97vetteman

I have just got through doing my HUD install. I have a 97 so I had to change the Gauge cluster also. I got a 300mph one on Ebay.co.uk and I got the switch and harness. I got the Projector from Ebay.com from Josh(PaceThis) at carolinacorvettes. Josh was kind enough to get me a bezel also to complete my parts list.

It took me 5 hours to do the install. The dash comes out really easy. mounting the projector is easy as it sits in a cradle that's built into all C5s. The hardest part was cutting the dash. I made a template out of cardboard then I drew around it and cut out the hole. There is a how to that I used here:

http://joshker99.home.comcast.net/hudinstall2.htm

Then I made the bezel fit by fileing the hole bigger with a rasp. I used screws to hold the bezel in by cutting the legs shorter.

I went for a drive and tested everything was working ok, it looks great!

This is probably the first retro fit of a HUD in a 97 Vette in the UK. Total cost was £200 ($380)

It would have cost me another $6,000 to get a 99 Vette with HUD in the UK.

Here are a couple of pics:

dixonk

iTrader: (8)

Nice I really want me a 300 mph gauge for no apparent reason. How much did the gauge set you back? Was it plug and play or did you have to get it calibrated?

97vetteman

Hi how are you, all gauge clusters are plug and play, as this is the third one I have plugged into my Vette.

I have a 300mph non HUD one in there, then I got a 200mph USA one to try and do white face EL gauges then I got this 300mph HUD one from a 2000 Vette to do my HUD install.

I have a 300mph cluster for sale with 54K miles on it for $300. All clusters will display the mileage that was one them when they were unplugged from a vehicle unless you have your dealer reprogram them.

They will stay on mph or kph unless they power supply is disconnected or the cluster is removed from the car then the 300mph ones I have will default to kph until you press the E/M button. That's where they stay until power is interuppted.

Cheers Andy

dixonk

iTrader: (8)

I just bough one on Ebay before you posted one for sale. Question is if it is a non HUD unit can it be converted to HUD?

97vetteman

Yes it can be converted to HUD by changing a circuit board.

dixonk

iTrader: (8)

So basically I will just put my parts on from my original one? What about the Oil and Temp Gauges can I use my US spec ones for the cluster instead of the kpa and celcius.

97vetteman

You can swap the oil and temp gauges for your USA ones. The circuit board changes are done by some of the guys in the USA I don't have the full info on how it's done.

dixonk

iTrader: (8)

Off Topic: The rear of your vette looks wild. Is that the way euro specs come?

97vetteman

Thanks, yes that's the Euro spec. I hate the the fog lights the Euro brake lights look ok, but I prefer the USA Vette's rear look. It was just how it turned out getting a Euro spec car as the deal I got on my trade in Z28 was too good to pass up.

I got the bonus of a 300mph speed and some good good options now I've added the only extra that was missing HUD. I couldn't stretch to a 99 vette with HUD would have been another $6,000 plus

dixonk

iTrader: (8)

Yeah I like the tail lights but could probably do without the extra red lights. Though you can honestly say it is different from most vettes. Wonder if the euro specs hold value more than US specs since they probably didn't make as many. Is there any other differences like side turn signals like all the other cars in europe?

97vetteman

Yes they have side turn signal on the front fender and orange running light on the rear fenders instead of red.



I have a single more powerful headlight imstead of the twin 9006 9005 setup of the USA Vette and extra sidelights in the front fog light area. The fog lights use different bulbs also.



Radio frequencies are different. I have a fog light switch that does front and rear fog lights on the dash to the left and the rear hatch switch is doulbed up with the gas cap switch in the arm rest.

I have a quieter exhaust for the Euro market. I have tow hooks front and rear also I hate them too!

That's about all I can think that is different there are prolly more is you dig deeper.

And the Euro Vettes must be faster than the USA ones because the speedo goes 300mph instead of only 200mph

97vetteman

Corvettes cost more in the UK because of our high rip off car prices.

A C6 ZO6 will set you back £65,000 ($123,000) instead of the $80,000 USA price.

This is reflected in the used prices also my 97 coupe cost me £15,000 ($28,500) I could get that car is the USA for $18,000

But with import duty and VAT and shipping you don't save a lot by buying one and shipping it your self. I may have saved £1,700 ($3.200)

The saving gets more the dearer the car you buy and then tends to be more worthwhile on say a ZO6 or an AE model, but you have to wait 3 months for the car to arrive and go through an SVA test and get all the lights Euro spec etc.

dixonk

iTrader: (8)

Same thing here in Kuwait they jack the price up on the vettes. Sounds like all that stuff adds quite a little bit of weight to the car also. They have too many safety regulations there IMO.