[Slider]

Guys,

I'm looking for an aftermarket small tach to put on the steering column of my 65 Tempest. I'm not looking to install one in cluster as I don't believe one was offered on a Tempest and I'm trying to keep car as original as possible. Hence the reason I'm looking for a Sun, SW or other period correct type of tach that someone would have installed on the car in late 60's or 70's

Thoughts on modern options that still has the retro look?

[Formulajones]

They have been repopping the classic vintage tachs for a few years, I just saw both styles in the So Cal Speed Shop booth at Goodguys this past weekend. They have the classic 60's look but wire up like a modern tach without the battery box.

[Formulajones]

Here's a link to one style from So-Cal

Don't know if the link works but here goes

http://so-cal-azcatalog.com/#/106/

It's the half sweep style with or without moon eyes for $70 with modern guts.

They also sell the old Sun full sweep version more commonly seen in the late 60's.

[ponyakr]

https://www.amazon.com/Sunpro-CP7901.../dp/B00029JXNE

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/b...0aAotcEALw_wcB

I bought a wild lookin tach that was red white & blue. I think it was some sort of a Sun special edition of some sort. May have been a "Don Garlits Edition", or some similarly ridiculous name. Probably got it cheap from some super sale. Anyhow, I put in in the 1st '68 Bird TJ raced. Worked great for racing and about 3 years more as her street ride. I just put the shift rpm & shift marker straight up, then she shifted when the needle got straight up. Not as good as a shift light tach, but worked great.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1309048980

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1309048980

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Sun....c100005.m2219

https://www.amazon.com/STARS-STRIPES...sun+super+tach



For all the rest of our race cars, I used a small Auto Meter tach, but still strapped to the steering column. I think both the AM & the Super Sun were very popular in Musclecars, in the '70's.

[Formulajones]

Thanks Ponyakr, that Summit link is the other one I was trying to link to.

And yes you are correct, the flag (red/white/blue) sun tachs are the Don Garlits edition.

[Formulajones]

The vintage reproductions you and I linked to are great because they have the appearance without the box that you can't buy 3 volt batteries for anymore.

For $100 you can't beat it considering it would cost more than that to convert the old battery box tachs I have laying around.

[ponyakr]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

Thanks Ponyakr, that Summit link is the other one I was trying to link to.

And yes you are correct, the flag (red/white/blue) sun tachs are the Don Garlits edition.

I found one online that is a Dixco brand.

http://speedhunters-wp-production.s3...c13_zyIH_1.jpg

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/in...?topic=72552.0

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/06/19/26/0...dragracing.jpg

http://www.ioffer.com/i/magzine-ad-1...-sight-3079249

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c5/d0/bd/c...ng-hotrods.jpg

Here's a good pic of the Super Sun, with the stars & stripes.

http://st.hotrod.com/uploads/sites/2...ound%7C660:495

[64speed]

The tach was available as an option to anyone that wanted to pay for it. I’d run the cluster tach if it were my car

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 64speed

The tach was available as an option to anyone that wanted to pay for it. I’d run the cluster tach if it were my car

One would think.

We ordered our car with the tach cluster, but it was built without for some reason. I always wondered who would get a race car and not get the tach cluster; the build sheet confirmed for me what happened ("BUILT LESS 504").

As a result this Sun tach has been in this spot for 53 years.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Formulajones

The vintage reproductions you and I linked to are great because they have the appearance without the box that you can't buy 3 volt batteries for anymore.

For $100 you can't beat it considering it would cost more than that to convert the old battery box tachs I have laying around.

I used modern AA batteries and put them in a flashlight until they ran down to 1.35V.

I'm told this method is not as accurate as using the proper batteries but the needle moves appropriately which is all I am interested in at this point.

K

[Slider]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

One would think.
I always wondered who would get a race car and not get the tach cluster;
K

Keith - Since this is a Tempest and not a GTO might be why it was never ordered with a Tach (even though its the HiPo 326 w/4-speed). Putting a dash tach in might be an option for the future but I didn't want to add another large project on the plate in the process of getting this back on the road. I was looking for a low cost, period looking solution that would get me by.

I've never had a problem driving the car without a tach, even driving it hard as you can tell by ear and feel when the engine needs shifted, even when running it WOT. In the future, when my son drives the car i'd like to have something so he knows when he should be shifting.

[Formulajones]

Lots of purpose ordered cars with the highest output engines offered (some for racing) where a tach wasn't specified. That stuff just added to the overall cost (and payments) Most people back then just added a simple aftermarket tach when the funds allowed. I believe that was much more common than the restored cars we see today would make us believe.

My SS 454 chevelle doesn't have a factory tach, and dad bought his GTO new with no tach (or gauges for that matter) He added his super sun tach shortly after taking delivery.

His was a no frills car. PS and PDB was about it to keep the payments down. Even the wheels kind of fall under the same logic. His had dog dish hubcaps and all because he added ansen slots not long after delivery.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I used modern AA batteries and put them in a flashlight until they ran down to 1.35V.

I'm told this method is not as accurate as using the proper batteries but the needle moves appropriately which is all I am interested in at this point.

K

Interesting. You would think with all this "vintage" craze that someone would reproduce the daggum batteries by now??? LOL

I may play with your idea, I'd like to see it work again. I'm not too ambitious yet to go sending this thing out to have it converted. Especially when you can buy a reproduction tach that has all the looks without the box. I can always mount the box under the hood and make it "appear" that it's functional

[tstroud]

A Duracell CR123 battery is a 3 volt battery. It is half the length but the same diameter as a AA.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by tstroud

A Duracell CR123 battery is a 3 volt battery. It is half the length but the same diameter as a AA.

The battery needs to be 1.35V.

K

[tstroud]

Sorry. I thought I read 3 volt battery somewhere.


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[64speed]

The original late 50s early 60s sun tach is being reproduced now and it doesn’t require the box. I had one in my 58 and loved it

[Chris65LeMans]

+1 on you could get a tach in the Tempest - the rally gauges option was one way to do it. My LeMans came with it originally.

[Jerry H.]

Here is the Mooneyes reproduction of the early Sun tach. More appropriate for a 65 model. Doesn't require an underhood unit. I had one installed in my 65 GTO.

http://www.mooneyesusa.com/MOONEYES-.../mpg5000tm.htm

[Chief of the 60's]

Swap meet time!

I scored a perfectly good working 60's vintage Autometer for $40.00