Dodge Ram Dash

LTJGWorth · #1 07-26-2004, 10:56 AM

Does anyone know if it is possible to put a dash from say, a 98 Dodge ram 1500 into a 97 Dodge ram 1500? I have examined pictures of the 2 dashes and they appear to have all the same components in relatively the same places except for the 98 having passenger side airbags. I like the 97 dash, but I like the 98 better. Thanks for any help.

BleedDodge · #2 07-26-2004, 02:37 PM

You can do it.

LTJGWorth · #3 07-26-2004, 08:49 PM

Easily, or is it going to take some driving time out of it?

indyram · #4 07-28-2004, 02:17 AM

Depends on if you want the bevel just on the driver's side or the entire dash.

BleedDodge · #5 07-28-2004, 02:47 AM

The truck would probably be down for an afternoon. It's not a quick job if that's what you mean.

LTJGWorth · #6 07-28-2004, 02:30 PM

What do you mean just on the driver's side? Can you just have one side of the dash on there? I thought that both dashes (at least the cover on the top near the window) was all one piece. I didn't figure on it being a quick job.

indyram · #7 07-30-2004, 02:06 AM

I was having a brain fart when I wrote that. I am going off memory, but I think that the main diffence is where the cup holders are and the airbag on the passanger side. It should be all one piece on top.

LTJGWorth · #8 07-31-2004, 11:09 AM

I think its different. I mean, I don't think you can mix and match the dash sides. i may be wrong but I don't think you can. The shape is way different.

BleedDodge · #9 07-31-2004, 01:10 PM

Well you obviously can't. You can take one out and put another in, but you can't take for example, the face of one year and mix it with the top of another year. It just doesn't fit. You have to swap one complete dash out for another complete dash.

LTJGWorth · #10 08-01-2004, 12:37 PM

Yea thats what I was saying. I have examined the dashes (exterior only) and the rest of the interior of the 98 and 97 dodge's and they seem to be interchangeable. I'm just wondering about like, the gauges and all the electronics such as air bags, cigarette and electrical outlets, overdrive, lights, and anything else that is on there. Will everything fit into place and work properly? Are all the plugs the same or will I have to modify them?

BleedDodge · #11 08-02-2004, 02:15 PM

All plugs should be the same. On the older trucks, the overdrive button was on the dash beside the cupholders, and on the newer trucks the buttons are on the end of the shifter, are they not?

If I was going to swap a dash I'd swap the whole dash for another whole dash, not parts of one. That's where I think you'd run into trouble with things not matching up...

Hopefully I'll never have to do this...

LTJGWorth · #12 08-02-2004, 06:27 PM

Yea i'm not planning on doing just parts of the dash. My plan is to go to the junk yard and find a 98 that has been wrecked or something and that still has an intact, in good condition dash and buy it. I don't know how much it will cost, but i'm going to find out.

dodgeguy55 · #13 12-11-2010, 11:14 PM

I am Currently doing this in my 97 Cummins, full interior from 2000 Cummins, black with cloth, looks so much better, all thats left to do is put the dash in, I think I can have this complete over a weekend, if your still doing this I can take pics on the whole project, help you out a bit, and if anyone has done this I wouldn't mind some help going to run into some snags with heater vents, cluster, heater control and other things I would imagine.

Best of Luck!

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD