Mounting a tacho in-dash

Draevon · tinkerer Joined: 30 Aug 2002 Posts: 102

Buy a $80 tacho from Supercheap Auto. Pull it apart and take it out of it's housing, also remove the cover (with the adjustable redline). If you open up your early model dash and remove the clock, the tacho will sit in there nicely and come pretty fluch with the rest of the instruments. Drill a small hole in the back of the instrument cluster (behind where the clock used to be) where the plastic struts cross over (ie. right in the center). You can then use the screw that used to attach the tacho to it's original casing to attach it firmly to you instrument cluster.

I put 2 screws sideways through the front of the tacho into the side of the front face of the instrument panel to stop the tacho from rotating around. Wire it up and you have yourself a tacho dash that looks like it was always mean to be there. You dont really need to wire up the lights that came as part of the tacho, as the clear ring around the tacho means that when your original gauge lights are on, they will illuminate the tacho. The original lights are far too dim anyways.

I also removed the clear blue plastic covers from over the bulbs in my instrument panel to brighten the cluster.

Here is a picture:

http://www.404shirts.com/tacho.jpg

Ðraevon.

77 Gem · rice boy Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 13

Nice Job, Cant Find That Tacho at supercheap but, mind you I live in the bush so they dont realy have much of anything realy, What model dash is it? Looks great

Draevon · tinkerer Joined: 30 Aug 2002 Posts: 102

77 Gem,

It's mounted in my 78 TD dash. The tacho is just generic brand, same is the 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 gauge sets they sell. It comes in a black plastic mounting cup. I think you can only get them from SuperCheap, so ask them and they should be able to get it in for you. They cost $80 but I got mine for $64 during their 20% off everything sales last year.

Ðraevon
.

Stock TE · backyard mechanic Joined: 12 Mar 2002 Posts: 853

Thats what mine looks like now. I did it about 5-6 weeks ago. To make it fit a bit better I removed the circuit, ran the wires through some holes in the back of the cluster and screwed the cicuit to the back of the cluster. I also found that the tacho fitted tightly enough not to use screws to stop it from turning. How do you find it with no bulb covers? Also, in Sydney these tachos only cost $55.

Draevon · tinkerer Joined: 30 Aug 2002 Posts: 102

$55 ... bastards.

No bulb covers it heaps better. It always was a little bit dim but now it's all nice and clear, and the light is a better colour too. Plus I get a bright green circle around my tacho. The bulb covers were a huge pain in the ass to get out though.

Here is what Mr Stock TE's tacho looks like if anyone is interesed:

http://www.404shirts.com/tacho2.jpg

Ðraevon
.

Stock TE · backyard mechanic Joined: 12 Mar 2002 Posts: 853

Thanks

rust3 · backyard mechanic Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Posts: 971

ahhhhh shes almost hit 200 thousand.

tacho looks alright though

77 Gem · rice boy Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Posts: 13

Thanks. It'l be in my TD this weekend, I dont have a clock in my dash but, should still fit but...

Racegem · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 Jan 2002 Posts: 987

Haigh is one of the brands of tachometers you can use, autObarn retails them for under $60.

On the back of the early dashes you can use the earth screw that's from the clock, there's another screw that's 12volt ignition, and a third screw on the back of the dash is actually a negative coil feed already running through the loom. Makes it piss easy to wire it up.

The other tip is find a poverty pack instrument cluster that has no clock, just the holden lion logo and swap the perspex front cover. That way you'll lose the ugly hole and rubber grommet where the clock adjuster goes. Much neater finish.

My first Gemini I did this to 10 years ago and I've also done it to Racegem.

Cheers, Yonnee.