FYI FORD MustangSteve's Ford Mustang Forum / I want to add some modern features to my classic mustang.

**Posted by True74yamaha** 9/11/2024 11:35 PM

I saw in Google a post that said digital dashes aren't showing their full potential so maybe will be seeing cool modern advancements in digital dashes. The other thing I found dunno who has it or has seen it on the market. But holley has a 6.86" and a 12" same as Ford size digital gauge cluster that's sniper efi compatible and has other Guage read outs. They seem to have a few nice all ready pre loaded gauge designs on the cluster but they state other designs are available to download so I thought that was neat.

I really would like to add a 2 din digital stereo head unit or larger head unit In my 1965 mustang. I saw from YouTube videos a 2005-09 mustang dash fits in a 65-66 mustang so that type console and head head unit could maybe be utilized. I really like the looks of this digital head unit for my 2015 mustang that I saw. I thought it would be neat to install it into my new car but wouldn't it be sorts neat to have a 2015 mustang head unit in a 1965 mustang ? With using a holley digital gauge pod it frees up dash space so that the bigger 2015 mustang head unit could be installed into a 1965 mustang.

I want to retro fit a newer modern heater into the 1965 mustang so maybe a 2015 heater box would fit. I think Its neat that the 2005-09 dash fits in a 1965-1966 mustang that means that style heater box would fit in a 1965-1966 mustang. Would be neat to use the 2015 heater box though in the 1965 mustang. That way it would would nicely with the head unit. Can anyone hear help me find pictures of the 2015 mustang heater duct routing and maybe how the heater box it mounted and what it connects to please and thank you.

**Posted by True74yamaha** 9/11/2024 11:37 PM

I would like to add 2015 mustang electric mirrors to my 1965 mustang anyone here have electric mirrors or maybe converted manuals to electric like by using a 1969 mirrors?

**Posted by TKOPerformance** 9/12/2024 6:10 AM

Dash fits likely means its the right width. Its not going to be a bolt in swap. The amount of bracketry required is probably considerable. I highly, highly doubt that the heater box is going to fit without MAJOR rework of everything related to the heater. The biggest thing you need to understand is that a modern dash isn't just a bunch of parts you can make fit and all will be well. Vehicle's now are completely integrated from an electronics standpoint. This isn't the '80s when a cluster was just a cluster and they weren't any different between EFI and carb vehicles. Today the cluster is an integral part of the engine management. The HVAC system is also integrated into that system. There used to be one computer in a vehicle, an ECU (Engine Control Unit) or PCM (Powertrain Control Module). Today every vehicle has about a dozen computers in it, and they all talk to each other to run the vehicle. Trying to isolate one part of that is going to be difficult without an extremely good understanding of electronics. You may see some swaps done that use those parts, but they are done by big shops that have a lot of experience in such swaps. Typically what they are doing is swapping over everything (engine/trans/dash, etc. sometimes even down to the ABS and traction control). That is an arduous undertaking and is done either as a showpiece to generate business or for a customer who writes blank checks. The average guy on a project like that is going to lose steam and/or run out of money before its done.

IMO, leave the classic classic and enjoy the modern car for what it is. If you are dead set on trying this stuff I would do A LOT of research and see if there's even any resources for doing such a swap (online articles, premade harness, etc.). If not I'd just forget about it, or file it under "one day".

**Posted by Bullet Bob** 9/12/2024 6:12 AM

I put the Fox/Escort GT mirrors on the Heap back in '15 and I'm very happy with the conversion. Most of these that I've seen are mounted without any modification to the mirror mounting angle and tend to "droop". Didn't look good to me so I redesigned the mount to my liking. Very labor intensive but they look good IMO.
A couple of years ago I got talked into making a set of power mirrors for an '87 Buick GN and then another friend talked me into doing power mirrors for his '69 Camaro. With a lot of head scratching and some 3D printing, we made it work and look very nice in the original 69 mirror bodies. So, if you really want to do it, it can be done. Butt (TS&T), it ain't easy.
I suggest you start with "cable controlled" mirror bodies. They have a bit more room inside and a passage for the wires.

