Tachometer , any cool ideas? - Page 4 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

74chevy4x4 · 02-04-2011, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carloscanales

hey guys
i wan to get a tach for my truck
im looking for something little , maybe something i can install on the ashtray compartment o maybe on the steering column
i want a clean look
any ideas??
good tach brand??

here are some interior pics

I've been looking too and found these for $279.00

http://gmsportssalvage.com/?q=node/1318&size=preview

They supposedly plug right in. I have a 74 K20 and will be ordering these next week.

Pop's C-10 · 02-04-2011, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3r!c84

with it dance

YouTube - tach swap

It's aliveeeeee

tallcrown · 02-05-2011, 08:54 AM

Take a close look at Dash. frenos This truck is from Mexico.
Gauges. "We dont need no stinkin Gauges"
I had a 74 years ago and put a center console in it. It came up on the Dash and covered the Ashtray area. Gauges were in there at a slight tilt toward the driver. EZ and I did not have to take the dash apart. or... they have a pilar post gauge holder. Looks great to me.
Good Luck

BLE 'BURBAN · 02-05-2011, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kikkegek

@ Ble Burban: very nice! look sweet! do you have a PWM connected to dim the LEDs?

I've always ran with my dash lights at full power so I personaly have no need for one. They stay at the same brightness until the factory dimmer switch is turned down aboy 3/4 of the way then they simply shut off. Doesn't bug me any.

motornut · 02-09-2011, 06:23 PM

well i went with my top right tach idea
worked out cept the tac quit after running for about a day
bout 18 years old lol time for a new one

found a short inside works fine now

NCD1966 · 02-09-2011, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3r!c84

watch it dance

YouTube - tach swap

Is your speedo off or your truck just has that kinda of power to make mph climb like that?

3r!c84 · 02-09-2011, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCD1966

Is your speedo off or your truck just has that kinda of power to make mph climb like that?

check my build thread

NCD1966 · 02-09-2011, 09:49 PM

3r!c84 ahh nice with the 400 sb. I like the look of your truck not too much over the top. Very Clean.

3r!c84 · 02-09-2011, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCD1966

3r!c84 ahh nice with the 400 sb. I like the look of your truck not too much over the top. Very Clean.

thankyou sir wanted to look mostly stock.

subscribe to the thread there is going to be more in the near future

NCD1966 · 02-09-2011, 11:48 PM

your truck makes me want to mod my grandfather's 84 now. My plan was to leave it bone stock, which will be hard for me to do because I modded every car/truck i ever owned.

81c10 · 02-23-2011, 08:27 PM

I just put this in last week. Its kinda low but I can see it just fine.

...Ok. Lets try this again...

3r!c84 · 02-23-2011, 08:32 PM

any pics?

81c10 · 02-24-2011, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3r!c84

any pics?

There you go dude. Sorry. My pictures were way too big to upload.

LivNLo94 · 02-24-2011, 02:24 AM

heres what i did, i found a small autometer tach that best matched the factory gauges, then attatched it using a black hose clamp. it pops up into place when u shift into drive. in park it hides down low.

Pop's C-10 · 02-24-2011, 03:19 AM

Nice placement

JBRAVO383 · 02-24-2011, 02:36 PM

Its great until that shift light blinds you when your racing in the middle of the night.

Rogue_Alphonse · 02-24-2011, 10:56 PM

I took a good fuel gauge, a small Sun-Pro tach, a clock, and the white-faced gauge kit and made this.

Basically what I've done was drilled out the rivets on the fuel gauge, removing it from the large faceplate, then drilled two holes and used screws and an old temp needle with the small white-faced gauge cover-up on the old clock faceplate. Then I took the fuel gauge face plate, drilled the holes for the tach, fastened it to the back, used the white-faced tach cover on the fuel gauge, set it to 6 to match the numbers on the sticker [it was off by about 100RPM after 2,800 RPM... 100RPM more...] THEN I installed all LED bulbs, painted the black and green gauge reflectpr shroud blue on the outside, white on the inside, and it lit up bright white. To make the fuel gauge work, I used an old N64 controller wire and screws to jump the three connections from beside the speedometer over to where the clock was.

I wish I would have kept all the pics when I did it... I mean, I still have what's left of the gauge cluster... as in the tach and fuel gauge and the N64 wire I used if I needed t take pics. I gave it to my buddy and it went downhill from there...

87chevy.com · 02-24-2011, 11:11 PM

Thats something I thought of too... putting a tach behind the fuel gauge... but if the tach is off by 1000 and so on... doesnt it make it usless and inaccurate?
just sayin... but nice execution... I might have to do that with the tach I have now..

