Riviera digital Instrument cluster (IC) into a Fiero dash (Page 4/14)
Cajun SEP 23, 12:18 PM
Another snag!! Waiting on additional wire markers for making up the wiring for the 35 wire connector on the Fiero BCM. I thought I had enough to complete the wire marking but that is not the case. The additional markers are scheduled to arrived Tuesday.

Also, just off the phone with estreetplastics. They tell me my Lexan order is not scheduled to ship until mid next week. They indicated they were running a bit behind and was hoping to get all their August orders out by now. I can still install the surround without the Lexan face plate but would rather have the Lexan cut and fitted before re-installing the surround. Don't want to do work twice.

My plan is for today is to re-wire the Fiero interior dim light control rheostat. Get that out of the way.



When this project is completed I plan on posting a set of "As Built" drawings, photos, etc. for anyone that wants to install a Riviera digital instrument clusted into their Fiero.

[This message has been edited by Cajun (edited 09-23-2020).]

Cajun OCT 01, 09:21 PM
An update:

The additional plastic wire markers have arrived. However, once installed at both ends of the wiring harness for the Fiero BCM they add too much bulk to the harness. Space is a premium under the dash. So I have sourced some heat shrink wire markers from a local Oil & Gas Instrumentation company. They didn't charge me an arm & leg plus a pint of blood for the heat shrink wire markers. Now I am waiting for those to arrive.

In addition, I have been informed by the Lexan suppliers there will be a delay in shipping due to Tropical Storm Beta that has caused severe flooding in the Houston area.

Now, it's a waiting game on material.

Slabsurfer OCT 01, 10:33 PM
Thanks for posting this, Cajun!

When I was in the mode for assembling parts, I read that such a mod was possible and picked up the same digital cluster.

I will absolutely be watching this build!
Cajun OCT 07, 08:33 AM
The good news is that I have received word that the Lexan panel has shipped. The bad news is that once again we are locking down for hurricane Beta. Storm number 6 so far this year, a record!

Also, the shop that will be cutting my Lexan is in Vermilion parish, they are under a mandatory evacuation. So that will delay in getting the Lexan
cut.

Back to waiting on the weather!
fierobear OCT 08, 02:22 PM
This is fascinating stuff. I'm interested in doing something similar, and have started researching how to do a small computer display IC based on Raspberry Pi. I'm very interested in how to capture the input information like VSS, Speedo and so forth, and how to massage that data to get the Pi to turn it into a digital gauge display. I'd also very much like a HUD. I'll be following this build!
Cajun OCT 16, 11:14 AM
Just getting internet back after a visit from Hurricane Delta and no power for 4 days. Now the clean up and repairs.

On the project.... some good news and some bad! I have received the heat shrink wire markers and the Lexan panel. The bad news is the shop that will be doing the Lexan cut to fit the Fiero surround is still without power.

The other issue is that wifey said house first and toy second!! Oooch. Hope to have repairs completed in about two weeks. Will be back once most of the repairs have been completed.

Oh, this morning I installed the heat shrink wire markers on the BCM wiring harness!
Cajun NOV 08, 03:51 PM
Did a little more wiring today, not much but some. For me this exercise is the critical part of the Riviera digital IC install, the interface wiring.

I was able to finish up the interface wiring for my terminal strip "AA".



Also wired up the interface wiring for the Instrument dimmer control pot. Not a very good photo!



In the above photo you will notice the location of the Fiero BCM. Hopefully this is it's final resting place.

Hopefully sometime this week I will have some time to wire up the remainder of the interface terminal strips (2). I am still in the mist of home repairs from hurricane Delta. Then the tough part test the system in place. My plan is to install the Riviera digital IC & Fiero surround in place without installing the dash. Hopefully this will allow me access to any wiring I may need to address due to any issues.

Getting close to the final product!!
kevin NOV 08, 06:16 PM
Great work!
Can the dashboard lights be ordered in ‘Red’ like the Fiero?
Are there any provisional plans to utilize the two auxiliary gauges spaces above the center HVAC/Radioactive controls?
What information can be used within area?
Kevin
Chris Eddy NOV 09, 12:20 AM
The Riviera IC is made up of vacuum fluorescent displays (looks like one panel, but is made up of pieces). They are all baby blue, with some red, green, blue accents for such things as high temp, low oil, etc. That is why it has a very 80's look, even though it was 91/92.
So the answer is no, no red, as there is no backlighting per se. Just the VF displays.
So the real question is whether to leave the other lighting, such as HVAC and radio, with their red color, or change them to blue or light blue. And I believe that modifying the radio would be hard, but maybe there is a GM radio that was light blue already.
I had not considered the center console gauges.. The BCM reads the analog sensors directly, IE uses a current source to drive the sensor and then reads the voltage across the sensor. So it would not be possible to put gauges in parallel. The volt meter would work, but I am sure that one working gauge would not a center console make.
And to the fellow that wants to use a Raspberry PI, I will share the project so that you can do that.. but keep in mind that the PC board has a lot of other circuitry to support that effort, so just a Raspberry would not be enough to complete the interface.
Cajun NOV 09, 01:42 PM
Kevin,

Chris Eddy replied to the question about the ability to change IC lighting color.

The second question; short term I have no plans for the current Aux gauges. Long term I current have a 3-gauge Al blank for installing in the Aux gauge location. I would say pretty much any gauge one would want to install and wire could be placed in that position.

I don't have a stock radio or HVAC control head in my 86 GT. The radio is a 1din unit, back lighting is adjustable. The HVAC unit is a digital control unit out of a 2001 Grand Prix. The instrument colors are "red".

Hope that helps some?