David Morgan

Six_Shooter from what I have read all newer vehicles have what is called active vehicle speed sensors which when looked at with a scope shows a square wave pattern. Also there is a voltage increase related to vehicle speed from these vss sensors. Older vehicles used what was considered a passive wheel speed sensor that do not produce voltage output. Both work off reluctor wheels but give off different types of readings. I am going to use the signal from the t56 and see how I like it. I have a plan to make a set up that will work off the front wheels if I do not like how the steering assist works when my tires are spinning. I have a spare 280z sitting in my garage for mock up purposes which comes in very handy.

I finally found what I was looking for. I am using a LT-1 T56 which from what I found is a 4KHZ square wave pulse. This is an active vehicle speed sensor which can read zero mph and also recognizes reverse. I am going to try to keep this simple and use that signal and see what happens. I will also be using a speedometer that works from this sensor so that will also let me know this sensor is working.

In a kind of unrelated topic if anyone is thinking of adding LED lighting to their vehicle be careful. The scion I got the dash wiring from had a engine fire from what was listed. When I received the harness it was cut from a few inches in the engine compartment and included everything under the dash. It had an after market LED Control Module plugged into the lighting harness under the dash. The wiring is fine going into the control module but a few inches on the other side of it the wires are completely melted. These were under the dash and looks like it may have been what started the fire. Just my observation and wanted to share.

Thank you for the offer azcarbum. I will keep this in mind if I get stuck. I will be running an electronic speedo so the first option you suggested is out. Would the second option you suggested be self adjusting and also work if the car was going in reverse? From what I have figured out so far I need to run an active wheel speed sensor verses the old passive wheel speed sensor. I have now acquired the under dash wiring from a Scion FR-S. I separated the wiring that went into the steering brain box. There is only one small white and one small black wire that fed to a plug that was taped up in the wire harness which was not ever plugged into anything. Then there is a heavy gauge power and ground and then one green with a white tracer with silver dashes. This has to be from the wheel speed sensor. I stopped at a Subaru and a Scion dealership neither of which were any help what so ever. There is a shop down the street from me that specializes in automotive wiring. They are my next stop and should have been my first. They have helped me figure some things out in the past. Once I cut what I want from the wire harness for the rest of the steering column controls I will be paying them a visit. I am going to use the Scion controls and ignition switch. The light switch has a plug with ten wires. wiper switch has six wires. The ignition switch has two plugs. One with two wires one with seven. They will be able to tell me what all of these are plus will be able to get me a wire schematic from the Scion FR-S. Something neither service manager wanted to be bothered with.

i am thinking of trying truck bed liner on one of my extra dashes. Has anyone tried this?

I thought mine looked bad. hope it turns out. I never heard of 3M panel bond so i was not sure of what to use. I have two extra dashes and was thinking about trying some truck bed coating on one of them. this stuff is pretty durable. Has anyone tried this? i am keeping mine black but for someone wanting different colors that is also possible because it can be bought clear and tinted with a small amount of paint.

At some point i will post some pictures but the column is mounted. It was rather easy. Waiting on a section of firewall from a BRZ then i will be working on the electrical part of this swap.

Miccontreras Could you let me know how they fit once you put them on? I am going to put flares on mine and want to find a good fitting set the first time.

I set a 454 down into mine at one point using a copy of the scarab mounts. It had the stock intake with a quadrajet. With the stock air cleaner it all fit under the stock hood. With those mounts the headers that came with the big block also fit with a small dent for the steering shaft. I have no idea what brand they were but the set up was in a 1973 Chevy two wheel drive truck. Decided it would handle like crap so went with an aluminum headed 388 small block that with an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake will not fit under my cowl induction hood with the air cleaner on. I have since got the JTR mounts. Engine fits but know I cant use my full length Hooker Headers. I have not searched lately but last I looked only some small tube shorty headers fit with the JTR mounts which will seriously choke the performance of my engine. I am seriously considering widening the frame rail area centering the engine and then building headers.

Tony D. How did the Suzuki hold up? After you mentioned about making my own vss setup I did some research and this looks very doable. The Datsun switches do bolt on and with a small hole cut in the shaft cover and a cam welded on to cancel the turn signal it would work, but like I said I will be using the Subaru switches which to me makes more sense. I will have to add a dimmer switch for the lights to the dash but I already got the one from the Subaru as well which also has a hatch release button beside it. Another added bonus, just keep giving myself more work! LOL! Another benefit I see is that where the shaft comes through the firewall I can move this to the right slightly because of the design of the steering column, it has another u joint. This will give me more clearance for my headers. I am going to either make a plate to match the Subaru boot or just cut that section from a donor car to make for a clean install. The end of the column that will come through the firewall is also telescopic which will make it easy to adapt to the Datsun linkage.

I found a solution to convert one of my existing vss to one that the Subaru brain box will recognize. VSS Pro from DCCD Pro.com. With a little work I think this will work and be way cheaper than the $ 2,000 kits on the market and be more user friendly.

I bought my column in pieces because when I looked for a complete one the prices were high. I now have all the pieces from steering wheel to the coupling in the engine bay. I bought the steering wheel as a temporary use item. The aftermarket makes an adaptor for aftermarket wheels. Momo plus others. At the moment there is a complete one on ebay for $ 339.00 with out the brain box. I have roughly $ 310.00 in all my pieces including the brain box. Here is what I have figured out. Mounting will be easy. A plate with two holes drilled in it as an adaptor to the stock mounting location. The stock Datsun headlight switch will bolt on because at that point the columns they are the same diameter. I will try this directly. Someone going for a stock look would like this. I am actually going to use the Subaru switches though.For a more modern look. I am also going to use the Subaru ignition switch. Yes I will have to make a wire harness but the car is getting rewired anyway. After doing some research I may buy another switch with related matching pieces to make some other modern features available. Cost wise probably cheaper to go aftermarket though. I am reading about vss sensors. At the moment my car has two available. One in the T56 and one in the r230 differential housing. Not sure if either would be compatible with or even if the Subaru brain box would recognize. May be able to adapt Subaru vss sensor by drilling tapping or however but I know the gearing could not be the same but maybe close enough. Slower speed will provide more assist, faster none. I would prefer a front wheel set up. I really do not like the idea of having to adjust on the fly so an adjustable box will be my last option. May try it temporarily to get a feel for the assist, but it would be a pain considering I want to autocross this car and I really want this to be automatic and hands free. Does anyone have any ideas for a front wheel vss sensor?

So I recieved my brz steering column and brain box. The steering column is also telescopic. After looking at this and how it would mount up I have decided to just use the entire Subaru steering column. Now I want to try to hook a vss to my front wheels so I do not loose my assist at low speeds if my back wheels are spinning. This may be a problem since I have a 388 and a t-56.

Has anyone tried adapting parts from a Subaru brz or scion fs-r? looks very similar to the kits available and can be bought very cheap used. My thoughts are I might try this plus use the brain box which would work off a vss so that the assist is related to speed and not have to be adjusted on the fly like the kit I looked at .I took a scion fr-s for a test drive just to see how it steered. I liked it!