To Camaro Tach Or Aftermarket, That's The Question! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

67mbsc · 04-18-2005, 08:04 AM

Hey Guys,,,,,,and Gals, too!
I see all this about camaro tachs used in our trucks, but no pics or real details so far. Is there a post about putting a Camaro tach in the dash, or if not, please guide me as to which tach/year Camaro to get, and it's final results.
I finally got my 408 ready to put in so I'm going to be needing a tach to help to keep me from blowing it up!!!!!!
Thanks

**tnblazerk5** · 04-18-2005, 08:20 AM

go here http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=137155
look around in faq for more on that subject

CHEVIBUBBA · 04-18-2005, 09:59 PM

if your like me, you have alot of time & $ wrapped up in your engine.
don't take a cheap chance on it. factory tachs are notoriously inacurate.
autometer among a few others make highly accurate, quality tachs/guages that will last & look good.
they offer relatively inexpensive base models all the way up to big buck units with all the bells & whistles.ALL are great tachs.
check it:
http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...61&cgrfnbr=677

modifiedGMC · 04-18-2005, 10:26 PM

Here's mine with Camaro tach, Camaro 130 MPH speedo, and Camaro fuel gauge. they all came out of two separate Camaro dashes but were about 1978 to 1981.

Bob Moore · 04-18-2005, 11:55 PM

modifiedGMC - Do you have a picture of the back side after the Camaro gauge install?

Thanks - Bob

muddpile · 04-19-2005, 01:21 AM

Anyone have any pics of an aftermarket 3 3/8 tach mounted in the center of the cluster from the back or front? I'm trying to decide how to do mine, aside from using a hose clamp on the column.....

modifiedGMC · 04-19-2005, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Moore

modifiedGMC - Do you have a picture of the back side after the Camaro gauge install?

Thanks - Bob

here's the back of the mounted tach and after I wired it up. My dash had the indicator lights instead of gauges so I had to redo the turn signals and a couple of others. I sure it's a little easier if the dash came with factory gauges.

jhwkns · 04-19-2005, 01:38 AM

I installed a Camaro tach in a cluster... All was good until a few days ago when it quit working. It is a gamble when you put faith in thirty year old instruments scavenged from a junkyard. Not only are they just plain old their accuracy is definatly questionable. This time I lost. The second picture is a 3.5 inch AutoMeter That I just won on ebay for 26 bucks (another gamble) It should fit nicely into the center hole. I hope this one lasts longer than a month. I still have my old cluster so I'll cut it for the new tach. This time I'll take a few more pictures for the thread in FAQ.

badpeanut · 04-19-2005, 09:32 PM

For those with HEI and a factory Camaro tach--make sure you get the tach filter from the firewall of the donor Camaro. It is a cylindrical dodad inline between the tach and tach connection on the distributor which prevents the HEI from burning out the tach.

jhwkns · 04-19-2005, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badpeanut

For those with HEI and a factory Camaro tach--make sure you get the tach filter from the firewall of the donor Camaro. It is a cylindrical dodad inline between the tach and tach connection on the distributor which prevents the HEI from burning out the tach.

Thanks!.. I didn't know about that... Must have been my problem... Live and learn

724wdcopper · 04-20-2005, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badpeanut

For those with HEI and a factory Camaro tach--make sure you get the tach filter from the firewall of the donor Camaro. It is a cylindrical dodad inline between the tach and tach connection on the distributor which prevents the HEI from burning out the tach.

for those of us that didn't get our tachs in a yard, can this part be purchased new from somewhere? i've got my tach, was going to install it one of these weekends, but now maybe i should wait?

bagged91 · 04-19-2005, 09:55 PM

That's a helpfull tidbit I wish I knew about BEFORE I did my install. Guess I will unplug it until I can find one! Got a pic of what this thingamabob looks like?