87chevy.com · 02-26-2011, 11:17 PM

Turns out I had a spare fuel gauge and a spare oil pressure gauge and started playing with it. I didnt test fit the oil pressure sheetmetal frame into the clock spot... but the mounting points looked similar. I had an old clock but didnt want to tear it up even though im not going to ever use it. Started off by drilling out the rivets just like Rogue_Alphonse did. I also wiped off the oil symbol, 30 and 60.... it looks blah but Ive got a solution to that too.
The Fix:
Basically make an overlay out of a vinyl sticker, only the hash marks, and fuel symbol to mimic factory. I have taken measurements and caluclated the needle sweep marks and so on, will make a template that mimics a OE gauge and send the small template to a sign shop and have them make a lable/overlay. I will scuff and paint the gauge face shiny black so its solid black, lay the vinyl markings over it and add the gauge and needle.
Only worry is how ong will little, the size of the hash marks will stick to the gauge face. Wonder if i would need to put clear coat on the entire deal to seal it so it wont peel off. make sense?
Does anyone have a OE small fuel gauge from the 81-87 truck.. the gauge looks different in the other years - or alteast I think. I will do the same style lines and look of the OE tach but to match the aftermarket tach reading of 8000. No sence in makint it read incorrectly...
clint

Rogue_Alphonse · 06-19-2011, 01:00 PM

That sounds like a cool idea actually. Hell, if you wanted to, you could paint the gauges whatever color you wanted and get the little markings made, if you wanted to get that extensive with it

The tach I had made from a large fuel gauge, which I still have somewhere buried, I had set to 6 cylinder. it was close enough for my liking.

kikkegek · 06-21-2011, 08:48 AM

I did this. really love it!

1985-GMC · 11-26-2012, 02:29 AM

OK so requested by JRANGER, here is how I did the tach in my blazer.

I bought the tach at Harbor Freight but I didn't like the white face so I proceeded to change it.

I started with dissembling it.

Then I painted the areas that would be seen once assembled black, and painted the needle with orange marking paint.

Then I drew a new face in MS Paint, and once I got it right I printed it out on photo paper.

I also cut out a new "sticker" out of some regular ole electrical tape because I didn't like the nitrous logo on it.

Then I cut out the housing with a Dremel to fit the tach.

And made some aluminum brackets to hold it in place.

Also cut out the black piece to fit. I guess I didn't take a picture but I just glued the lens and plastic ring in the housing without using the aluminum trim so that it would sit flush against the gauge bezel.

In place

Finally in the truck.

I couldn't find a picture of it at night with the lights on but it was bright with multiple colors to chose from with a press of the button, it would have matched good with leds in the other gauges.

S10Fan · 11-26-2012, 06:37 AM

Good Job!

JRANGER · 11-26-2012, 10:14 AM

Love it...Im going to do the same...Just trying to decide on weather to use the same tach or a digital...AHH

Thanks man!

1985-GMC · 11-26-2012, 02:05 PM

Oh yeah is been so long since I did this but I think I also cut the stock lens so that it wasn't in the way.

02-05-2011, 08:54 AM	#78
tallcrown Registered User Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NJ Posts: 61	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? Take a close look at Dash. frenos This truck is from Mexico. Gauges. "We dont need no stinkin Gauges" I had a 74 years ago and put a center console in it. It came up on the Dash and covered the Ashtray area. Gauges were in there at a slight tilt toward the driver. EZ and I did not have to take the dash apart. or... they have a pilar post gauge holder. Looks great to me. Good Luck

02-09-2011, 06:23 PM	#80
motornut 78K & 79C Jimmys Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ottawa Ont CANADA Posts: 7,901	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? well i went with my top right tach idea worked out cept the tac quit after running for about a day bout 18 years old lol time for a new one found a short inside works fine now Attached Images __________________ John 1978 GMCJimmy4X4-350/203 1979 GMCJimmy4X2-305/350 Last edited by motornut; 02-24-2011 at 09:19 AM.

02-09-2011, 09:49 PM	#83
NCD1966 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lafayette , La Posts: 404	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? 3r!c84 ahh nice with the 400 sb. I like the look of your truck not too much over the top. Very Clean. __________________ 1966 Chevy C10 Stepside 355ci sbc with 3speed OD 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 6.2 1980 Chevy Camaro z28 383ci 1990 Chevy Suburban 350 tbi 2x4 (sold) 1984 Chevy C10 sliverado short fleet 1997 Chevy C1500 short fleet

02-09-2011, 11:48 PM	#85
NCD1966 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Lafayette , La Posts: 404	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? your truck makes me want to mod my grandfather's 84 now. My plan was to leave it bone stock, which will be hard for me to do because I modded every car/truck i ever owned. __________________ 1966 Chevy C10 Stepside 355ci sbc with 3speed OD 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 6.2 1980 Chevy Camaro z28 383ci 1990 Chevy Suburban 350 tbi 2x4 (sold) 1984 Chevy C10 sliverado short fleet 1997 Chevy C1500 short fleet

02-23-2011, 08:27 PM	#86
81c10 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Greensboro, NC. Posts: 42	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? I just put this in last week. Its kinda low but I can see it just fine. ...Ok. Lets try this again... Attached Images Last edited by 81c10; 02-23-2011 at 08:51 PM. Reason: PICTURES DIDNT ATTACH!

