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July 10, 2011 8:31 a.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid HalfDork

Ok so I decided to get the Sunpro FZ88R Retro Tach for my dad's '64 Corvair. I haven't ordered it yet, but my plan is to get it, then steal his car for the weekend and install it for a suprise. The tach is 3-3/8" Diameter.

My problem is that I am having a dilemma where to put the tach.

1) Is off center the steering column partially in front of the odometer and cigarette lighter (which doesn't even have the lighter). My only issue is that the steering wheel has a bullet shaped cone coming off the back off it that almost reaches to the gauge cluster, so I am not 100% sure if it will fit there. I'll know better when I get it.

2) Is mounting it under the radio pod. There would be now issues mounting it only that its down below and you wouldn't really get to see it, let alone be virtually useless as a tach.

3) is mounted to the Radio Speaker grille on the top of the dashboard. IIRC the grill is fastened to the dash so it won't pop out. This way, its in plain view and would look kind of cool mounted up high.

A picture for reference. (FYI this is a pic I found on the net, this is an auto, my dad's is a 4-speed)

Any opinions?
July 10, 2011 8:41 a.m. Javelin SuperDork

I don't understand the bullet from the steering wheel bit, but could you hang it from under the dash eyebrow right in-between the fuel gauge and speedo? I don't think obscuring the "0" will make a difference, and then it's right in the LoS.
July 10, 2011 9:00 a.m. iceracer SuperDork

How about on top of the dash ?
July 10, 2011 9:11 a.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid HalfDork

Javelin wrote:

I don't understand the bullet from the steering wheel bit, but could you hang it from under the dash eyebrow right in-between the fuel gauge and speedo? I don't think obscuring the "0" will make a difference, and then it's right in the LoS.

The cone behind the steering wheel itself. The turn signal lever goes into it.

The eyebrow lip isn't a bad idea.
July 10, 2011 9:12 a.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid HalfDork

In reply to iceracer:

I'm trying to not drill unnecessary holes in the top of the dash pad. I thought about that, but I want to mount it so if i have to remove it, you would have never known it was there.
July 10, 2011 9:35 a.m. 02Pilot Reader

I see some screws between the dash and the windshield; maybe you could use one of the existing holes in that piece as a starting point, drill one more in the same piece, and use them to secure the tach right at the base of the A-pillar?

You could also pull the cluster and fit a bracket between it and the dash at the upper edge, then use it to hang the tach between the fuel gauge and the speedo as suggested above.

A thin band clamp might fit around the steering column behind the "bullet," which could then hold a bracket to put the tach in position #1.
July 10, 2011 11:09 a.m. stuart in mn SuperDork

In that era, aftermarket tachometers were typically mounted to the steering column with a couple hose clamps, but it doesn't look like that will work in this case. How about fabricating a little square mounting plate that would fit in the ashtray hole?
July 10, 2011 11:20 a.m. rustyvw HalfDork

I was going to put the guage set from a turbo in mine. It has a tach and and other guages in it already. They are not that hard to find, and I always thought they looked pretty cool. Not a picture of mine, just an example.
July 10, 2011 11:56 a.m. SVreX SuperDork

Forget #2. I have a car like that- totally horrible.

#1 is the most period appropriate if you can make it work.

Is an A-pillar pod an option?
July 10, 2011 1:13 p.m. Hal Dork

SVreX wrote:

Forget #2. I have a car like that- totally horrible.

#1 is the most period appropriate if you can make it work.

Is an A-pillar pod an option?

Agree on all points. Don't know about Corvairs but many older cars had the A-pillar trim screwed in place. I have made bracket that fit those screws to hold gauges before.
July 10, 2011 1:53 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

1 is the best place.. period correct and all.. but rather than the speaker grill (which if you can source a replacement to modify is not a bad idea.. how about an insert where the ashtray goes?
July 10, 2011 2:26 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork

Agree with SVreX, for period correctness #1 is the way to go. I must have sold a thousand of those clamp on tachs in the 1970's.
July 10, 2011 2:34 p.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid HalfDork

I don't want to do the Spyder Gauge cluster because a number of people do that. I want to do something more period correct (like what someone would do in 1964-65) with the plethora of aftermarket stuff they had back then. Realize this car has US Indy Slot Mags and a Wonderbar radio our of a Cadillac. I figured I could top this off with an aftermarket tach.

The ashtray is an option. I would have to make a special bracket. I'm gonna need to take a look at the A-Pillar too.
July 10, 2011 5:27 p.m. ncjay Reader

First thing that pops into my brain is "Are you sure your dad wants a tach installed in his car?" The Corvair looks in pretty nice or mint condition. If it was my car, I would probably get a bit ticked if someone took it and started messing with it, never mind if you started drilling holes in stuff and possibly cutting holes in things. I'd be dang sure he's o.k. with the idea. Whatever option you decide, keep the hole drilling and fabrication to a minimum. That's my opinion.
July 10, 2011 5:51 p.m. turbojunker HalfDork

Option 1.

Buy this and a large hose clamp.
July 10, 2011 6:03 p.m. SyntheticBlinkerFluid HalfDork

In reply to ncjay:

I've had this discussion with him a hundred times with him just no one has taken the initiative because retro tachs weren't around and vintage ones were scarce.

I also said above that I don't want to drill unnecessary holes. I'm really opting for a steering column mount but I won't know until I get the tach with the mounting brackets.
July 10, 2011 6:35 p.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork

'Wonderbar' radio. My dad's '56 Corvette had that. It was pretty cool.

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