Vintage Sun Tachometer

[Carmine]

Hi everyone. I'll be attending a large car show/swap meet in my area this coming weekend. I'll be looking for a vintage Sun tachometer. I would like one from '63 on but not too much newer then that. I want a Sun tach that stands alone and doesn't need a sending unit. I think '62 was the last year Chevy used a tach with a sending unit. That's what I have in my '62. You get some slick people at these swap meets who will tell you anything for a sale. I don't know if I can tell the difference between the two. Would one have more or different wires then the other?? Would wiring color be different?? Particular serial/model number to look for?? I just don't want to but something I can't use. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you, Carmine.

 

[Don Jacks]

Carmine,The 61-62 cars had the tach mounted "stand alone" much as you have yours now.The 63-64 cars had the tach mounted in the center of the dash in front of the speedometer.A 63 tach would not look "correct" in your 62.

 

[pvs409]

All 61 and 62 factory tachs had a sending unit. The sending unit was mounted from the factory on the drivers side inner fender the tach was screwed to the steering column with a reversed chrome bracket. 61 factory tachs did not have a red line, 62 factory tachs had a redline.
63 factory tachs where hooded tachs mounted in the dash insert on 63 and 64 chevys as Don says. They are way different that 61's and 62's - they where ont sun tachs.

One thing you will find is that 61 and 62 tachs ran off the sending units in the inner fender with 1.35 volt batterys in them. These batteries are not available anymore. The only way to have a original 62 tach (or 61) operate correctly is to have it converted to electronic, assuming that you want the factory sender under the hood. All my 62's have the converted senders matched to the tach heads on the steering column (5000 RPM redline on 300 HP/327 cars and 6200 RPM redline on all 62 409 cars.)..

It is also necessary to have used Sun tach heads(from the steering column) checked to see if they are any good. I have had some that were junk (burned up inside or shorted).
I have had about 5 -10 sun tachs heads converted using NOS sending units with the correct EB-9A stickers on them.

Paul

 

[Jim Sullivan]

Carmine,

There are several vendors selling a modern "retro" looking tachometer. Summit has one listed, it's a Bosch Retro Line Tachometer. I believe it is very similar in appearance to your original tach.

 

[Jim Sullivan]

Sunpro also has one called
Sunpro Analog Retro Tachometers FZ88R

 

[Carmine]

Thanks everyone. My fault, but I should have explained a little bit further. A dear friend of mine is doing a fantastic job on building a '63 Nova straight axle gasser. He loves the looks of the older Sun style tachs mounted on the steering column. He would like to have one as old as possible that still works without benefit of a sending unit. He doesn't know this, but I want to buy him one for his car because he has been such a great friend over the years. I know I will see a bunch of these at the swap meet Saturday. Quite honestly, I'm a little apprehensive about buying any used electronic item from someone I know nothing about or will ever see again. Guess if it's in nice shape and the price was right, I could always send it out for repair if need be. Jim, I will also check into that Sunpro.

My '62 came with a Sun tach and sending unit. (Not from the factory. Definitely owner installed). I guess it worked ok. I don't really recall because I only had the motor running a few times. Did a little research and as mentioned in one of the above threads, the sending unit took a unique battery which they don't make any more. Someone had used a similar, not identical, Duracell battery which wasn't recommended. I know I sent at least the sending unit, maybe the tach also, to what I believe was Williamson Electronics. They put all new circuitry in the sending unit. I don't think it works perfectly, but for the present time, it's close enough for me. Read about those batteries and got a kick out of it. It seems that when the batteries wore out, they weren't being disposed of properly. People were just throwing them away in the garbage. Many environmentalist didn't like this and GM then came out with a tach not requiring batteries. I don't know, how many cars had this style tach back in '61 and '62?? I'm guessing not many to where it really mattered. Besides, how much easier does it get then to hook up a tach directly to the engine. Looks like there was concern about the environment way back then. Probably precursor to Al Gore's Global Warming, Carmine.

 

[pvs409]

If your converted sun tach and sender do not work correctly, Williamson's will fix it for free. It should work exactly, mine do.
There work is warrantied for as long as you have it for sure.
Paul

 

[Carmine]

You're 100% right Paul. Honestly, it's laziness on my part. The car sat in the garage all winter doing absolutely nothing. I could have sent it to them, but I didn't. Sometimes I wonder about me, Carmine.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

I went with one of those repop tachs from Summit/JEGs and they do look period correct and do not require the sending unit (which is not period correct). Works fine in the BA 409 car.

I left the tach off my SS 409 clone, but am thinking of adding one of these aftermarket tachs on that one as well.

Cheers!
TomK

 

[yellow wagon]

I too use the Sun repop from Summit. Works awesome

 

[Monk]

I've got several NOS Sun Tachs around here.
I send 'em out to have new internals in them to work with today's ignitions.

The re pops aren't bad but I wanted original old school in the '55

My collection



Here's an old Sun Tach I had converted installed on the column

 

[Carmine]

My friend found one yesterday at a swap meet. Similar to the one on your steering column. Suppose to have been converted and working well. Guess he'll see sometime soon, Carmine.

 

[Tri5man]

I've bought several new sixties Sun Super Tach ll Model CP 7901 which doesn't require a sender off of eBay. There are several on eBay right now.

Gary

 

[Agent Blue]

Monk;
How long have you been collecting Sun Tachs ? I never see them at swap meets .I will probably resort to a new repo when the BelAir hits the road. Nothing says nostalgia like a column mount chrome base sun tach. I bought a new one mounting it on my brothers 64 Impala convertible. He sold the car later on. Sure would have loved to be the second owner.

 

[models916]

Bought this last Fall swap. Sold the original Sun and electronic sender. I still keep the EB9 box empty on the inner fender for that correct look. The guy sold it cheap cuz' it didn't have the Moon logo. I wouldn't have bought it if it had the logo.

 

[pvs409]

Here is a factory Sun tach (6200 RPM redline) in my 62 SS 409 Hardtop with sender under the hood.
The only difference with a 327 car is a 5200 RPM redline.

 

[Agent Blue]

I got these two ( and cases ) for carrying them out of a shop. The low red line one is probably for a 4 or 6 cylinder.
The black case version is my favorite. It came attached to a car.