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1965 Pontiac Parisienne · 02-13-2014, 05:04 PM

hi guys,
can i swap an Tach cluster with an warning light cluster ...?
anybody tried?

Does the connector fits from the warning light cluster with the Tach cluster ?
Have i to make an cable to HEI or Coil?
How about the other instruments ..does they work, too ? Plug and play ? all wireing in teh stock connenctor of an Esprit Firebird 1977 for using the Tach?

1971WARBIRD · 02-13-2014, 06:44 PM

yes you can swap them in, but it is not as easy as plug and play. if you look at the back of the 2 units you will see the gauge cluster has less copper contacts than the light cluster. I have done several of these over the years, but it has been a while. easiest way, is to get the plug when you get the gauge cluster, then all you have to do is splice the wires from the dash harness to the gauge cluster. you can us the plug from the light cluster, but you have to remove the wires and reinstall them in the correct order. it is easier to have a manual from the years of clusters you have. same with the tach wiring, you can do it, but easier if you can get the plugs from a unit. also depends what year the tach is from. some are set up for points and some are set up for HEI.

drtracer58 · 02-13-2014, 07:19 PM

Is there a 8K Tach that works with HEI ?? I have always wanted to put a 160mph/ 8K in my 79

gtohurstjudge · 02-13-2014, 08:01 PM

the 160 mile per hour speedo is a plug and play on the 79 cluster.
Not sure about swapping the tach though. I have a 160 mph speedo in my 79 out
of a 1972 Trans Am and I love it.

Skip Fix · 02-13-2014, 08:23 PM

160 Speedo not quite plug and play-the brake and other lights(seat belt?) at the bottom on later models are not on the face of the 160. They can have a new face made Daniel at Gaugemarks did that for my 81 car.

Not sure if some of the other pins on the gauge vs non gauge are different on the Firebird-they are on the Camaros.

drtracer58 · 02-15-2014, 03:47 AM

Skip, I have both lights on the bottom of my Speedo ?? ,I also have a 160 speedo with just 1 light ??? now I am confused ... anybody have any insight ..I have not installed either of them, Will they bolt up ???

rexs73gto · 02-15-2014, 05:07 AM

When replacing the cluster from lights to gauges it is very easy to do . I have done several of these & it is very simple. First tell me what cluster you have. Is the center , the large cluster right in front of you ,,, does it have a clock in it right now or is it just the blank. Also what is in the center pod . Also do you have the gauge for the oil & water of to the right of the main cluster above the heater control.?? I need to know what your cluster looks like & then it will be easy from there. Show a pic of the front of the cluster you have in the car or out of the car at present. Also there are 2 styles of the 160 speedo. One with 2 light pods below the speedo face & another with kust 1 under the face. DO you have a speedo yet or are you in need of one. Also how many lights do you have under the speedo face at present.??? Please show me the face of the current speedo face in the car now,,, from your 79...

2manyT/A'S · 02-15-2014, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drtracer58

Is there a 8K Tach that works with HEI ?? I have always wanted to put a 160mph/ 8K in my 79

As I recall.....the 160 speedo that is "plug and play" in a 79 will be a late 72-74 that has a seat belt and brake warning at the bottom.......

70-early 72 have only brake light and doesn't match later clusters

Skip Fix · 02-15-2014, 10:16 AM

Get Daniel at Gaugemarks to just put a new face for 160 on your two light face, then it will match the light cutout at the bottom.

2manyT/A'S · 02-15-2014, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip Fix

Get Daniel at Gaugemarks to just put a new face for 160 on your two light face, then it will match the light cutout at the bottom.

Just curious......what would the cost of that be?

rexs73gto · 02-15-2014, 11:50 PM

I have used the pertronics ign. I on my GTO for 30+ years & I have never changed anything to make my tach work. I have a hood tach that I had put on when bought the car new & it has worked with the points & the pertronics unit all this time. It has stopped working a couple of times & all I've done is swapped the chip out of the dash tachs to get them to work again. The chip in the dash tachs are the same as the ones in the hood tachs. All you have to do is swap them out plug them in & your good to go.