for the door ajar lights also. Basically you will be starting from scratch and stripping every bit of wire out of the car and going at it afresh with the other harness. The prices are not cheep for the parts, this is one reason it has taken me as long as it has. If you found an XR7 that was only good for parts at a good price, you could pull it off, depending on your skill level.
I don’t think anybody is trying to tell you what to do, but with the possible cost level, could be a deterrent for many. For me, I have never followed what everyone else does, depending on the crowd, that is, I just know what i want and see for the final product and that is what Im going for. In the end I will have spent more than most, but, it is mine and probably the only one I will ever have.
Only you can set your own goal for your project, you are the one paying for it in the end.

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You may know that the XR7 is a different body code from the standard. The reason for this is that there are so many differences that it runs down to the number shape and locations of various holes in the body of the car. Even the wiring harness for the alternator is different, and if you don’t get that right you will have a wire overheat that runs through the middle of the main harness and it will burn the insulation off that wire. If you really want to do this, there is enough knowl;edge on the board to get you there, but it usually ends badly.

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Okay, although it is tough to hear…it seems the more experienced cougar-philes are all strongly against the idea. That is alright. However, is it possible to create a setup with more than two gauges without having to heavily rewire the car. The gauges can be anywhere, not explicitly xr7 style. I just really want the independent gauges for tach, oil, amp, gas, temp. I have no desire to replicate XR7 wiring if I can avoid it. Please excuse my novice-ness…this cougar is the first car I’ve ever worked on!

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Also…I have the opportunity to buy an xr7 for $650. The front end was smashed in a collision. If I still wanted to replicate an xr7 dash, is this a smart move? Or is the aforementioned rewiring simply not worth the trouble?

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The job you want to do is a real job. I had to take a harness out of a 68and replace it. Took more hours than I could keep track of, due to frustrations & blood loss!
My guess it was a 10+ hour job. This was on a 67 with A/C. As stated above the body, does not have all the holes for XR-7. Unless your really inclined not to destroy things as the frustrations build, I too suggest passing on the idea.
On another note I did add A/C & power windows to a 69 (removable dash). I took over a week to get all the wiring right, not to mention the days spent getting the windows aligned!! AND this was w/ a dash you can remove!

Not telling you to NOt do this, but there are many other “battles” ahead that you can spend you time on.

Keep us posted!

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Just a thought, if you do decide to buy the XR7, “that is a good price, just for the parts” Please document the job in a thread “with many pictures” showing all the extra holes needed to be made to mount the harness from one car to the other. Just think, you can be a pioneer for many who in the future will want to do the same job. :wink:

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And this changes everything… If you can find a parts car and remove 100% of the electrical (no mixing and matching) and sell the leftover parts for $650ish the project begins to make sense. If you enjoy the work then you do not have to count your time. As you may recall, when you asked “What needs to be changed?” I said pretty much all the wiring in the entire car down to the wires running to the fuel sending unit, door latches, engine compartment and even the wiring behind the headliner.

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If your putting in new gauges, and using the toggle switches for other things, go for it. I completely rewired my car, made it an xr7, and hid the wiring under the hood. Added stewart Warner gauges, electronic taillights, relayed headlights, electric headlight openers(of course) alarm, power windows, locks trunk opener. It’s really not that hard, start with a mustang harness or a 21 circuit. Actually, it’s fairly simple when using a new harness.

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Here’s an idea that could also work for you. You could put in rocketmans mini tach and do a custom wood face over your standard dash. With this wood panel you could mount toggle switches however you like.

I’d like to hear more about you toggle switch activated supercharger.
Steven

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Quote: I’d like to hear more about you toggle switch activated supercharger.

I think he’s been watching to many Mad Max movies.

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In his defense, they do sell those electric “superchargers” that claim 5 psi of boost?? I was wondering if that’s what he meant… I actually toyed with putting one on my Jeep to see if they worked. Lol.

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They have been available for many years. Uses a clutch like an a/c unit. We had one on a VW running a Judson supercharger. Problem was belt slip when the compressor cut in and we ended up running a triple pulley set up. One of the local manufacturers used to use a headlight dimmer switch to activate the blower he produced for local 6 cylinder engines (local version of a Chev 6). They were quite exciting if you turned them on when you were running a few thousand RPM under acceleration

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I knew that Mercedes had a supercharger on some of the SLS models that engaged only under heavy throttle, guess I didn’t realize it was an electric operated clutch system? What I don’t understand, is how could they get the engine to run correctly without it engaged? Are they all an upper plenum style charger? They would have to be; right?

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Leon this sounds really neat. I had no idea that something like this existed.
Steven

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If you just want the tach, WCCC & maybe a few other websites have one that bolts into that dummy hole where the clock goes.

It would be far more practical to hang the extra gauges under the dash pad, which overhangs, slanted to you where the cougar name badge is located.

You will still get access to the vents and glove box.

Although modifying a console is always a bad idea, you could tastefully place switches in the 2 slots where the seatbelts are supposed to go.

There’s already a small hole in each where wires can go through.

Frankly, I’d leave the stock wiring harness alone and just use in whole or in part, one of those painless wiring harnesses.

Yes, that’s a brand name.

The changes are at least reversible.