Tach. in prewar cars

[Buick35]

I'm thinking of installing a 6volt tachometer in my 35 Buick and if so where should I mount it? I thought of putting it in my glove box door where my non functioning clock is now or under the dash. Or is it a bad idea to have one? Any suggestions?Thanks

[erichill]

I guess hard to suggest where to mount without seeing the dash of your car. Wouldn't know a bad reason to have one. I have one in my Model A based speedster because with the few engine mods it is quicker revving and easy to over rev so nice to see where my rpms are. 

[JeffH]

Packard put a tach in place of the glovebox door clock when they were trying to sell overdrive.  This allowed dealers to demonstrate the drop in rpms when the OD engaged.  

 

I believe they sold some as optional equipment, but primarily they were demonstrators.  I am sure a Packard expert can chime in here.

 

Jeff

[CChinn]

if it will help in your decision making, here are photos of the temp gauge I had installed under the dash in my ‘40 Chevy when the original no longer worked. I find it easy to see when driving. May be something to consider if you have to look over to the glove compartment when driving if you install the tach over there

[bryankazmer]

47 minutes ago, JeffH said:

Packard put a tach in place of the glovebox door clock when they were trying to sell overdrive.  This allowed dealers to demonstrate the drop in rpms when the OD engaged.  

 

I believe they sold some as optional equipment, but primarily they were demonstrators.  I am sure a Packard expert can chime in here.

 

Jeff

A rare accessory, I know of only one example currently

[Buick35]

Thanks for the information.Greg

[alsancle]

9 minutes ago, bryankazmer said:

A rare accessory, I know of only one example currently

 

I'm up to my eyeballs in them.  Well... if having two counts as a lot.

 

The place to put it is where the clock goes.   You can have a face made that matches the font and color of your existing gauges.  That would look awesome!

[28anut]

If you drive your car, there is nothing wrong with guages and knowing as much as you can about your engine and knowing how it performs.  The trick is being creative and hide them so they don't distract.  Your not going to be constantly looking at them anyway.   There are some great electronics out there.  Research and be creative.  Don't limit yourself to the most convenient and most advertised gauges such as in hot rod mags or Auto Zone.  How bout an Odometer, Speedometer, Tach, Amp, Water, Oil, O2, Gas gauges in a 1910 Buick?  My desire is to drive, not sit on the side of the road or garage.  Hide your gauges and enjoy.  Don't put those cheap things like you had in high school in plain sight.

[alsancle]

13 hours ago, 28anut said:

If you drive your car, there is nothing wrong with guages and knowing as much as you can about your engine and knowing how it performs.  The trick is being creative and hide them so they don't distract.  Your not going to be constantly looking at them anyway.   There are some great electronics out there.  Research and be creative.  Don't limit yourself to the most convenient and most advertised gauges such as in hot rod mags or Auto Zone.  How bout an Odometer, Speedometer, Tach, Amp, Water, Oil, O2, Gas gauges in a 1910 Buick?  My desire is to drive, not sit on the side of the road or garage.  Hide your gauges and enjoy.  Don't put those cheap things like you had in high school in plain sight.

 

I like that.  

 

I don't have a problem with extra gauges but have two things that bug me:

 

1.   When somebody doesn't fix the factory gauge but hangs an accessory gauge.

 

2.  The accessory gauges look wildly out of place for the dash.

Edited February 10, 2023 by alsancle (see edit history)

[Buick35]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

 

I'm up to my eyeballs in them.  Well... if having two counts as a lot.

 

The place to put it is where the clock goes.   You can have a face made that matches the font and color of your existing gauges.  That would look awesome!

The one I'm thinking of getting has a beige face so that will match I think ,but it's a 2" diameter and I think my clock is a little bigger. I'll have to remeasure.

[Pfeil]

32 minutes ago, alsancle said:

 

I like that.  

 

I don't have a problem with extra gauges but have to things that bug me:

 

1.   When somebody doesn't fix the factory gauge but hangs an accessory gauge.

 

2.  The accessory gauges look wildly out of place for the dash.

Boy, especially #1, and #2, If you really need to install them, hide them in the glove box. 

[aron_budapest]

I also want to make one to my 1929 Chrysler model 65. I attach it to the steering coloumn because I found an old russian tacho which is almost the same diameter like the steering coloumn. With point and gap ignition it does not work properly, but I added a petronix electic ignition. Not tested yet.

[alsancle]

For some reason I've had a thing for tachometers since I was a kid.   When I was 16 I bought my GTO because it had a dash tach.   It was a piece of crap otherwise.

 

I think it is because a tach in an American car is a fairly rare thing.   It almost always means performance.    In the 20s and 30s there were only a few cars that you could get factory with a tach:

 

1.  Dupont G

2. Duesenberg J

3. Stutz DV32

4.  Packard in the late 30s

5.  Auburn

6.  Cord 810/812

[alsancle]

Gene Tareshawty's Museum

 

[alsancle]

This was in a 1928 Cunningham.

 

[alsancle]

32 Packard 12.   Only one I have ever seen and it really looks factory.

 

[alsancle]

120 Darrin.

 

[alsancle]

34 Packard Super Eight.  Courtesy of our buddy Jason.

 

[alsancle]

My Stutz.

 

 

[Brass is Best]

59 minutes ago, alsancle said:

32 Packard 12.   Only one I have ever seen and it really looks factory.

 

If that is on the car I think it is then it was special order and factory.

[Brass is Best]

My Cord has one. First car to have a Tachometer as standard equipment. 

[SC38dls]

Can’t you just listen to the engine and if it sounds like your whining mother in law in the back seat complaining about your driving you are probably stressing the engine like she does you! Back off and it will sound sweet again. The mother in law not so much. 
dave s 

[alsancle]

3 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

My Cord has one. First car to have a Tachometer as standard equipment.

 

?    In American the DV32 Stutz, the Model J Duesenberg as well as the 35 Auburn 851 would be earlier.

[alsancle]

3 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

If that is on the car I think it is then it was special order and factory.

 

It looked factory from every angle I examined it.   Is there any factory paperwork floating around that would prove that?

[Brass is Best]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

 

It looked factory from every angle I examined it.   Is there any factory paperwork floating around that would prove that?

Not to my knowledge. Knew the owner and history of the car is all.

[Tonz]

I've put a temp gauge and mini tacho on my 26 Chrysler 50. I'm about to add a tiny digital volt meter.

To mount them I used a small hose clamp to attach to the steering post. That way removal will not leave a trace.

The position is just under the dash board and is fairly well hidden except for the driver.

The 12volt tacho with 4/6/8 switch was a swap meet special for $5 and works perfectly on my 6volt converted to 8volt neg earth system.

It rarely goes past 2000rpm, but 1600rpm is about 35mph which is handy for open road driving as my AC speedo needs a drive cable.

[60FlatTop]

I am not much of a gauge person. I figure they would be there to remind me of something I didn't do but should have.

 

Just thinking as I sit here, but I am pretty sure I check my oil and water levels more frequently than I look at the tach on cars I have with them.

 

My '60 Buick came with amp and oil gauges mounted under the dash by the previous owner. I removed them a little over 20 years ago when I noticed the oil gauge was half full of oil. I didn't want it to start leaking on the carpet. Avoided that potential problem too.

Edited February 10, 2023 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)