Anyway, here's a pic of mine with a Camaro tach & a quartz clock also...

joelboxt · 04-19-2005, 10:16 PM

hey Bag,

where do you get those quartz clocks? just picked up a nice tach cluster off ebay and love those clocks, have seen them before.

joel

mrein3 · 04-20-2005, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelboxt

hey Bag,
where do you get those quartz clocks? just picked up a nice tach cluster off ebay and love those clocks, have seen them before.
joel

I just picked up one of those clocks. I found two in the yard. One was in a mid-80s truck. A kid was pulling another gauge and had it in his hand. I said do you want that? He said no and handed it to me. After I walked away I looked at it and noticed it was missing two of the three hands. Then I looked around and found a mid-80s Suburban with an unmolested dash with the clock still installed. That one is on my shelf in the garage.

Bring a little flat-bladed screw driver to take the knob off. You'll need a 1/4 inch nut driver and phillips screw driver to get far enough into the dash to get it out.

joelboxt · 04-20-2005, 04:17 PM

mrein3, are those a factory clock then? from the 80's style trucks??

id really like to get one.

joel

bagged91 · 04-20-2005, 04:23 PM

mrein3 is correct, mid 80's fullsize P/U. While you are in there, grab the harness for the clock, it plugs into the convience center/fusepanel under the dash. Mine is noisy(sounds like it has a rod knock, lol) but it keeps great time. A little tip for you. Wait until you get the clock mounted before you go and put the hole in the lense. once it is in place for good, mark the hole on the lense and using a small nail & a pair of needle nose vicegrips to hold the nail, take a soldering iron & put it on the nail and let it melt the nail through the lense. Once you are done, sand it down with 1000, 1500 then 2000 grit wet/dry paper(wet) and polish lense as normal. This will keep you from "chipping" the lense as I did on my first one.

And yeah, what 724wdcopper said... Can I get this from the dealer or where???

mrein3 · 04-20-2005, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bagged91

mrein3 is correct, mid 80's fullsize P/U. While you are in there, grab the harness for the clock, it plugs into the convience center/fusepanel under the dash. Mine is noisy(sounds like it has a rod knock, lol) but it keeps great time. A little tip for you. Wait until you get the clock mounted before you go and put the hole in the lense. once it is in place for good, mark the hole on the lense and using a small nail & a pair of needle nose vicegrips to hold the nail, take a soldering iron & put it on the nail and let it melt the nail through the lense. Once you are done, sand it down with 1000, 1500 then 2000 grit wet/dry paper(wet) and polish lense as normal. This will keep you from "chipping" the lense as I did on my first one.

That answers that question. I was wondering if a really sharp drill bit would be able to make a hole in 34 year old clear plastic.

badpeanut · 04-20-2005, 09:25 PM

This filter prevents bounce of the tach when using HEI, and more importantly it prevents the HEI from burning out the tach.

All 1970-1981 F-body (Camaro/Firebird) tachs are the same--cars with points didn't get the tach filter; cars with HEI got the tach filter. To find a tach filter you need to look at 1974-1981 F-bodies.

Note: I'm sure other GM products with factory tachs and HEI also got the filter, but I've never confirmed this.

I don't know where to buy these, but my friend who is more electrically inclinded than I made his own tach filter using Radio Shack components after looking at the F-body wiring diagram. Since his homemade tach filter was not water proof, he mounted his under the dash.

Attached are three pictures.

HEI tach filter on Camaro w/HEI:

HEI tach filter on bench (Not an extra--sorry--this one is for my Blazer.) Tin snip not required for tach conversion

HEI tach filter on '72 GMC pickup:

Happy hunting.

**tnblazerk5** · 04-20-2005, 11:47 PM

heres the comaro tach i just did it needs a new bezel and lens !!!!! i was board and couldnt sleep tonite and had all the stuff to build one so i tryed it

dmec · 04-21-2005, 07:30 PM

i have been using my camaro tach for 5 years with hei and no filter. hasnt burnt out yet and is accurate when compared with a dwell tach diagnostic meter. the filter in this post appears to me to be a noise suppresor for the radio. as for the prices of new camaro tachs. the last catalog i looked at had them for $150.

