As a future-forward design of the 1980s, the Z31 Nissan 300ZX naturally featured a glowing blue digital dash that was so fitting for its era. Automotive tinkerer Kelvin Elsner owns just such a vehicle, and his dashboard, unlike some, was still fully functional all these years later. Despite that, Elsner wanted something a little more special. He set about engineering a cyberpunk dash cluster of his own design, using junkyard parts to create a killer retro-modern aesthetic.
As a basis for the build, his thoughts first drifted to the digital clusters featured in modern Mustangs. Sadly, even second hand, these can cost well over $1,500. After some research, the Ford Explorer turned out to be a positive avenue to pursue. Certain models of the fifth-generation Explorer featured a digital cluster screen with a plastic overlay marked with RPM and speedometer gradations. These clusters used digitally-displayed needles to point at the real physical markings, and Elsner thought the cluster looked like it would be a good fit for the 300ZX with some modification.
As you might expect, this was anything but a drop-in swap. The modern Ford cluster picks up signals from the vehicle over the CAN bus. Without this hooked up, the cluster will not even power on. In contrast, Elsner’s 1986 300ZX used a dashboard which relied much more on analog voltages fed in directly from the car’s sensors. To mate the two, he designed a translator board which would pick up the signals from the Nissan’s various sensors, like speed, RPM, engine temperature, and fuel level, and then translate them into the appropriate CAN bus messages that the Ford cluster was expecting. This was no mean feat, requiring Elsner to spend a great deal of time not only capturing CAN messages from Ford vehicles, but then deciphering them as well.
With that job completed, Elsner turned his efforts to aesthetic concerns. The Ford cluster was flashed with a fresh set of graphics with a sunny, retro vibe. This was achieved using a tool called PimpMyFord, which allows modifying the firmware of these clusters with different graphics. A tool called ForScan was then used to upload the modified firmware files to the cluster itself. “The choice of aesthetic was a pretty cliche one,” Elsner chuckles. “I was originally going to go with some subtle changes to the original graphics, but kind of let my creative mind run free.” The resulting aesthetic that Elsner chose will be familiar to any vaporwave fans in the audience, with its saturated neon colors and prominent grid elements. “Retrowave themes seemed very fitting for the car, especially since I am going through a lot of work to modernize it in various ways,” explains Elsner.
Beyond the graphical update, the original Ford bezels with speedometer and tachometer markings were also ditched for Elsner’s own design. He went through a great number of revisions, eventually landing on a clean dogbone-like design that serves as a more aesthetically-fitting complement to the screen’s new graphics, compared to the original Ford design. A CNC-milled faceplate was constructed out of a block of ABS plastic. The numerical markings were screenprinted by a local printshop, and backlit with addressable RGB LEDs. This final touch goes a long way to making the dash look like it’s straight out of a hero car from some far-flung dystopia, circa 2163.
The rest of the work involved physically integrating the Ford cluster into the 300ZX. A filler plate was 3D-printed to bridge between the smaller Ford cluster and the large original cluster housing from the 300ZX itself. It all bolts perfectly into place inside the original housing, with the 300ZX’s stock plastic window installed over the top. Perhaps the only minor flaw is that Elsner’s lens is fairly scuffed and worn after 37 years. “I do want to replace the lens,” Elsner told The Autopian. “Good used ones are about the only option, but I am going to try my hand at forming a new one from acrylic sheet, since that will also allow me to remove the holes from the original odometer buttons.”
Installing the updated cluster also proved to be an opportunity for Elsner to upgrade the vehicle in further ways, too. With the interface board already translating between the 300ZX’s sensors and the dash, he figured it could also serve as an immobilizer, too. He hooked up the board with a transponder ring from a Nissan Versa, which looks for a transponder chip when a key is inserted. If the right transponder chip isn’t detected, the interface board sends a signal which Elsner will set up to lock the ECU from starting the car. He also hooked up a Ford mirror switch to act as a navigational interface for the digital dash.
For now, Elsner still has some work to do to finish fully integrating the setup, but the preliminary install already looks stellar. The rich neo-1980s vibes are a great complement to the Z31 design, which always felt like it was reaching for the future. Modifying dashboards and instrument clusters isn’t really a mainstream thing in the auto scene, but it’s great to see someone pulling it off so well on their first try. It shows that with the right skills, some cheap junkyard parts can be turned into something far more impressive.
Image credits: Blitzen Design Lab, via YouTube screenshots
This is so awesome. Seems like a lot of work too.
I would pay this guy to make one for my Z31. My digital dash hasn’t worked properly in years. I wonder if he can do this with a scrap donor dash?
He was lucky to still have a working digi dash. My only gripe is that he used a perfectly good one that are increasingly rare.
I am curious about the rest of the Z.
This is an awesome project! A fantastic idea that was beautifully executed!
Absolutely brilliant.
I respect/resent guys like this. I have the skill set to do something like this, and have a fantasy of doing something very similar with a Triumph TR7/8. I, however, suffer from an overbearing lack of energy, motivation, finances, and free time.
When you’re young, you have skills and time, but no money. When you are middle aged, you have skill and money, but no time. But by the time you get to retirement, you have the money and time, but your skills have atrophied.
I’m at the age where I can seriously consider retirement. However, I was late starting a family and my kid will start college next year. So I need to stay employed for at least 5 more years.
The biggest issue for me is the lack of free time between 60 hrs/wk at work and a high maintenance home. After my kid heads off to school, we are planning to move to a lower maintenance home, so that should help. Now just hoping for some good scholarships for the kid.
