Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Misc Tech => Topic started by: shameless on May 05, 2009, 08:57:15 PM

Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: shameless on May 05, 2009, 08:57:15 PM
I wasnt sure where to put this one but here we go.  I have two projects going right now. lol  one is a 79 F150 4x4, the other is my bird.  my question is, does anybody know where I can get a rectangular tach.  buttstuffog preferably, but if I must go with a digital tach I guess I'll have to. lol  in the thunderbird it will go on the dash in place of the digital clock. (with cutting required.)  And the other will go on the left hand side of the dash on my truck. something like this.

(http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv239/glockstrap/truckdash.jpg)
Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: Ifixyawata on May 05, 2009, 09:23:09 PM
Interesting you should say that... back in the day before they actually started selling TC's I think there's a promo photo somewhere that shows a tach in that spot.  Too bad it was never produced that way.
Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: shameless on May 05, 2009, 10:27:28 PM
in what spot, between the air ducts where the clock is?  or to the right of the dash gauges?  either way, I'd like to see that pic. lol
Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: TurboCoupe50 on May 05, 2009, 11:26:50 PM
A friend has a '85 F150 with a factory tach... Was of course optional, only earlier one I've ever seen... My '93 Lightning has a tach, but it's round and on the right side of th cluster...
Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: shameless on May 06, 2009, 12:42:12 AM
on another forum a guy found me one that would work.  out of a chevy malibu.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/848287-rectangular-tach.html
check it out!
Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: ipsd on May 06, 2009, 01:29:11 AM
I think you need to think in a different manner. All those locations are square and most tach's are round. No biggie. Find the tack you wanna use take it apart so the face is off. Cut you some sheet metal close to the shape you need. Always make a cardboard template so you can really shape the sheet metal to sorta bolt in. Then paint your metal the color of the back ground you want for you gauge.  Take your old gauge face to a vinyl letter/sign place. With that face they can normally make you a sticker to stick on your new Tach setup. They can also custom the face with lettering and logos of your choice.  I've done this before. If done correctly on these sorta hind lite reflecting back onto the gauge face you can get the stock lighting to light the gauge also. What you want where you want it. Just like the pro's would do it. Can't find what you want make it.

Stuckman
Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: Haystack on May 06, 2009, 01:56:23 AM
My work truck has one. it only goes to 4500 rpm, but it is square. I'm sure alot of the mid to late 70's trucks used them. All the gauges used to be square, and I'm sure there were a few tachs in there somewhere.
Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: Grumbles on May 06, 2009, 08:32:31 AM
I have a huge thing for rectangle gauges myself.  Always wanted a terribly innaccurate speedo that scrolled across my dash like the old school ones :]
Title: rectangular tach.?
Post by: ~AC on May 06, 2009, 11:35:13 AM
i'd check lmc trucks.  when i was looking to restore my 86 f150, if it had an option from the factory, it was in that book.  stock guages were over 100 bucks a tiny piece tho.