The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk New '60-'63 Tachs? Who's selling them?

Not too long ago, I was bouncing around some different manufacturer's websites and came across one that was selling new tachs for (what I thought were) '60-'63 trucks.
Does this ring a bell with anyone?
Thanks,
Brad

Brad beware. The $200. original looking tach that is available out there is for a V-8. Some of the vendors will tell you it works for a 6, but it doesn't. I had to return it to get my money back AND write an explanation to them as to why it wouldn't work. Of course, you also have to have the right gauge cluster for it to fit. There are instrument companies that can re do them to work with a 6 but it gets expensive. For the above reasons, I went with the dolphin gauges. I'm pleased. http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2115920780071636143IdCjzd
P.S. That original full gauge cluster I have is available minus the bezel.

Thanks for the info:
I've got the proper instrument cluster, and a V8, so I should be good. I just can't find the tach anymore! I thought I saw them somewhere for $135.
I'm not really sure I need it, to be honest...it's a 5Grand tach, right? I really don't see winding it out that far. The truck is my daily driver, and the Grand Scheme is to tow with it.
It's nice to have the info without doing the math on paper ("Hey, how many rpm you turning at 65mph?"), but it isn't anything really helpful or even very useful, like a water temp gauge, oil pressure, fuel and alternator.
But still, it'd be nice...
Brad

bigmacdaddy,
Where did you buy the original looking tach from? I have a V8 and a spot in my cluster for one.
Joe

I saw them for sale in the latest chevy duty/classic chevy catolog/website. Closer to 2 bils now. Why don't they work on 6's, can't just get a sending unit for them or something?

This particular tach reads the pulses from the distributor. It is clearly marked on the box it comes in, "for V-8 use only". And the phone guy still told me it would work for a 6. And it WAS Classic Parts of America, formerly Chevy Duty. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it is 3 pulses for every RPM for a 6, and 4 pulses for every RPM for a V-8. I have the Dolphin gauges now, and this brand has a switch on the back of the tach for a 4, 6, or 8 cylinder distributor so that it will read the distributor accordingly.

eight cylinder engines fire eight times every round.six cylinder engines fire six time per round so a v8 tach won't work on a 6.aftermarket tachs have a switch on back to change from 8 to 6.i have the 64-66 new tach in my hand.it doesn't have that switch.

All I saw on the Chevy Duty website is the '63-'66 tach, not the '60-'62. Am I missing it?

Brad

thanks for the lesson. That sucks that the original looking tach's don't work with the original L6's. For the $, I will probably just strap a discount one to the steering column and be done with it. Don't know why '60-62 wouldn't work Brad, they had the same 283's, it was the 6's that changed, not the 8's, ya know.

I'm concerned about the tach fitting in the hole in the original gauge cluster. I have a full mechanical gauge cluster for '60-'62. The 4 gauges surround the speedo, two on each side. At the far right and far left edge of the cluster is a knock-out area; one for Tach, one for air pressure (I think. Maybe vacuum? I've seen vacuum gauges, too). I was thinking of putting a tach in the one hole.

Brad

Brad, I believe the actual instrument "gauge" is the same for the full gauge 63 dash, and the 64 - 66 dash. I know the dashboards are completely different, but once you break down the instrument clusters, the individual instruments/gauges are interchangeable. At least I'm 98% positive that that is true for the tach.
P.S. I found a company that restored these clusters. Everything working and looking brand new including mounting my tach(200 extra for tach) and putting a clock in that space to the left - ballpark $900 - 1k. That's why I have Dolphin Gauges.

A friend of mine actually owns a company that restores gauges--AutoInstruments. I'm going to send the full cluster to him, but I like the idea of a fuller gauge panel, with the tach.
That's really good info on the later tach fitting (probably!). Thanks very much,
Brad

The original factory tachs were Sun tachs that used a transmitter box. The part that went in the dash was only the face and mechanism. There was a special bracket to make it fit the dash. Joe Dial

The tach usually replaces this 3rd blank intrument on the right. http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2599212180071636143bpvORu It looked like the bracket for the blank piece could be used for the new tach. I wanted to find a old school looking clock that replaced the 3rd blank intrument on the right side.

Guys, American Classic Truck Parts is our sponsor. American Classic Truck Parts is NOT the vendor formerly known as Chevy Duty. Please do not confuse the two. Chevy Duty is "Classic Parts of America" now, NOT American Classic Truck Parts.

Thanks Baldeagle - it is noted. With those names being similar, you would think they are trying to confuse us on purpose.

Not to hijack the thread but doesn't it take two revolutions of the crankshaft on a 4 cycle engine to fire all 8 cylinders? weeds

It takes 2 rotations of the crankshaft for each cylinder to complete one cycle. Intake and compression is one and power and exhaust is the other. Then the rest of the cylinders finish up in their order of the cycle,
Scott

Forgive my lack of knowledge for how everything in an engine actually happens. I do believe that my principle is correct. An 8 cylinder tach will be off 25% hooked up to a 6 cylinder distributor.

HEY JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE WOULD KNOW WHEN THE PORTLAND SWAP MEET WOULD BE. I,M LOOKING FOR A FULL GAUGE CLUSTER FOR MY 63 CHEV C10 SIMULAR TO THE ONE IN THE PICTURES AT THE BEGINING OF THIS FORUM.

Hey shorty...Portland Swap meet dates are April 13th-15th, 2007

If you need other dates, look here.. Event List

Oh... and turn off your Caps Lock when posting..it is considered yelling on forums.

Thanks bud!

Greg

Thanks for the reply.

Hey 1963 shorty, check your E-mail.