04-18-2005, 08:04 AM	#1
67mbsc Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Posts: 266	To Camaro Tach Or Aftermarket, That's The Question! Hey Guys,,,,,,and Gals, too! I see all this about camaro tachs used in our trucks, but no pics or real details so far. Is there a post about putting a Camaro tach in the dash, or if not, please guide me as to which tach/year Camaro to get, and it's final results. I finally got my 408 ready to put in so I'm going to be needing a tach to help to keep me from blowing it up!!!!!! Thanks

04-18-2005, 09:59 PM	#3
CHEVIBUBBA got boost? Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 123	if your like me, you have alot of time & $ wrapped up in your engine. don't take a cheap chance on it. factory tachs are notoriously inacurate. autometer among a few others make highly accurate, quality tachs/guages that will last & look good. they offer relatively inexpensive base models all the way up to big buck units with all the bells & whistles.ALL are great tachs. check it: http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...61&cgrfnbr=677 __________________ '70 chevy lwb w/'67 hood. 357 s.b.c. built, 4l60 w/vigilante lockup high stall converter, edelbrock pro-flo,brodix heads,comp cams rollerized w/ belt drive, one piece d-shaft, yada, yada, yada..... '82 honda v45 sabre"the black"

04-18-2005, 10:26 PM	#4
modifiedGMC Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Walker Co. Alabama Posts: 474	Here's mine with Camaro tach, Camaro 130 MPH speedo, and Camaro fuel gauge. they all came out of two separate Camaro dashes but were about 1978 to 1981. __________________ If it don't fit, force it,...If it still don't fit , modify it 'till it does fit !!!

04-18-2005, 11:55 PM	#5
Bob Moore Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tacoma WA Posts: 1,365	modifiedGMC - Do you have a picture of the back side after the Camaro gauge install? Thanks - Bob __________________ 67 C-20 LWB, tilt, speed alert, vac, 454, T400 67 C-10 SWB, factory air with more to follow

04-19-2005, 01:21 AM	#6
muddpile Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 1,371	Anyone have any pics of an aftermarket 3 3/8 tach mounted in the center of the cluster from the back or front? I'm trying to decide how to do mine, aside from using a hose clamp on the column..... __________________ 1964 Chevy Short Fleet: Tornado 1972 Chevy C10: Fast Orange Secondaries Wide Open

04-18-2005, 08:20 AM	#2
tnblazerk5 User #12137 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: kingsport,upper east tenn Posts: 11,598	go here http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php3?t=137155 look around in faq for more on that subject

04-19-2005, 01:38 AM	#8
jhwkns Registered Cruiser Join Date: May 2002 Location: Las Vegas NV Posts: 2,230	I installed a Camaro tach in a cluster... All was good until a few days ago when it quit working. It is a gamble when you put faith in thirty year old instruments scavenged from a junkyard. Not only are they just plain old their accuracy is definatly questionable. This time I lost. The second picture is a 3.5 inch AutoMeter That I just won on ebay for 26 bucks (another gamble) It should fit nicely into the center hole. I hope this one lasts longer than a month. I still have my old cluster so I'll cut it for the new tach. This time I'll take a few more pictures for the thread in FAQ. Attached Images __________________ I intend to live forever. So far, so good.

04-19-2005, 09:32 PM	#9
badpeanut Not a bad nut after all.. Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: ND Posts: 1,756	For those with HEI and a factory Camaro tach--make sure you get the tach filter from the firewall of the donor Camaro. It is a cylindrical dodad inline between the tach and tach connection on the distributor which prevents the HEI from burning out the tach.

