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tach dash questions

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highrider88

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i have an 85 k5 and would like to put a tach dash in it my question is will my cruise still work if i get the newer style 81 and up tach dash and is it a plug and go deal to where all i have to do is wire up the 3 wires to the tach thanks
 
I have a stock Chevy Tack that came out of a (I have no idea). I installed it in my Blazer console. I officially have not started the engine yet so I can't tell you whether it'll work or not.
But, I've been wrenching for a while now. I see no reason why it would affect your CC.
It's only got 3 wires, one hot, one ground and one from the ground side of the distributor, pretty simple.
 
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You would need to modify the cluster to accept your original speedo and VSS.
 
an 85 has VSS? i didnt know that so if i found a tach dash out of a 81-91 chevy it wouldnt work and i would still have to mod it
 
80's had a vss per say on the back of a mech speedo head.

so worst case swap your speedo in and make a small hole to fit the vss head on the back.

also have to swap a few wires around on the main plug for the fuel cirkit.
 
No no, speedo with VSS was used before the electric speedos came into play. Yes, the electric speedos used a VSS, but it was mounted on the tranny/t-case.
 
I did this to my old 87. Was TBI, and so it had the VSS on the back of the speedo. GM started around 83-84 IIRC with the VSS on the back of the speedo. I had the tach setup from a 79, but used the cluster from the 87, cut a small hole in the back for the backside of the tach to go thru, used the 87 gauges save for the tach (duh) and the small fuel gauge off the 79 cluster. Circuit board of the 79 too. Worked like a charm, just as good as factory. Kick myself in the a$$ for selling it with the truck. Pics of the truck and dash...

http://rides.webshots.com/album/570524761KladTP
 
wat years came with those big tachs and the small fuel gage? mine has a big fuel gage and a small tach in the bottom left which is very hard to see when driving
 
dabomb6608 said:
wat years came with those big tachs and the small fuel gage? mine has a big fuel gage and a small tach in the bottom left which is very hard to see when driving
Click to expand...


I don't know what years came with them. But, thats what I'm running except I used the tach I stole out of a (I evidently have no idea). it mounted perfectly,and only has 3 wires like I talked about earlier.
 
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BoondocK5 said:
I don't know what years came with them. But, thats what I'm running except I used the tach I stole out of a Corvette. it mounted perfectly,and only has 3 wires like I talked about earlier.
Click to expand...

What year Vette, Matt?
 
BoondocK5 said:
How the hell should I know it was 5 years ago when I bought it out of a junkyard.
Click to expand...

:haha:

Ok... so, do you at least know if it was it a 70's Vette, or?? I'm thinking the 68-82 Vettes would be the ones most likely to have a tach that'd fit our dashes.
 
It was definitely a mid 70's Something, the Tach fit right in. held in with screws like it belonged there. I got the little fuel gauge out of another truck. turns out the wiring harness, all ready has the provisions for the little gauge made into it. So no wiring issues.

Like stated before, the tach has 3 wires, hot, ground, and a negative distributor wire.
 
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The idea I've had is to gut the clock and gut a small tach like this one http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98480

Make a overlay for the clock face on the computer with tach numbers on it. Print it out and glue it to the clock face. mount that tach to the clock face with the overlay on it and wire it up, So there would be a small tach in the clock location.
 
It sure doesn't look like the one in the link below, Vette, wrecked, what was left of it sitting in P-n-P 2004 That's all I remember. Now I wonder what I got from that vette. Hell, this one probably didn't even come from it. It only goes to 4500RPM, I must have my memory all jacked up. I have no idea what this came out of. Now I'll have to see what I have sitting around in the garage. There is no way this tach is out of a vette. It bolted right up to the truck console, so...

IMG00014-20100301-2214.jpg
 
That is a stock 80 -> 83 Chevy truck tachometer. They are not as common as the 75-79 blue ringed tachs, and are just as hard to find as the 73/74 white ringed taches. I have one of those orange ringed sitting in my closet right now, haven't decided if I want to install it in my diesel truck or not.
 
ok so my 85 has a factory clock in the small fuel gauge location so if i get the cluster out of an 78/79 and put my speedo in there with the small hole for the vss and switch a couple of wires ill be good to go? and my next ques is how do i make all the gauges look the same can i get a white face overlay kit for an 80s and stick it on there and everything read correct or what can i do thanks guys
 
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