Acura TL Dash in CG2

[Brad2274]

04/06/14
adding posts in last page, doing some finishing touches on the swap

(new pics towards bottom)

(older)i know DH48 made a great DIY for this but im doing a second build/diy thread for mine, i could only get a 2003 TL base dash, digital ac not navigation, should fit in my 99 coupe but im gonna try to get the rear passenger ac vents to work as well(cl didnt come with them)

here's what i got for the swap

-2003 tl dash pad w/all small panels + frame with all wiring
-blower box(might not be needed)
-ac actuators
-6 disc oem bose stereo with amplifier behind it(might use my aftermarket)
-tl gated shifter
-tl console with woodgrain trim and rear ac vents
-base tl cluster(until i buy a type s one)
-dash airbag cover
-steering column covers
-hood release latch and trim piece

oh and i managed to get everything for $100

here's some crappy pics i took real quick, when i start the swap ill post more





09/19/13 update, FINISHED! well just about

ok so the swap itself, it's done but panels are loosely fit because i need to remove the cluster again and ill be adding the cls e brake and cupholder soon. these are also cell phone pics, ill get the camera tonight because it has good diy pics of the airvents and such and of the car without dash

Started off with this



stripped it down to this



removed that and replaced it with this



fun wiring



all finished up



perks of tl dash, still need to be hooked up though lol



adding a double din soon, single looks funny, and panels are still loose fit in these pics



fitment with frame is nice



another shot





gated shifter with 07 TL shift knob



temp cupholder solution



picked these up last week to fix the elephant in the room lol.

Things to know about this swap- Pros and cons and things i still have to fix:
-for some reason i dont have fuel or temp(fuel says empty temp says full hot) but the cluster might be bad so ill get a type s and test it out, if not its my wiring(fixed, needed 99 tl cluster).
-Everything works on the ac(on/off, recirc, auto, temp, fan, defrost) except mode controls, still trying to figure it out but i dont mind it right now
-stock accord seats rub the sides of console
-black dash doesnt match interior code X (accords wants-to-be-black charcoal color) very well, i have side sills in charcoal but it looks off, my flat black painted door panels match perfectly though(managed to get the acuras black hood release latch with trim in black with the deal heheheh)

buuut

-you get an extra accessory outlet
-bigger console box with light
-adjustable armrest
-gated shifter fits perfectly, awesome upgrade, nice feel
-feels like a newer car, i think im in a jet plane
-big low fuel light
-outside temp in cluster(still working on that)
-that fancy card or whatever holder above the radio
-ac vents in the rear(ill hook them up with some hose soon, theyll be super useful living in florida)
-interior doesnt look like a civic.

make sure you get EVERYTHING you can, if i got all the ac boxes itd be much easier, i still need a bracket from a tl for the center console to hold it down. and i have to order the CLS center console stuff. ill post more pics soon of in between stuff since i know this is a very vague page lol.

thoughts, comments, criticism, and questions welcome!

 

[Ghost Ryder]

Wow thats alot of stuff.....its overwhelming just looking at. Good luck with it! Really want to see the rear a/c vent connection. Gave some thought to that a couple times, too lazy thoough. Can't wait to see how this turns out.

 

[Akingkhan]

Is rear ac really needed in a coupe???
Any way looks like you got a great deal on the dash...
Good luck with the install can't wait to see pics of the finished product.

 

[Brad2274]

thanks guys, working on some of it today, got the actuators from the tl's ac system, gonna try to get them to work so there's no "short Circuit" message.

 

[Matt1264]

Is that manual shift option on the shifter usable with the stock auto tranny?

 

[RedRyder]

Just looking at all those harnesses and plugs tells me I will never do this lol. The thing I like about the TL console is that the handbrake won't be in the cupholder area like in DH's CL console.

 

[Brad2274]

handbrake will still be in the cupholder spot sadly, ordering the manual cls cupholder and the cls e brake soon, until then ill probably just cut a hole for it

 

[RedRyder]

Ah. Well nvm. So where will the manual CL-S handbrake handle and cupholder be? You have to redrill to mount the new handbrake somewhere, right?

 

[mkdb89-02se]

If its all done correct then Ur a bad *** lol

 

[Brad2274]

found the info for converting tl-p console to hand brake, figured the tl people would have info on it for when they swap to 6spd
swap info

im almost positive it will work, but as far as i know, nobodies done it with a tl dash into a coupe, and the only documented completed swap i know of was by DH48 and he's in europe so his stock dash/car is a obd1/obd2 setup. so in the US, this is either going to be easier, or harder, ill let you guys know.
he said the swap was relatively simple, but he's a wizard as we've all found out(the guy doing the nsx swap), so idk what simple is for him lol