How to tell a 348 or 409 car. Need input for our FAQ page

[MK IISS]

Fran: A friend of mine, who is a real historian....not an amateur like me, emailed me yesterday. He says the '62 factory built 4-speed 409s had the tach. That's good enough for me. Then if you consider all the factory printed lit. says the same thing, I have to wonder why we are still goin' on about this.

The next thing ya know, when we are talkin' about '61 Impala Super Sports, someone is going to claim their neighbor has a genyouwhine factory built '61 SS with a 283 in it because Chevrolet ran out of 348s the day the car was built. Or maybe annother SS was seen that didn't have a tach.....it was special ordered that way because....well... the guy just didn't want it. Crazy stuff.....just to justify the existence of a bogus car.

 

[gearhead409]

early 61 tac

Thanks Fiftiesbob, this gives me hope that my sept. built 61 350hp 4speed car should have a tac.

 

[SteveD409]

bignbad60---Badges are one of the least reliable sources for determining a 'W' engined car because of the ease with which they could/can be changed. I personally can remember kids putting phoney emblems on cars--I was even guilty of it myself once---just liked the look of the flags of a 327 but the engine in the car was just a 283. It has a 409 emblem on it, but it really does have a 409 in it now----but it's not original (dang close to looking original, but it'll never be).

SteveD

 

[real61ss]

"this gives me hope that my sept. built 61 350hp 4speed car should have a tac."

Gearhead409,

A factory tach would certainly be correct in your 61 but it would have been a separate option. I have never seen anything that indicates the tach was included with a four speed in 61.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Fran, your point that if someone were building a clone that they would claim "no factory tach on this car" because it came this way, is crazy. If a person were to spend $20,000 to $30,000 to build a copy ---whats another $300 to $400? That would be one of the first things to buy, to convince people it was "correct". And to set the record straight--The only car I have at present is a 61 Impala that is INCORRECT from the front bumper to the rear. And also Fran, how can you not know the location on tachs. of 61-64 Chevys? I do think your last statement is the best --All 62 Chevy 4 sp. cars are "supposed to have a factory tach." No argument here. Richard, You have a friend who says all 62 4sp.cars had the tach. and thats good enough for you. I have a friend who bought a new 62 409-4sp car without a factory tach. Thats good enough for me. This issue will be argued for years to come, but not by me. I am finished with this subject.

 

[models916]

dealer built SS?

Were there dealer built 283 or 6 cyl SS Impalas in 1961? Thought I read somewhere that you could have the dealer install the SS option on any Impala. Years later someone would install the 409.

 

[gearhead409]

real61ss

thanks Tommy, i believe your statment to be correct.

 

[real61ss]

"Were there dealer built 283 or 6 cyl SS Impalas in 1961? Thought I read somewhere that you could have the dealer install the SS option on any Impala. Years later someone would install the 409."


Richard, you just couldn't leave well enough alone could you

 

[gearhead409]

Ronnie Russell

I agree with you 100% . it's odd to me that a man so knowledgeable of the paperwork, history and how things should have been when these cars were built, doesn't have a clue as to the things that did happen and ( if you don't know where the tac goes) very little hands on experience. i think most of us have been wrenching on these cars a long time ( me over 40 years ) and have a good idea of how things were done. i have often wondered on the cars i have had in the past that were originally built wrong,should i correct it or not? it will be only original one time.

 

[Fran Preve]

Ronnie: If all I had to memorize was one line of cars for a few years then I would be expected to know this trivia. My claim to fame isn't the 1958-64 W block, I know a bunch, but not everything. My knowledge covers mainly 1965 to 1972 Mark IV's anad even there I don't claim to know EVERYTHING. No one out there knows everything there is to know about every model of car and every model year group. No one. Some people specialize in Camaros, some Chevelle's etc, etc.
But I DO know a helluva lot more than YOU do, or ever will. That goes for Gearnut too.

As far as a $300 dollar tach is concerned, now I have to admit, I haven't a clue how much the Sun tach head an sender are going for today. I don't know because I've never tried to find out. Maybe someone is reproducing them. But I'm a ramblin' gamblin' man SA, so I'll bet that both parts are going to set you back closer to a grand than $400. maybe Sun is reproducing them, if so the price would be much lower. If.

PS: it's far more likely those that want to say the 1962 409 4 speed doesn't need a tach to be correct already have one without a tach rather than are building or planning to build one. And it seems others more knowledgable than Ronnie or gearnut agree a tach is required to be correct.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

No comment-------I will not bite.

 

[Dan Hunt]

Fran
Thanks again for telling me that you know so much more than everyone on this site(except for the two guys that you named some time back).
Would someone other than Fran tell me how smart he is?

 

[ROYALOAK62]

Bob, Looks like it's time to turn this theard off, now that the name calling has started.

Dave

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Bob, I must disagree with Daves suggestion. The very title of the thread shows its importance. Some of us got carried away with petty differances. Grown men acting like little kids. Myself included. I will do my part by staying off this thread, and maybe good useful information will flow. Even though I have said nothing that I feel the need to apologize for, There seems to be obvious personality clashes. I will focus on the threads that are more aimed at practical mechanical application. Hope everyone cools down.

 

[Fran Preve]

Before you do Bob let Ronnie tell us what at Sun tach and senders costs today, and give us your source. Maybe Phil Reed could help.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Bob, I tried. You know I tried, But Fran wants me to reply and reply I will. Fran, your comment on the reason some people claim their 409-4sp. didnt have a tach was ridiculous.To save face, you now want to make the issue the cost of the tach., I used the figure of $300 to $400. That is not the issue! It does not matter if it is $300 or $3,000 the person who would clone a 62-409 car to re-sale as original would spend it to make his car look authentic. But you want to know the cost of a 62 tach. Visit e-bay item # 4553263068. This EB9A Sun tach. transmitter sold today for $71.99 Showcars list a new tach. wiring harness for $42. Tach. heads come and go quite often. The next one I notice I will record item no. and price. Then you can add the 3 items and get the price. Its probably gonna be $300 to $400. Sound familiar? But why the sudden interest in the cost of a tach? You have already stated you dont know the correct location of the tach. Well Fran, Old buddy, let me help. I can tell you exactly where to "stick" your tach.

 

[MK IISS]

glad it's not my tach

 

[real61ss]

"glad it's not my tach"

I was thinking the same thing, of the one's that I've seen sold (and I bought one of'm) the low horse 62 tachs are going for around $250 and the high horse one's go for $400 to $500. A '61 tach's go for about the same as the high horse '62's.

 

[MK IISS]

Tommy: Isn't the '61 tach unigue....that is.... it doesn't have a red line ? Maybe I'm thinking of another car ?

 

[real61ss]

"Isn't the '61 tach unigue....that is.... it doesn't have a red line ? Maybe I'm thinking of another car ? "

Richard,

You're correct, the 61 has no red line.....and with the tach faces being repo'd, I think a lot of the 61 tachs that you see now on the 61 SS clones are made up using the more commonly available 62 tachs.