factory tachs?

[jonzcustomshop]

I am hoping one day to find, and put factory tachs in both my 61, and 65.
I have done a little research, and found out a couple things:

1)they are super expensive, unless you get lucky find.

2)I had seen something about them not being compatible with hei, or more modern systems, I think I also heard about a seperate tach drive/sending unit?

so my questions are, what is needed to make an original one work, and, is there a current tach on the market that is the right size, and has a similar sweep like the factory ones? (I have a friend that could replicate the factory style numbers on a sticker, that I could put on a modern tach.)

here are some pics for reference:

[64Magoo]

Before I sold my truck I was gonna buy this one and figure out how to put it behind the factory cluster in my 64. Even though I am opposed to external gauges, I think this one would look sick mounted in the cab somewhere (even though behind the glass is optimal).

The link is here http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

[64Magoo]

I just looked at the size and it might be too big but I remember finding one just like it that would fit I seem to think...

[padresag]

I think that there was one out of a pontiac that was close
ron

[jchav62]

I seen an article or a post on here, I believe, about using an aftermarket tach in the factory spot. Maybe you can do a search. The tach they used had the same diameter and a similar needle sweep. In the end they made the face of the tach appear stock. Anyone else remember reading that one?

[padresag]

that info was listed on another board a few times. also the tach out of the larger trucks of that vintage are the same, though they may not go as high in rpm and they do pop up on ebay
ron

[jchav62]

I wonder what the tach is out of on that brown dash. If you notice, it goes up to 10,000 RPM's. Cool...

[Texasdeere]

Classic Parts sells a kit for the 63-66 trucks V8 only. $170.00 isn't too bad. PN 24-735, That is the cheapest I have found for a new one.

[Rogue 64]

I'm using a cup mount (w/63 cluster) on the column.
There is a nice dead space in front of the speedo.

[62 short step]

I had one for a 60-63 cluster, and like a dumb a$$ I let it go with a truck I sold! Never found one since.

[kdrodworks316]

Hey Jon, you know I have an extra factory tach.

[66gmckid123]

I have of of the factory tachs, with the dash. Got it at a junk yard for 50 bucks, and all the gauges worked.

[Texasdeere]

They have gone up of course, $190.00 big suprise huh!

I need one, I have 4.56 gears in my 64.

http://www.classicparts.com/1963-66-...ctinfo/24-735/

[Greg63]

Originally Posted by jchav62

I wonder what the tach is out of on that brown dash. If you notice, it goes up to 10,000 RPM's. Cool...

That brown dash cluster is mine.

I bought that Sun tach off eBay. It was the type that had a chrome cup and a column mount. I took it apart, pried the lens housing off and installed it into the cluster as you see it in the picture.
I made sure it was a 12V 8 cyl tach before I bought it though as the 6cyl tachs apparently won't work properly on an 8 cyl truck, and vice versa.
From my research I found that the '60 - '63 tachs needed an external transmitter to make the tach operable in those trucks but the '64 - '66 trucks had an internal transmitter, so they just wired up directly to the coil. Mine has an internal transmitter.
Greg.

[Greg63]

I just went on eBay to see if I could find the type of tach that I bought and installed into my '63 dash and the first auction I come across when I search "Sun tach" is this one, which is very similar to the one I bought;
http://cgi.ebay.ca/VINTAGE-SUN-TACH-...d=p3286.c0.m14

[jonzcustomshop]

thanks greg, that is some good info!
I hadn't noticed until someone mentioned it, that your tach was not a stock one!, looks good.

[Greg63]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

thanks greg, that is some good info!
I hadn't noticed until someone mentioned it, that your tach was not a stock one!, looks good.

Thanks.
The route I went was a low cost alternative to finding a complete tach cluster, as I already had the non-idiot light cluster in my truck.
Sun made the tachs for GM for our trucks, so installing one of their tachs into a cluster is relatively easy if you are creative.
Good luck.
Greg.

[jonathan-m]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

I am hoping one day to find, and put factory tachs in both my 61, and 65.
I have done a little research, and found out a couple things:

1)they are super expensive, unless you get lucky find.

2)I had seen something about them not being compatible with hei, or more modern systems, I think I also heard about a seperate tach drive/sending unit?

so my questions are, what is needed to make an original one work, and, is there a current tach on the market that is the right size, and has a similar sweep like the factory ones? (I have a friend that could replicate the factory style numbers on a sticker, that I could put on a modern tach.)

here are some pics for reference:

Is that an analog clock in the left side of the last picture? That is truly awesome. I have not seen that before.

[jonzcustomshop]

yes that is a dash lilred66 did, I think he said the clock was out of a passenger car..? It was a custom job.

[fchava]

I used the cheapo 30.00 sun tack from ebay. [IMG][/IMG]
the how to is here. http://www.persh.org/pickup/interiors.htm#tachometer

[502tripower]

I am using a factory tach with the Sun transmitter in my 63'. I think the Sun transmitter was what GM used on the big trucks but am not 100% on that. I do know GM used the Sun transmitter on the passenger cars. My 61' Impala has one and I am using one on my 61' Bel-Air as well. Here is a pic of one I have had rat holed for the last 25 years. These used if I remember correctly a nicad battery but, can now be converted so no batteries are necessary. Ron at Williamson's Instruments in Chester, AR. is who did mine.