04-19-2005, 09:55 PM	#12
bagged91 Out draggin' Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pitman,NJ Posts: 1,574	That's a helpfull tidbit I wish I knew about BEFORE I did my install. Guess I will unplug it until I can find one! Got a pic of what this thingamabob looks like? Anyway, here's a pic of mine with a Camaro tach & a quartz clock also... Attached Images __________________ 91 GMC Xcab LB-Bags/bd/caddy clip SOLD 72 C10 Cheyenne Super LWB SOLD 92 GMC K1500 Burb 72 C10 Burb (ex. Cheesewagon)SOLD 72 C20 Burb parts truck 71 C10 Burb "project" Last edited by bagged91; 04-19-2005 at 10:02 PM.

04-19-2005, 10:16 PM	#13
joelboxt 71 Cheyenne SWB Fleetside Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada Posts: 403	hey Bag, where do you get those quartz clocks? just picked up a nice tach cluster off ebay and love those clocks, have seen them before. joel __________________

04-20-2005, 04:17 PM	#15
joelboxt 71 Cheyenne SWB Fleetside Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada Posts: 403	mrein3, are those a factory clock then? from the 80's style trucks?? id really like to get one. joel __________________

04-20-2005, 04:23 PM	#16
bagged91 Out draggin' Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pitman,NJ Posts: 1,574	mrein3 is correct, mid 80's fullsize P/U. While you are in there, grab the harness for the clock, it plugs into the convience center/fusepanel under the dash. Mine is noisy(sounds like it has a rod knock, lol) but it keeps great time. A little tip for you. Wait until you get the clock mounted before you go and put the hole in the lense. once it is in place for good, mark the hole on the lense and using a small nail & a pair of needle nose vicegrips to hold the nail, take a soldering iron & put it on the nail and let it melt the nail through the lense. Once you are done, sand it down with 1000, 1500 then 2000 grit wet/dry paper(wet) and polish lense as normal. This will keep you from "chipping" the lense as I did on my first one. And yeah, what 724wdcopper said... Can I get this from the dealer or where??? __________________ 91 GMC Xcab LB-Bags/bd/caddy clip SOLD 72 C10 Cheyenne Super LWB SOLD 92 GMC K1500 Burb 72 C10 Burb (ex. Cheesewagon)SOLD 72 C20 Burb parts truck 71 C10 Burb "project"

04-20-2005, 09:25 PM	#18
badpeanut Not a bad nut after all.. Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: ND Posts: 1,756	This filter prevents bounce of the tach when using HEI, and more importantly it prevents the HEI from burning out the tach. All 1970-1981 F-body (Camaro/Firebird) tachs are the same--cars with points didn't get the tach filter; cars with HEI got the tach filter. To find a tach filter you need to look at 1974-1981 F-bodies. Note: I'm sure other GM products with factory tachs and HEI also got the filter, but I've never confirmed this. I don't know where to buy these, but my friend who is more electrically inclinded than I made his own tach filter using Radio Shack components after looking at the F-body wiring diagram. Since his homemade tach filter was not water proof, he mounted his under the dash. Attached are three pictures. HEI tach filter on Camaro w/HEI: HEI tach filter on bench (Not an extra--sorry--this one is for my Blazer.) Tin snip not required for tach conversion HEI tach filter on '72 GMC pickup: Happy hunting. Attached Images

04-20-2005, 11:47 PM	#19
tnblazerk5 User #12137 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: kingsport,upper east tenn Posts: 11,598	heres the comaro tach i just did it needs a new bezel and lens !!!!! i was board and couldnt sleep tonite and had all the stuff to build one so i tryed it

04-21-2005, 07:30 PM	#20
dmec Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: yucaipa ca Posts: 580	i have been using my camaro tach for 5 years with hei and no filter. hasnt burnt out yet and is accurate when compared with a dwell tach diagnostic meter. the filter in this post appears to me to be a noise suppresor for the radio. as for the prices of new camaro tachs. the last catalog i looked at had them for $150. Attached Images



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