Tachometer Solution for '70 Mach 1?

[Klutch 17]

I'm still a long way off from needing a tachometer for my '70 Mach 1. But I would like to get a bit ahead of the game. I want to start thinking about a solution now. My Mustang is currently stripped to a rolling chassis.

 

My car did not come with the factory tachometer. While it would be nice to install a factory tachometer gauge setup, those seem to be few, far-between and very expensive. Furthermore, if I did manage to find a set and pony up big bucks for it, I think it's unlikely everything would work. Then I'd have to have the tach fixed.

 

I really like the tach setup Buckey Demon did on his '69 Mach 1. I don't need a high end, drag racing tachometer. Although, I would consider a similar install with a smaller tach.

 

I kinda like the over-the-counter hood tachometers Ford sold long ago. The reproductions are not cheap, but at least if I bought one, it would likely work. My original shaker hood is trashed. I have to get a repop shaker hood anyway. So, no worries about poking holes in a factory shaker hood for the tach. Are the hood tachs considered dorky on a Mustang and best left for the Pontiac guys?

 

So, which solution would you folks recommend?

 

1. Suck it up and buy a factory deluxe tachometer gauge setup

2. Modify the driver side roof pillar to mount a removeable, aftermarket tach (like Buckeye's setup)

3. Install a hood tach

 

Thanks!

Edited September 10, 2012 by Klutch

[Big Secz 26]

The hood tachs look really cool, but with a $400 price tag I find it hard to justify buying one. Of course I think you would end up spending close to the same amount putting together a factory setup. I would opt for the pillar mount, here is what one member came up with for that solution http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=7560&page=55

 

I opted to mount three gauges in the center of the dash which you can see here http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=10313&highlight=secz

[miketyler 15]

Having gone thru this myself (but not to completion) I would have went with hood tach. They are rare and you dont see them often. With the expense of the harness conversion and tach, I think I really should have left it alone and went with the hood tach. Of course I flip-flop on things sometimes but thats where I'm at today.

 

[Restomod 10]

Not sure if you left it off on purpose for a reason I dont know about since I ama newb but I am going to do the steering column mounted after market tach. I just cant stomach taking out a mint dash and screwing around with the wiring harness and finding tach layout gauges.

 

I already bought this one... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sunpro-SST802R-Tach-Tachometer-0-8-000-RPM-3-3-8-Dia-Black-Face-Old-School-Look-/290772388056?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43b36288d8 it comes with everything you need minus wire. Has the two different mount kits with it for a flat dash or steering column. Have it here and it looks great, just need to install it and connect up the 4 wires.

[Klutch 17]

Thanks for the input, guys. Nice to know other people also appreciate the hood tach.

 

big secz, the example you posted is the very same solution I mentioned in my original post. I really do like Buckeye Demon's roof pillar mount. Your three gauges on the dash looks pretty spiffy. But I don't think that's an option for me.

 

grabbermach1, the proverbial aftermarket tach strapped to the steering column is also not an option for me. Almost every Chevy guy I ever met had the plumbers clamps on the column with a giant Sun tach. Nope. Not gonna go there. Not gonna do it! :smile:

 

I'm leaning hard toward the hood tach. miketyler, I don't think I've seen that type of hood tach on a Mustang. The examples I've seen are taller and curved. But I'm liking the tach in that picture. Do you happen to know if it's more of a Pontiac re-pop?

Edited September 10, 2012 by Klutch

[BuckeyeDemon 211]

what's the goal of your build?

[Restomod 10]

Thanks for the input, guys. Nice to know other people also appreciate the hood tach.

 

big secz, the example you posted is the very same solution I mentioned in my original post. I really do like Buckeye Demon's roof pillar mount. Your three gauges on the dash looks pretty spiffy. But I don't think that's an option for me.

 

grabbermach1, the proverbial aftermarket tach strapped to the steering column is also not an option for me. Almost every Chevy guy I ever met had the plumbers clamps on the column with a giant Sun tach. Nope. Not gonna go there. Not gonna do it! :smile:

 

I'm leaning hard toward the hood tach. miketyler, I don't think I've seen that type of hood tach on a Mustang. The examples I've seen are taller and curved. But I'm liking the tach in that picture. Do you happen to know if it's more of a Pontiac re-pop?

 

I know, I know its the tacky way out no pun intended. I just like the lines of my car so much that for me the hood tach draws your attention away. I really like the looks of them on some cars though just not mine. The column tach is a quick way to get the rpm's right now so I can learn my motor and trans. I guess if I vote it would be I am waiting until a mint tach dash falls in my lap lol.

 

Ironically I feel the same way about the roof pillar as you do the steering column. I have seen so many hacked up gauge pods on the pillar in mid 80's 5.0's growing up that I swore I would never put gauges there on principal.

[Grabber70Mach 107]

Another option I liked the way gsxrken gauges turned out.

 

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=10749&page=6

[Fordrevhead 29]

I have been considering a Pontiac hood tach. They were std it seems on a lot of 68-73? Pontiacs. GTO's, etc. You can find them easily for half of the Mustang one. Just have to mod the face place. :)

 

http://images2.carpartsdiscount.com/auto/archive/pictures/51938/600/1/P/8B48D6D/pontiac_firebird_1968_hood_tachometer_5500_redline_oem_6468971.jpg

[Klutch 17]

what's the goal of your build?

