Can I drive with the dash cluster and center stack out?

[Lovies73]

I'm redoing the cluster and top and gauges and I thought it would be the perfect time to get a sound system installed. I was thinking I wound disco the speedo cable the tranny, tape up any loose wires and use my phone gps for speedo. Stereo shop is 10 miles away.

I'm thinking it won't hurt anything.

 

[midlife]

Nothing essential for running the car runs through the dash. The worst will be that you won't know if your alternator has taken a dump. You may not know whether your turn signals are working. Other than that, you'll be OK. Protect the dash cluster connector from inadvertently shorting.

 

[71_resurrection]

I did it for a solid month while refurbishing my dash.

 

[TommyK]

Nothing essential for running the car runs through the dash. The worst will be that you won't know if your alternator has taken a dump. You may not know whether your turn signals are working. Other than that, you'll be OK. Protect the dash cluster connector from inadvertently shorting.

Not sure if this applies to the OP's car but doesn't the ignition run through the factory tach?

 

[midlife]

Nothing essential for running the car runs through the dash. The worst will be that you won't know if your alternator has taken a dump. You may not know whether your turn signals are working. Other than that, you'll be OK. Protect the dash cluster connector from inadvertently shorting.

Not sure if this applies to the OP's car but doesn't the ignition run through the factory tach?

Good catch, Tommy! Yes, the connectors for the tach, if the OP has one, has to be bypassed on the underdash harness.

 

[Lovies73]

Nothing essential for running the car runs through the dash. The worst will be that you won't know if your alternator has taken a dump. You may not know whether your turn signals are working. Other than that, you'll be OK. Protect the dash cluster connector from inadvertently shorting.

Not sure if this applies to the OP's car but doesn't the ignition run through the factory tach?

Good catch, Tommy! Yes, the connectors for the tach, if the OP has one, has to be bypassed on the underdash harness.

Bypass as in connect them together?

 

[midlife]

You'll see a male/female plug coming from the underdash near the headlight switch area that mates to the female/male plug from the tach. Jumper the male to female plug on the underdash side to jumper the tach and the car will run.

 

[Lovies73]

You'll see a male/female plug coming from the underdash near the headlight switch area that mates to the female/male plug from the tach. Jumper the male to female plug on the underdash side to jumper the tach and the car will run.

:thankyouyellow:

 

[Paul of MO]

I carry a jumper in the glove box of every tach equipped car just in case the tach gives out. We got stuck many years ago because of a bad tach and it took us quite a while to figure it out. What a stupid design.

Paul of Mo