I need some help with replacing the clock with a factory in dash tach. What,'s involved. Pics would be great. Thanks Craig
Sometimes, if you remove the radio, you may be able to sneak in the unit from the back w/o removing the dash and dash pad. See our site on remove the dash and pad.
Craig,there are some posts on the board here that show what other guys have done and what they used. Do a search on the subject and the posts should show up. I remember seeing some of this last year. Mike D.
In Dash Tach Installation I installed a Y1 reproduction in-dash tach this weekend in a '72 Skylark. Not the easiest job because you have no room to maneuver. Thank your parents if you have little dexterous hands. This method allows you to get the gauge bezel out only far enough to the new tach gauge in. Get a good work light, and wifes favorite muffin tray to keep track of screws. If you are smart, disconnect the battery. I am not and enjoy the occasional spark or seeing the backward progress I have made. Next, pull radio bezel and radio. Pull the dash pad with the 2 screws from dash bezel to pad and 2 nuts that retain pad to dash above glove box (mine has 2). Unscrew steering column cover, and connector indicator from shifter to PRNDL on the Speedo gauge. Take remaining screws out that hold gauge bezel to dash. Pull gauge bezel out far enough on left to depress headlight switch retaining button, and pull out headlight switch. Unscrew headlight switch trim from front of gauge bezel from headlight switch electronics. Headlight switch should be loose from dash bezel. Through radio hole, detach 2 panel nuts that hold the A/C/heater controls to the dash bezel. Undo 2 nuts that hold dash wiring bundles to dash bezel. Through radio area undo 3 speednuts that hold clock or clock delete to dash bezel. Pull-off two wire connector and 2 push in dash lights from back of clock (if clock). Wire new tach to dash lights and I used the metal dash support behind radio for ground (it had a screw hole kindly available). Run two remaining wires to ignition and coil. Its a good time to check or trade out burned dash bulbs. Reverse the installation process to complete. This method took me a good 4 hours. I cant see it going any faster. Tach is slightly brighter than the other gauges. Next time, I would disassemble the reproduction tach and paint the interior housing of the tach-gauge black instead of the white/aqua plastic to make it match the factory gauges a bit better, but I am kinda picky. Hope this helps.
Craig, I've posted this many times before. My stock Tach stopped working shortly after I bought my car in 1999. My solution was to buy an Autometer 3 3/4" in dash tach, and mount it in an old clock housing. This way it mounts to the back of the dash, like stock. I had to cut out the back of the clock housing for clearance, but I got it to fit. Installing the tach involves pulling the dash foward. To do this, you need to remove the glove box liner. There are 2-3 nuts securing the dash pad to the metal dashboard on the passenger side. There are also 2 screws that go vertically up into the dash pad from the instrument cluster. Pull the dash pad straight back towards the rear of the car, on each side. Then remove the plate under the steering column, and loosen the the bracket holding the steering column, so that the column drops down. There is a small link that operates the indicator that shows you what gear your in. Remove that before dropping the column. Then there are 8 screws to be removed, and the dash cluster can be pulled foward. If you unclip the speedo cable from the speedometer, the cluster will pull foward some more. That's all it should take to gain enough access to replace the Tach. Then reverse the procedure to reinstall.
There are 3, no more or less than THREE nuts securing the dash pad to the metal dash underneath. I was in a hurry last Spring to install my own tach.. Had two out & started pulling on the pad. Had done it a few times before but this time the "hurry' got the best of me. Pulled a bit harder & a bit harder. Dash seemed easier to come out last time. Suddenly "SNAP". Dash came off, just like that. Left a good size piece of it still attached to the steel dash. This was right where the third anchor is. Only thing saved my bacon that day is I had a spare.
Thanks for the info. Steve, knowing me I might forget that third screw too. great indepth article George, it'll make things easier. Are the wire harness connecters already there from the factory? This car was my grandmothers and it will be the first time the pad/insturment cluster has been removed since new. Is the reproduction a quality piece or should I keep searching for a factory unit? Thanks again. Craig
Reproductions units are ok, not that accurate, more for looks. You don't have a tach harness in your car. You will need to get one or make one for an exisiting unit. Most/many original tachs will need to be redone since many either stick at a certain rpm or have a bouncing needle. To me, I order the repro units and never had a problem with them.
Craig, George's article on buickperformance.com is excellent. I printed this out and it was very useful during my dash removal. A thumbs up to George for doing this.....saved my dash! As for the tach, I did the same as Larry, used the Autometer 2499 and it looks great in there. :TU: And that ones for Larry.
Gary, I didn't cut any plastic. What plastic are you referring to? The 3 clusters in the dash bolt to the back of the dashboard. I had an old clock that didn't work. I used the housing from the clock by removing the clock face, and guts. Ithen was able to fit the Autometer tach into the clock housing (I had to cut the back of the housing some as the autometer tach was somewhat deeper). I then bolted the housing and tach on to the back of the dashboard (just like stock), and re- installed the dashboard.
Oops! There I go not paying attention again. Since I have only the flat plate where the clock or tach is supposed to go in the dash, I just assumed you cut a hole in that instead of just pulling out the clock. Great idea, now I have to see if I can locate a non working clock since I currently have that exact tach sitting on my steering column.
OK, Now I understand. You may be able to use that plastic filler plate to mount the tach in the same way. If you can cut an exact hole in the filler plate and secure the tach to it, you could mount it to the back of the dash in the same way, and it would look just as good. Mark the plastic, and drill some holes along the circumference. Then use a small hack saw blade to cut the hole. It's worth a try.
I have a couple working clocks available should you get stuck. Hopefully you won't need them but if so drop me a line.
I just did this on my 72 GS 455. I did what Larry did, sort of. I had a dead clock, and put the Autometer in its place. I removed the clock, and took it apart. I used the black plastic trim plate from the clock, and the metal cup that the clock resides in. I used a repro lens kit from The Parts Place and replaced all three lenses during this operation, as mine were clouded and scratched. The Autometer nos. are 2499 or 2699, depending on what bezel you want, chrome or black. I removed the Autometer bezel and lens, and put the tach into the clock cup. You need to use a hole saw and cut out the back of the metal clock cup. You will find that the black plastic clock trim is the perfect size for the Autometer tach. I even went so far as to repaint the pointers on all my guages as well as the new tach, to get a uniform, unfaded look. I used model paint from the hobby store for this, and it worked great. I also took the center button from the clock needle and glued it to the Autometer pointer, so it has the same look as the rally cluster and speedo. I took my time, and it looks great and factory, too. Now, my tach resides behind a factory lens like the other two guage pods, and its more accurate than some of the repro units out there. The tach will set you back about $100, more or less. I got mine from Poston's. Thanks, Rudy E