A simple headlight refinishing kit would work for about $10. Another $10 buys a windshield repair kit with clear resin that would probably fill the odometer reset holes.
Brilliant! Cheap simple solutions that also save a lot of time.
this is truly fantastic and wildly impressive.
Wow! I want to adopt this guys and hire him to rebuild the dash on my GR Supra. it looks remarkably like this setup and I have always been disappointed with the dash.
I can’t imagine the work this took. What I don’t understand why he didn’t just use a Raspberry PI and a $80 dollar screen from Amazon. They make an off the shelf interface to all the stock sensors and Python is an easy language to teach yourself. The hardest work then would be to fab the face plate. That would cut out all the CAN BUS stuff which must have been a nightmare. There are tons of people out there doing their own custom dashboards with this method or with Android tablets. A new pi and screen with sensors could be had for less than $500 dollars. Its the CnC, screen printing, 3D printing stuff that would kick my butt.
Raspberry Pis have pretty slow graphics in general.
lolwut? A Pi4 can output 4K at 60hz. That’s far more capable than a dash display needs.
exactly! and all those BYD’s and other Chinese cars are using those “Chinese displays” I think all that extra work to make that fairly unimpressive Ford display into something that is really “Cyber Punk” or more unique. I am not saying in any way that this isn’t awesome whatsoever. its amazing. But I don’t think I was ever impressed with that display in Fords, just like the first generation digital display in my daughter’s 19 Santa Fe there are much better starting points.
I also have always loved the Digital dash in the 300ZX not sure why you would ditch it.
Also even though Ford parts can be “shifty”. At least they are designed for automotive use vs RPi + Chinese display from Amzn. It Looks like the board is by Visteon / Siemens so things are well known and it seems there are plenty of hacks / support for the display.
He said in the video that he didn’t like PyDash because the graphics were not crisp enough. I assume he means laggy.
He just deciphered the CAN network traffic by himself? That’s….pretty amazing.
Ok, for anybody curious, that cluster is out of a 2016-2019 Ford Explorer (Platinum only) as well as the 2013-2019 Lincoln MKZ and MKX (Non-Hybrid).\
Just in case anyone is interested in some eBay diving.
Quite possibly the raddest DIY project I’ve ever seen. Mad respect.
Truly great. Can he make one for my car? Any vehicle I own. Every time I work with electronics I accidentally let the magic white smoke out and once it’s gone, it’s kaput.
Outstanding. I’m speechless.
Wow. I love the creativity displayed here. Well Done
I’m just gonna go all Veruca Salt on this, give it to me now! That is gnarly to the max!
I want to see it in action! I love when people pave the way for other mods like this. I know that purists will not enjoy this, but we buy cars so we can enjoy them, and if this hurts their resale (if that happens) then so be it.
Not sure how many Z31 purists there are in the world, but I’m guessing Elsner in reasonably safe from car show zealots. Besides, if this works, he can sell the original dash to a poor soul whose display has bitten the dust. Sounds like digital dash failure from this generation is pretty common.
He was lucky to still have a stock digi dash that still worked. Mine does not work like it should anymore and trying to find a working replacement that isn’t a small fortune is difficult, and even then you are on barrowed time. I only wish he used a scrap cluster and saved the good one or sold it to someone who needs it! (Me).
I love what he did, but damn guy some of use would do anything to have a nice working stock digital dash.
I didn’t catch that he scrapped the original circuit board or display, the two bits that I assume you need. He printed a new circuit board and the display is from the Ford. Did he say/show them going in the trash? Elsner seems smart enough to resell those or at least hold on to them until he has the project installed and working.
I love what he did but I wish he used a scrap dash and saved the good one. Mine hasn’t worked properly in years and I would have bought his and gave him mine. Glad to see his is putting so much effort into a Z31, though. I’m curious about the rest of the car.
Ok, shut it all down. Elsner wins the internet for the remainder of the year. Maybe even Q1 of 2024.
Well done, sir!
Truly the Radwood gods are smiling upon him.
This is amazing. I can see the moving equalizer bars in my mind now.
And I’m also impressed with Ford’s gauge game, that the base was originally in an Explorer of all things, the modern version of a Country Squire.
This is thoroughly impressive, and hopefully he can get all the last touches into place.
Don’t get me wrong, this is absolutely awesome. I’m right there with CubSmurf – I think I’m a pretty smart guy until I see stuff like this. I’d never be able to do something like this. But you know what I COULD do? Polish the scratches out of the cluster cover. Seriously, all that effort, and he left the scratches in the faceplate?
I kid. This is a seriously cool build. I’d love to see it installed in the car.
this is pretty awesome stuff! I want to swap the dashboard from the Niro EV into my HEV, but the cluster is like $2k, and its (likely) plug and play.
This is a whole new level, that interface board looks professional, I was expecting hand soldered lol
You know, this would be PERFECT for the following restomod Porsche 911 EV conversion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfRHud2W738
This dash would complete the aesthetic.
As long as the ECU can link up, it would be awesome.
I consider myself to be a pretty intelligent dude, but then I see projects like this and realize I’m a monkey smashing things with a rock.
Sweet build, I love it!
You use rock?
Me just stick finger in thing and see what happen.
There’s a theory called applied genius. Some people are a genius when it comes to specific skills or types of problems, but are no better than a child when it comes to others. Doesn’t mean you’re a Grug Caveman, CEO Of Rocksmashing, it just means you haven’t specialized into whatever it is.