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Thread: Upgrading Early HVAC Control to Later

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Philadelphia, PA
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    1,835
    My Cars
    1979 320i Golf

    Upgrading Early HVAC Control to Later

    the '80+ heater dials, etc. look much better than the '78-'79. But, since the knobs seem much different, is it very viable to swap the control units on the dash without a major rehaul?

    Thanks!
    1979 320i Golf

    2008 328i White on Black

    2000 M Coupe Imola on Imola/Black.....Retired

    1998 BMW 540i Auto Black on Black......Retired

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    1,585
    My Cars
    1978 323i
    Highly doubtful.. Maybe you could swap in an entire late-model dash?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Philadelphia, PA
    Posts
    1,835
    My Cars
    1979 320i Golf
    Quote Originally Posted by cgifool View Post
    Highly doubtful.. Maybe you could swap in an entire late-model dash?
    That's what I'm afraid of. seems that the levers operate on different planes - one vertical and the other rotates. Mine (early) feels very mechanical. Probably not worth an entire dash install.
    1979 320i Golf

    2008 328i White on Black

    2000 M Coupe Imola on Imola/Black.....Retired

    1998 BMW 540i Auto Black on Black......Retired

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    monterey, ca.
    Posts
    14,486
    My Cars
    e21, e30 m3. e46 330ci
    i have to disagree, the pre-facelift dash looks much better then the post-. however if you can find 1977 controls, the sliders are much nicer then the 1979's.
    Tom D

    77 e21 - m42
    88 e30m3
    04 330 dinan3
    84 r1000rt
    02 r1150rs
    all of them gray
    14 f800gsa - red headed stepchild!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Pennsylvania
    Posts
    12
    My Cars
    e12, e21, e36
    I have had both old and newer HVAC controls. Never had any issues with the older style. The newer style I have had cables come loose behind the panel and plastic parts break requiring creative fixing. I think the older style controls are more robust and reliable.

    Walt B.

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