02-23-2011, 08:32 PM	#87
3r!c84 Badass Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: lox. fl Posts: 4,586	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? any pics? __________________ Think outside the box? -84c10 (1stcar)→My Build← -00 Saturn 5spd drop a gear and disappear! 1/4:13:90

02-24-2011, 02:24 AM	#89
LivNLo94 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Odessa TX Posts: 83	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? heres what i did, i found a small autometer tach that best matched the factory gauges, then attatched it using a black hose clamp. it pops up into place when u shift into drive. in park it hides down low.

02-24-2011, 03:19 AM	#90
Pop's C-10 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: memphis Posts: 2,537	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? Nice placement

02-24-2011, 02:36 PM	#91
JBRAVO383 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: St. Louis, Mo Posts: 39	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? Its great until that shift light blinds you when your racing in the middle of the night.

02-24-2011, 10:56 PM	#92
Rogue_Alphonse Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Gap PA Posts: 280	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? I took a good fuel gauge, a small Sun-Pro tach, a clock, and the white-faced gauge kit and made this. Basically what I've done was drilled out the rivets on the fuel gauge, removing it from the large faceplate, then drilled two holes and used screws and an old temp needle with the small white-faced gauge cover-up on the old clock faceplate. Then I took the fuel gauge face plate, drilled the holes for the tach, fastened it to the back, used the white-faced tach cover on the fuel gauge, set it to 6 to match the numbers on the sticker [it was off by about 100RPM after 2,800 RPM... 100RPM more...] THEN I installed all LED bulbs, painted the black and green gauge reflectpr shroud blue on the outside, white on the inside, and it lit up bright white. To make the fuel gauge work, I used an old N64 controller wire and screws to jump the three connections from beside the speedometer over to where the clock was. I wish I would have kept all the pics when I did it... I mean, I still have what's left of the gauge cluster... as in the tach and fuel gauge and the N64 wire I used if I needed t take pics. I gave it to my buddy and it went downhill from there... __________________ 1991 Mustang GT Vert, T-5 w/ Pro 5.0, Trick Flow upper & lower, BBK cold air intake, 3:73, BAMA chip, etc. 1988 K5 Blazer, [coming soon] TBI 400, SM465/NP208, 12 bolt rear, 3:08's, looks like a 1980. 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 fully loaded daily driver! Where there's a will, there's a rig!

02-24-2011, 11:11 PM	#93
87chevy.com BMW & ASE Master Certified Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 1,256	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? Thats something I thought of too... putting a tach behind the fuel gauge... but if the tach is off by 1000 and so on... doesnt it make it usless and inaccurate? just sayin... but nice execution... I might have to do that with the tach I have now.. __________________ 1987 Silverado - L83 5.3 w/ 6L80e ,A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors, Wilwood C-10 Pro Spindles w/ 2018 silverado front brakes & C-5 Corvette Rear Disc Brakes 1999 BMW 528i - 5.7 LS1 w/ 4l60e, Ford 8.8 IRS w31 spline posi & FX-r projector retrofit New project: 2006 BMW x5 6cyl AWD to L83 6l80e 4wd to 2WD / RWD A poor man buy's it twice finally got my domain name back, 87chevy.com.... site rework in progress

02-26-2011, 11:17 PM	#94
87chevy.com BMW & ASE Master Certified Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 1,256	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? Turns out I had a spare fuel gauge and a spare oil pressure gauge and started playing with it. I didnt test fit the oil pressure sheetmetal frame into the clock spot... but the mounting points looked similar. I had an old clock but didnt want to tear it up even though im not going to ever use it. Started off by drilling out the rivets just like Rogue_Alphonse did. I also wiped off the oil symbol, 30 and 60.... it looks blah but Ive got a solution to that too. The Fix: Basically make an overlay out of a vinyl sticker, only the hash marks, and fuel symbol to mimic factory. I have taken measurements and caluclated the needle sweep marks and so on, will make a template that mimics a OE gauge and send the small template to a sign shop and have them make a lable/overlay. I will scuff and paint the gauge face shiny black so its solid black, lay the vinyl markings over it and add the gauge and needle. Only worry is how ong will little, the size of the hash marks will stick to the gauge face. Wonder if i would need to put clear coat on the entire deal to seal it so it wont peel off. make sense? Does anyone have a OE small fuel gauge from the 81-87 truck.. the gauge looks different in the other years - or alteast I think. I will do the same style lines and look of the OE tach but to match the aftermarket tach reading of 8000. No sence in makint it read incorrectly... clint __________________ 1987 Silverado - L83 5.3 w/ 6L80e ,A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors, Wilwood C-10 Pro Spindles w/ 2018 silverado front brakes & C-5 Corvette Rear Disc Brakes 1999 BMW 528i - 5.7 LS1 w/ 4l60e, Ford 8.8 IRS w31 spline posi & FX-r projector retrofit New project: 2006 BMW x5 6cyl AWD to L83 6l80e 4wd to 2WD / RWD A poor man buy's it twice finally got my domain name back, 87chevy.com.... site rework in progress

