30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

we have a customer at the shop where i work. he's been coming there forever for his personal and work trucks. over 30 years ago he brought in a C50 that had a burned valve and we did the heads on it. i tried to talk him into letting me swap out the tach/vacuum cluster for a standard cluster but he wasn't interested. over the years i would bring it up every 4 or 5 years but he still wasn't interested. finally a year or so ago i noticed the truck was parked in the same spot for quite some time so i asked if they stopped using it and he said yes so i brought up the cluster again. this time i got the answer i've been waiting for for a long ass time so Saturday morning i finally got it home- don't know what i'm going to do with it now since i no longer need it. i've had a few others over the years including one i built using all NOS gauges including speed warning. sorry for the long post but i had to share my 30+ year pursuit that finally came to an end.

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

Good for You Jerry.
I have a Moon Eyes Vacuum gauge in my '68 C/10 Stepside, and I watch it like a hawk. Saved me a couple of times when Valve Springs broke. Handy as hell on the road to improve your gas mileage by backing off the gas pedal when you don't need so much throttle.
As long as it's reading 17.5'' Hg at idle, warmed up, I know my 292 is running fine.

I have an AutoMeter Vac I want to put in my '71 GMC Jimmy, along with more AutoMeter gauges in place of the stock units. I've been sitting on the project so long, that now I can't find the other gauges or spare Dash Bezel I was gonna use. Around here somewhere...

I don't know if you remember me? I came out to the Bay Area in my Blue and White '71 Jimmy for some rare Blazer parts -- maybe 22 or 24 years ago. I bought a whole K/5 Windshield Frame from you and some Door Pull Relay Rods. I got a great price.
And you talked me out of getting a lower bedside toolbox, saying there was no place to put it on a short bed like the K/5. They were for longbeds with campers.
Anyway I'm still plugging along with my '68 Orange Stepside and my Blue '71 Jimmy. Everytime I gas either one up, somebody wants to buy it.
Take care.

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

Your patience paid off. Nice! Have you taken any photos of it?

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

Does it have an 80 lb Oil pressure Gauge??

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

I have found a few of them over the years in the salvage yards. They were the moneymaker before all of the repro parts were widely available.

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

Persistence pays off. Glad to hear you finally got it.

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

thanks everyone, i know it was silly to keep after it even though i don't need it and i had to pay about what it's worth, could probably have bought the whole truck for the same amount.
Steve, i haven't checked yet.
Pat, i took a pic with my phone but have no idea how to post it

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

i do remember that , i thought you were crazy for driving all the way up here for that w/s frame,LOL, it was a light yellow blazer we were cutting up(i think) boy was i stupid . we cut up some pretty nice trucks back then, they were worth more in pieces and there was trucks everywhere for cheap.

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

Well the other reason was my friend and shotgun rider Jeff wanted to go to a friend's daughter's wedding in Livermore. Funny though, the Bride got cold feet, and we partied anyway. I had to be back on the Sunday for a union meeting.
Crazy? Well OK, So what? I never denied that fact.
Blazer parts in Southern Arizona had become way scarce. Used to be there were all kinds of junkyards down here. Then the internet happened and a clean $25 Fender became a $250 Fender. Arizona got ''fished out''. More recently 'Gentrification'' hit the Barrio, and the land the junkyards were on got to be expensive real estate for upscale hipster condos.:waah::ito:
Yeah. I bought my '71 Jimmy off some Ex-Angelinos who came to Catalina AZ. Cost me $3750 in 1995. Now, I can't fill it up at the gas pumps without some jokers trying to buy it from me for $10 grand. I have it insured with Hagerty for that Agreed Value. This month I got a letter from them suggesting I up the Ante to $12,500. [I think they want a bigger premium.]
Later, Brother.
:gmc2:

Re: 30 + year pursuit for a tach/vacuum cluster
 

Glad your search finally completed. Cool stories from people in this thread. Never know who you're gonna meet.
:smoke: