petelempert Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I'm rebuilding the console on my 63. On the panel beneath the ashtray, from the inside, you can see a round outlined hole. It looks like a potential spot for a guage. I've never seen a 63-5 with any type of guage in there. I've always wished my car had a tach. I thought about finding a Wildcat console tach and perhaps fitting it in there. Does anybody know why that round outline is there? Has anybody ever tried to rig a tach from a early 60's GM in there? It might be an interesting retro custom. Anybody ever come across a tach from a Wildcat or similar vintage GM? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_buick5563 Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 My 63 Wildcat has a tach. I've seen 'em on ebay occasionally, the nice ones go for over $200, sometimes closer to three. Check with Ken at Wheatbelt. www.wheatbeltbuick.comMike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_buick5563 Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Update. There are four tachs on ebay right now. Check "Buick Tachometer". Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BJM Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Pete,63-65 had an optional tachometer located exactly where you noted. I have seen two 63's with the tach at BCA Nationals, one in St. Louis, one in Plano. I have also seen a driver 63 featured in a magazine article (pre-cursor to Hemmings Classic Cars) with teh optional tachometer installed at the factory. Granted, I have never seen a 64-65 with one installed but assume since they were the same dash/console lay out, a buyer could order it. I think the way it is done is to purchase a Wildcat tachometer (free standing unit) and they fit in that hole, the backside normally visible would be down in the console hidden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Riviera Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 A tach. will fit right in. For 64-65 one had to put it somewhere else. I will try and post a pic. of what I have done for my 65s . The 63 has the knockout for the Tach. . You can find them on Ebay or I have them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Riviera Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Here is a 63 with a tach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BJM Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Dick,Why somewhere else in 64-65? I thought there was no change in the dash layouts? I owned a 64 once, it was a while ago but it should work in same spot. Just wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petelempert Posted May 16, 2007 Author Share Posted May 16, 2007 Thanks so much. PRL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petelempert Posted May 16, 2007 Author Share Posted May 16, 2007 Want to sell one? PRL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 In 1964 the a/c and heater controls were moved to the console. In 63, the console was used only for the wiper, light, and optional rear defroster switch at the very top and the ash tray at the bottom; tThere was plenty of room for the tach. The ac and heater controls took away that space in 64/65. In the one picture of the 64/65, the tach is mounted on the ash tray door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Riviera Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 You must be very carfull when you buy on Ebay. If the seller says - Not Tested -it means it doesnt work in many cases. Some can be fixed and some cannot. With some the whole circuit in the back of the display is encased in a plastic type material and cannot be repaired. If its a simple electronic circuit it may be fixable. For the most part they are not accurate but look very nice in the dash. To hook up you have the 12 volt light wire and a second wire that goes to the negitive side of the coil. The Tach. must be grounded as well. Be sure that you can return it to the seller if DOA . Good luck , Dick at rivsrus1@cox.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1965rivgs Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Hi Pete, The `63 Buick Accessories Manual lists a tachometer "for all models". The pic of the tach shows a full chrome case with mounting foot but is clearly illustrated on a model other than the Riv. Keep in mind the Silver Arrow show car had a CLOCK mounted in the console at the location you referred to. However, the `64 shop manual clearly shows a tach installation on the Riviera on top of the dash pad with full chrome case. We must note, as Ed has pointed out, the area in question was used for the ashtray in the rearranged console for `64. I have found no reference to a tach in a `65 Riviera except for a listing in the `65 parts book which shows a "tach harness" as available for the Riv. There is not a listing in the Accessories Manual. The Wholesale car order forms do not list a tach as available for the Riviera for any of the first three years, `63-`65. So there were no factory installed tachs in this model. The tach would have been dealer installed. Did Buick intend to install a clock in the `63 console and a tach where the factory installed clock was eventually placed as in the Silver Arrow showcar? Or did they intend to install the Wildcat tach in the console in the location in question? Hard to say, but we do know they built at least one car with a CLOCK in the console. Tom Mooney ROA#56 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Riviera Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Here is one of my 65s with the tach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest roa6085 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Here's the Dash on the Silver Arrow.... Chris Knowles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Riviera66 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1965rivgs</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi Pete, The `63 Buick Accessories Manual lists a tachometer "for all models". The pic of the tach shows a full chrome case with mounting foot but is clearly illustrated on a model other than the Riv. Keep in mind the Silver Arrow show car had a CLOCK mounted in the console at the location you referred to. However, the `64 shop manual clearly shows a tach installation on the Riviera on top of the dash pad with full chrome case. We must note, as Ed has pointed out, the area in question was used for the ashtray in the rearranged console for `64. I have found no reference to a tach in a `65 Riviera except for a listing in the `65 parts book which shows a "tach harness" as available for the Riv. There is not a listing in the Accessories Manual. The Wholesale car order forms do not list a tach as available for the Riviera for any of the first three years, `63-`65. So there were no factory installed tachs in this model. The tach would have been dealer installed. Tom Mooney ROA#56 </div></div>In addition to the information Tom quotes, '63 to '65 Buick production figures confirm no tachometers were factory installed... and the '63 Product Information (Assembly) manual makes no mention at all of tachometers for Riviera. By '66, there's really nothing mentioned on Tachometers at all that I can find in Buick literature. But then, a tachometer would've been considered somewhat useless in an automatic transmission car anyway...Darwin Falk #2077 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chefcg1 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 If anyone has one of these Buick tachometers for sale please let me know as I'm looking for a working one. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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