[kirkm76]

I am curious. I have a 1968 std. I'd like to change out the clock in the center of the dash with a small tach. Anyone know of a tach that small which might fit? Anyone heard of anything like this? Would I be better off just getting a steering wheel or hood mounted one. I have an MSD 6AL box and MSD Dist. if that makes any diff, but I think most aftermarket tach's work with those.

 

[dark7068]

What size is your tach. I put a 3 3/8 or whatever in my Fairlane and it looks near stock, they have smaller ones out too now, so if you can find one the same size as the clock (give or take a few sizes), it would look good, as long as its the same color and style as your clock. Sorry Im not much help here, but my 70 has a tach and I havent seen a 68 for awhile and cant remember what they look like.

Rick

 

[cmpcpro]

I wouldn't put one on the hood... I don't know... they just look really tacky to me on the hood... almost like the owner was too lazy to run the wires into the car...

 

[68cougar]

I have a hood tach on my 68 cougar and I like it very much. It adds appeal to the stock hood.

 

[leonbray]

We just put a small accessory tach in where the clock goes on a standard. Looks like it was meant to be there and far neater than hood mounted tach

 

[kirkm76]

We just put a small accessory tach in where the clock goes on a standard. Looks like it was meant to be there and far neater than hood mounted tach

So what size tach did you use? Was it easy? Any cutting required. That's exactly what I was hoping to do. Also do you have any pictures of this?

 

[thegamebrain]

Very cool! I'd love to see pics of that.

Sly

 

[leonbray]

I wont see the owner for a couple of weeks and I'll try and get a pic then.

The tach was a 2 1/8" 0-8000rpm unit that normally mounts to the column. The front part of the housing came off and it was mounted into the rear dash section with a couple of rivets and tabs. Used the glass from the clock in the original bezel (it's in a 67 Mustang but dash is the same)

Took about 3 hours

 

[Nitcat]

I also have a tach mounted in the clock space on a my 69 standard dash. Sorry I don't have access to the car this morning, but I'll try to get a photo of it. I do know that it's a pretty common size tach, and to make it fit the previous owner carefully bent back the metal frame in the back of the gauge cluster.

 

[kirkm76]

I wont see the owner for a couple of weeks and I'll try and get a pic then.

The tach was a 2 1/8" 0-8000rpm unit that normally mounts to the column. The front part of the housing came off and it was mounted into the rear dash section with a couple of rivets and tabs. Used the glass from the clock in the original bezel (it's in a 67 Mustang but dash is the same)

Took about 3 hours

Cool, this is exactly what I'm trying to do. You don't happen to remember the brand of the tach. I am having a difficult time finding a 2 1/8 " one. You sure it wasn't 3 1/8? Plenty of them. There's an old Cougar over near my mechanic (67), so I'll go measure if need be, but someone could save me a trip if they'd measure the clock on a standard model (not the XR7 Console one).

 

[Nitcat]

In my 69 convertible with standard dash, the tach fit behind the opening where the clock goes. The plastic lens from the clock face is left off, but the glass face of the tach is kept on. It is a little loose in the opening but functions and looks pretty good. I'm posting a photo. The diameter is about 4 inches on this, and I think it's a Sun tach (?) the kind that normally mounts on the steering wheel.

I also have a tach mounted in the clock space on a my 69 standard dash. Sorry I don't have access to the car this morning, but I'll try to get a photo of it. I do know that it's a pretty common size tach, and to make it fit the previous owner carefully bent back the metal frame in the back of the gauge cluster.

 

[kirkm76]

That one looks nice. The 68's had the little clock in the small pod on top of the cluster. I was trying to figure out what size for that, or if it is indeed 2 1/8 inches, where to find one. Yes, I'd go measure, but I'm still away from the car for 2 more months I have amassed pretty much all of the parts though and my new roof is at the body shop

Another option I was thinking of was getting an XR7 Dash, painting the woodgrain to match my parchment interior, and wiring that in. I have heard though that changing the dash isn't that easy.

 

[leonbray]

Tacho in the 67 Mustang is a VDO 2 1/8" 0-8000 unit with green instrument lighting.

You have to remove glass from where clock should go and glue centre knob from clock glass to centre of tach face so it looks like other instruments.

According to the catalogue the VDO Part No should be 333-015-010K (unable to confirm from box)

 

[cougar_68]

I want to do the same exact thing on my Coug. Would be very interested in seeing pics of that set-up! I bought a Dash Pad for a Cougar with A/C so I can use the "vent" area for a CD player or I will make a dual guage pod to go there. Thanks for the info!

 

[cougar_68]

I wouldn't put one on the hood... I don't know... they just look really tacky to me on the hood... almost like the owner was too lazy to run the wires into the car...

Was that "tacky" coment supposed to be a pun?

I was just wondering...does this site have a "search" function???

Thanks!

 

[68cougar]

Welcome to the site cougar 68....The search function is in the top left corner on the home page.

 

[cougar_68]

AH HAH!!! Lol, thanks 68Cougar! That will definately :1zhelp: .

 

[cougar_68]

Hi, Just thought I would dig up a REALLY old thread. Has anyone used this tach yet? How readable is it? It's not too small is it?

THANKS!!

 

[kirkm76]

Well, after much drama, I have gone with an Autometer cluster, so I didn't use the small one in the clock opening, but I have worked on it enough now to see that it wouldn't be too difficult.

 

[cougar_68]

Does that mean you have one to get rid of?? I'm still wondering if the tach will be too small? I want to be able to glance at it and read the RPM's real easy. hmmm...