 

Good question. Here's what I'm thinking thus far for the goals of my build:

 

- Cruising and day trips through the Colorado Mountains

- Occasional shows

- Occasional autocross

- Occasional 1/4 mile runs

- Annual participation in the Rocky Mountain Mustang Roundup (poker run, autocross and show over 4 days)

 

I plan to run:

 

- Original 351 C with Aussie heads (already have the heads)

- Something like a Lunati Voodoo 268/276 cam

- Shelby drop on front suspension

- Upgrade to disc brakes and power steering

- 5-speed manual (car was original 3-speed manual)

- Traction lock rear diff (something like a 3:70 - 3:90, haven't decided)

 

My Mach 1 will be a restomod. But I would like it to look mostly factory with mods underneath.

[maxum96 32]

If I'm not mistaken, the hood tach is reproduced.

[Nightowl 10]

When I had my wiring harness redone, I thought about putting in a factory tach, but if I am not mistaken, I would of had to get a new wiring harness, for the tach. Since I didn't want to pay the 600.00 or more for it, I decided I could live without it, or just buy an over the counter one.

[miketyler 15]

You could do the plug repin conversion to tach. Lots of folks go this route if their existing harness is in good shape. I did.

Edited September 11, 2012 by miketyler

[BuckeyeDemon 211]

have you considered the factory tach setup along with mounting a small shift light somewhere (one that uses RPM pills)?

[Klutch 17]

have you considered the factory tach setup along with mounting a small shift light somewhere (one that uses RPM pills)?

 

I had not considered that. I must admit, I'm not familiar with the term "RPM pills".

 

I would like to have a factory tach setup. But again, 69/70 deluxe gauges with a tachometer are hard to find, expensive, and often don't work. I know I can get my under dash harness modified for a tach. I'm just not sure it's worth the money, time and effort required for a factory tach setup compared to just bolting on a hood tach.

[MustangGT 11]

Another option to consider is switching the gauges out and putting in a set of Dakota Digital 1969 Ford Mustang VHX Instruments. It comes with an in dash tach and they look nice.

[Klutch 17]

The Dakota Digital gauges are indeed cool. But I want something that looks more original.

[buening 63]

I vote for putting aftermarket gauges in place of the factory gauges. You can pick up Autometer gauges fairly cheap on ebay if you don't mind slightly used ones. Here is one of many links for guys that have went this route:

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20091026223135/geocities.com/kvinkler/gauges/page_01.htm

 

http://www.stangfix.com/testforum2/index.php/topic,1278.msg101269.html#msg101269

[Powershift 19]

I like the look of these...

 

http://www.jmeenterprises.com/69dash.shtml

[Pakrat 1,043]

I was one of the few people who was happy when the car I bought came without the factory tach option, I always wanted a hood tach and replacing the cheesy Sunpro column mounted one on the car was one of the first mods I did in my restoration.

 

I was one of the first people to buy the repro when it came out and got it for a pretty good price after shopping around a little. I modified it with a Ford logo to look a little more legit, not shown in this picture but I also painted the knob silver.

 

 

Believe it or not this was a dealer installed option for the Mustang back in '69, we have several forum members with original cars that bought it that way and can verify. It was also popular on several 302 track cars of the day.

 

Some hood tach threads you can read thru, my first search came up with 4 pages which I am sure were not all about hood tachs so I narrowed it down to ones I particpated in since I've made at least one comment in just about every hood tach discussion on this forum at some point. http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/search.php?searchid=749031

Edited September 12, 2012 by Pakrat

[Klutch 17]

I vote for putting aftermarket gauges in place of the factory gauges. You can pick up Autometer gauges fairly cheap on ebay if you don't mind slightly used ones. Here is one of many links for guys that have went this route:

 

http://web.archive.org/web/20091026223135/geocities.com/kvinkler/gauges/page_01.htm

 

http://www.stangfix.com/testforum2/index.php/topic,1278.msg101269.html#msg101269

 

There are indeed many very nice, aftermarket gauges available. But I want to keep my gauges looking original.

Edited September 12, 2012 by Klutch

[Klutch 17]

I was one of the few people who was happy when the car I bought came without the factory tach option, I always wanted a hood tach and replacing the cheesy Sunpro column mounted one on the car was one of the first mods I did in my restoration.

 

I was one of the first people to buy the repro when it came out and got it for a pretty good price after shopping around a little. I modified it with a Ford logo to look a little more legit, not shown in this picture but I also painted the knob silver.

 

 

Believe it or not this was a dealer installed option for the Mustang back in '69, we have several forum members with original cars that bought it that way and can verify. It was also popular on several 302 track cars of the day.

 

Some hood tach threads you can read thru, my first search came up with 4 pages which I am sure were not all about hood tachs so I narrowed it down to ones I particpated in since I've made at least one comment in just about every hood tach discussion on this forum at some point. http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/search.php?searchid=749031

 

Yes, the Ford hood tachometers were an over-the-counter option in the late 60s/early 70s. I really like the hood tach in that picture. Can you tell me specifically which remanufactured tachometer that is? I also like the Ford logo touch.

 

And thank you for the thread summary. I appreciate that!

Edited September 12, 2012 by Klutch

[Pakrat 1,043]

Yes, the Ford hood tachometers were an over-the-counter option in the late 60s/early 70s. I really like the hood tach in that picture. Can you tell me specifically which remanufactured tachometer that is? I also like the Ford logo touch.

 

It was Scott Drake, I am actually not sure if anyone else but him offers this repro, I think this is the one all the vendors offer. Some vendors never updated their images and still show the prototype which looks different and not as nice but this is most liklely what you would get (minus the ford logo). Here's one of the threads in that search link I gave you that has the original info about it. http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=1476

[buening 63]

Weren't there issues with the original hood tachs getting moisture behind the lens and fogging it up?

[Klutch 17]

Weren't there issues with the original hood tachs getting moisture behind the lens and fogging it up?

 

Yes. The reproductions are sealed to avoid this problem.