06-19-2011, 01:00 PM	#95
Rogue_Alphonse Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Gap PA Posts: 280	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? That sounds like a cool idea actually. Hell, if you wanted to, you could paint the gauges whatever color you wanted and get the little markings made, if you wanted to get that extensive with it The tach I had made from a large fuel gauge, which I still have somewhere buried, I had set to 6 cylinder. it was close enough for my liking. __________________ 1991 Mustang GT Vert, T-5 w/ Pro 5.0, Trick Flow upper & lower, BBK cold air intake, 3:73, BAMA chip, etc. 1988 K5 Blazer, [coming soon] TBI 400, SM465/NP208, 12 bolt rear, 3:08's, looks like a 1980. 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0 fully loaded daily driver! Where there's a will, there's a rig! Last edited by Rogue_Alphonse; 06-19-2011 at 01:01 PM.

06-21-2011, 08:48 AM	#96
kikkegek Registered User Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Netherlands, The Hague Posts: 1,518	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? I did this. really love it! __________________ My dreamride / project:1977 GMC C15 Suburban In storage: Monster - 1974 GMC Suburban 25hundred Sold : Chevrolet Suburban K20 Silverado 1986 Guide: real HID projectors for 4x6 headlights link: DIY LED TAILLIGHTS

11-26-2012, 02:29 AM	#97
1985-GMC Chevy Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Canyon Lake Texas Posts: 2,024	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? OK so requested by JRANGER, here is how I did the tach in my blazer. I bought the tach at Harbor Freight but I didn't like the white face so I proceeded to change it. I started with dissembling it. Then I painted the areas that would be seen once assembled black, and painted the needle with orange marking paint. Then I drew a new face in MS Paint, and once I got it right I printed it out on photo paper. I also cut out a new "sticker" out of some regular ole electrical tape because I didn't like the nitrous logo on it. Then I cut out the housing with a Dremel to fit the tach. And made some aluminum brackets to hold it in place. Also cut out the black piece to fit. I guess I didn't take a picture but I just glued the lens and plastic ring in the housing without using the aluminum trim so that it would sit flush against the gauge bezel. In place Finally in the truck. I couldn't find a picture of it at night with the lights on but it was bright with multiple colors to chose from with a press of the button, it would have matched good with leds in the other gauges. __________________ Tony 1985 GMC K2500 restoration Project: Rust, White & Blue 1989 Chevy R3500 CC Cummins & 4X4 swap some day... 1989 Burb (D60, 14BFF, 12V, NV4500, NP205, 37" tires in progress)



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11-26-2012, 06:37 AM	#98
S10Fan Old Heap Driver Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Newport News, Va Posts: 2,640	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? Good Job! __________________ _____________________________ Bryan '99 Silverado 1500, 4.3, 5-speed, reg cab, short bed '50 Chevy 2DR Hard Top, 350/350, M2 Front End, 3:08 gear, cruiser. '40 F**d Sedan, all Chevy power, Heidt's front end, TCI rear, nice driver.

11-26-2012, 10:14 AM	#99
JRANGER Registered User Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Nashville TN Posts: 3,595	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? Love it...Im going to do the same...Just trying to decide on weather to use the same tach or a digital...AHH Thanks man! __________________ PLEASE HELP WITH PROJECT UNDERHAULIN http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=306320 Gemini - 1978 GMC C15 High Sierra - 305 c/e - Given to Mother Electra - 1967 Mustang Coupe - 302/w 3 speed Build Chyna - 1968 Chevy C20 Long Stepper

11-26-2012, 02:05 PM	#100
1985-GMC Chevy Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Canyon Lake Texas Posts: 2,024	Re: Tachometer , any cool ideas? Oh yeah is been so long since I did this but I think I also cut the stock lens so that it wasn't in the way. __________________ Tony 1985 GMC K2500 restoration Project: Rust, White & Blue 1989 Chevy R3500 CC Cummins & 4X4 swap some day... 1989 Burb (D60, 14BFF, 12V, NV4500, NP205, 37" tires in progress)

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