**Posted by Greg B** 9/12/2024 7:15 AM

I will say this about your stereo; when I got the new Jeep Grand Cherokee there was no CD player. My daughter put a ton.of my cds onto a digital thingy that I just.plug in. It's a game changer! Totally 21st century. I just can't get her to make me one with country cds...

**Posted by BobE** 9/12/2024 8:32 AM

Greg B wrote:
I will say this about your stereo; when I got the new Jeep Grand Cherokee there was no CD player. My daughter put a ton.of my cds onto a digital thingy that I just.plug in. It's a game changer! Totally 21st century. I just can't get her to make me one with country cds...

My 98 Explorer had a cassette player, bought one of those plug in 'thingy', and that connected via a jack to a portable CD player, yep it worked great. Today, does anyone even listen to CDs anymore?

**Posted by rpm** 9/12/2024 9:36 AM

Bluetooth is the easiest way to listen to music, no CD player needed. The only reason to use a double din would be for a screen. Doing that dash and heater box sounds like a LOT of work.

**Posted by Rufus68** 9/12/2024 10:30 AM

I agree with the OP. In my '68, I installed the Dakota Digital VHX gauges. They have needles on the instruments and include a single line display screen in both the Speedo and the Tach where the ODO reading would be. I can select several different things to display in these screens.

And for the stereo, I currently have a repro bezel cut to hold a single DIN headunit. I bought a single DIN Android stereo that has a 6.9 inch screen. I cut the screen loose and remounted it so all of the excess width is below the stereo. This mounted in the '68 single din bezel.

**Posted by TKOPerformance** 9/12/2024 11:02 AM

I too slightly modified a stock '67 bezel to hold a single DIN chassis head unit. Built in CD player (yes, still listen to those) but also has a jack that could be plugged into a storage device or a Bluetooth receiver if I ever go that way. I will say that having Alexa at home I love being able to hear whatever I want whenever I want just by asking it to play it. I can probably do the same thing with my phone via Bluetooth if I want, just not that motivated.

**Posted by Nos681** 9/12/2024 5:52 PM

BobE wrote:
Today, does anyone even listen to CDs anymore?

I’m old school Bob.
I have cassette and CD changer. 😁

**Posted by Alan** 9/12/2024 9:06 PM

I have the 69 mirrors on my 67 coupe. PO had them on when i bought the car. I will tell you that if you want to use the wing window, these mirrors will interfere. I did convert them to electric using this fellars guide.
https://7173mustangs.com/threads/power-mirror-tutorial-by-austin-vert-parts-1-to-4.40108/
There are two parts to his instructions, very detailed.
I didn't follow it to the letter, but used a switch from a 96 Exploder and they work nicely.

**Posted by Rufus68** 9/13/2024 6:17 AM

Dang, my first thought at the beginning of that sentence was "Where can you fit 69 mirrors on a Mustang?!"

The Mustang disco ball.

**Posted by BobE** 9/13/2024 7:33 AM

Nos681 wrote:
BobE wrote:
Today, does anyone even listen to CDs anymore?
I’m old school Bob.
I have cassette and CD changer. 😁

LOL, if it works, stay with it!

**Posted by John Ha** 9/13/2024 11:50 AM

True74yamaha wrote:
I saw in Google a post that said digital dashes aren't showing their full potential so maybe will be seeing cool modern advancements in digital dashes.

I wonder how/if AI will impact/infect these. Don't some/most of those incorporate Bluetooth? If there's a way in (and especially if there's a wireless way in), it can be compromised.

True74yamaha wrote:
I want to retro fit a newer modern heater into the 1965 mustang

This I don't understand. The factory heater, in proper operating condition, will keep the entire interior very comfortably warm even in very cold temperatures.

Last edited by John Ha (9/13/2024 11:52 AM)

**Posted by Rufus68** 9/13/2024 12:33 PM

John Ha wrote:
True74yamaha wrote:
I saw in Google a post that said digital dashes aren't showing their full potential so maybe will be seeing cool modern advancements in digital dashes.
I wonder how/if AI will impact/infect these. Don't some/most of those incorporate Bluetooth? If there's a way in (and especially if there's a wireless way in), it can be compromised.

My Dakota Digital gauge set does not include bluetooth nor any other wireless interface. It is just a set of instruments so nothing really could be done except to make the instruments read incorrectly.