In dash tach

[pdxhall]

I have an old sunpro tach that I want to install in the factory location on a gauged dash that I picked up. For those that have done this, do you remove the front faceplate from the tach before mounting it or leave it on? This tach hooks up just like an original but for 2 problems: with the faceplate on a slight modification will be needed to the guage front plate (the lip on the flat of the half circle opening would need to be cut back a little. But, if I remove the faceplate on the guage, the shift indicate arrows have nothing to attach to. Here's a pic of the tach.

[jonzcustomshop]

I haven't finished mine, but I took the faceplate of to get it to fit, other than that it bolted right in,,, in dash factory ones did not have shift arrows? (I think)

[Corts60]

Oh man, jealous here! I am always trying to find a 5k tach but they seem to be very good at playing hide and seek.

Sorry I can't help with the install.

[markeb01]

Fyi on these early Sun tachs, the bezel (black in this example) is permanently attached to the housing. The gauge mechanism itself along with the gauge face and needle are attached to the back plate. Removing the stud nuts on the rear will allow the entire gauge to slide right out of the can.

In early GMC applications the entire Sun tach head assembly with gauge and bezel was installed in the front of the panel. In Chevy applications it appears the gauge was mounted inside the bezel, but from the factory the tach gauge was probably a Delco offering. It should however be easy enough to modify the rear panel of the factory gauge cluster to accommodate the Sun tach.

[rideblue00]

Suscribed

[pdxhall]

I've been messing around with it some more and here's what's up. The tach will hook right up to the factory plate when it is fully assembled and as I said, it fits well except for the issue of the front guage plate interfering with the tach face where flat part of the half moon opening bends in toward the tach. This could be trimmed and the tach would fit. However, I removed the tach from the housing and the rear of the housing stays with the guage so the only thing I will need to do is get a couple of bolts to connect the back panel of the guage to the factory panel. This is because the original bolts are attached to the face plate and housing which is removed. I don't know if this makes sense or not but here are a couple mor pics.
Also thanks for the info on the shift arrows, that will make things much easier.

[Greg63]

I did what you are describing to my cluster;


I pried the front housing/lens off and was left with what you show on your previous post. I fastened the rear of the tach to the plate from the back of the cluster.
Greg

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by Greg63

I did what you are describing to my cluster;


I pried the front housing/lens off and was left with what you show on your previous post. I fastened the rear of the tach to the plate from the back of the cluster.
Greg

That's cool. If that worked good for you I guess that's what I'll do. One step closer to the look I'm after. Now if I could only find a clock or vac guage for the other side as cheap as I got the tach.

[blackedoutharley]

I wonder if you could do the same with the Autometer "retro" tach?

This one....

[jonzcustomshop]

well, I just looked at some of my shots of factory tachs, and they do seem to have the shift point arrows, the one seems to be clamped to the guage face...
the one with the clock I think is from a 66 chevelle (the clock)

[pdxhall]

The pointers on my tach are just a metal strip with some bends in it so I should be able to modify them to make them work somehow. Might have to be made to where they can't be changed, though.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

I haven't finished mine, but I took the faceplate of to get it to fit, other than that it bolted right in,,, in dash factory ones did not have shift arrows? (I think)

The in dash tach for my 63 is the original eb-8 and it does have the shift tabs on the guage.

[gostranger]

i have a tach gauge with a needle broken off of i bought at carlisle for 10 bux i never used it and i always hated the thought of throwing it out it might make a good doner to play around with