CS159 in dash tach retro fitting 66 cuda

-

Syleng1

Karma is real and Life is short...
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Messages
3,589
Reaction score
3,706
Location
North Franklin, CT
IMG_4438.JPG
Does anyone know if you buy the tach sold on eBay (I believe I bought mine from Van's LLC) do you need to modify to make sure the dash lights get into the tach for night time driving?

So I pulled my tach from the cluster to install the "modern" tach that will run on modern ignition in my 66' Barracuda.
It's made by Charger Specilities in NV.
One of the things I noticed is the lip around the tach face is about 1/4" tall. All the way around. The factory tach has the wall cut out on the top and bottom just like all the gauges. Just wondering if anyone else has had to "modify" so dash lights get inside.
Thanks,
Joe
 
I would trim those two areas away rather than ponder what difference it might make. That black base plate will absorb/kill a lot of the light in there. Aint a whole heck of a lot of light in the first place. So.... yep, I would paint that flat white too.
And if the back of that screen is also black... No the factory didn't spend for white paint where raw metal serves good enough. More white paint applied by me in this case though.
 
Last edited:
View attachment 1715081803 Does anyone know if you buy the tach sold on eBay (I believe I bought mine from Van's LLC) do you need to modify to make sure the dash lights get into the tach for night time driving?

So I pulled my tach from the cluster to install the "modern" tach that will run on modern ignition in my 66' Barracuda.
It's made by Charger Specilities in NV.
One of the things I noticed is the lip around the tach face is about 1/4" tall. All the way around. The factory tach has the wall cut out on the top and bottom just like all the gauges. Just wondering if anyone else has had to "modify" so dash lights get inside.
Thanks,
Joe
I dunno, but maybe it's really designed to replace a 66 charger tach. IIRC, the 1st Gen Chargers used an "electro luminescent" dash lighting, similar to early 60's Chryslers, which uses a 110 transformer to power the dash bulbs.
 
I would trim those two areas away rather than ponder what difference it might make. That black base plate will absorb/kill a lot of the light in there. Aint a whole heck of a lot of light in the first place. So.... yep, I would paint that flat white too.
And if the back of that screen is also black... No the factory didn't spend for white paint where raw metal serves good enough. More white paint applied by me in this case though.


Red fish- Thanks for the input. I looked at the tach and that 1/4' ring is not even connected to the tach. It is a very tight "slip fit" so if I cut too much off I have no idea how that will work.
Honestly it looks like a Charger tach that had been modified to fit the dash of the 66 Barracuda. The needle has a hokey paint job and now I need to repaint all the needles to match.
I do however know the needles are weight sensitive. too much paint throw them out of wack. :(
Joe
 
yeah, your screwed. Let them know. Id say maybe use your old face but the RPM range is wrong too.
speedometer-003-jpg.jpg
 
Red fish- Thanks for the input. I looked at the tach and that 1/4' ring is not even connected to the tach. It is a very tight "slip fit" so if I cut too much off I have no idea how that will work.
Honestly it looks like a Charger tach that had been modified to fit the dash of the 66 Barracuda. The needle has a hokey paint job and now I need to repaint all the needles to match.
I do however know the needles are weight sensitive. too much paint throw them out of wack. :(
Joe
OK so don't cut it completely away. Leave a small section so it remains 1 piece/continuous (and apply a few tiny drops of super glue? ) I'd have to see the entire assembly and make a judgement call on adhesive, how much and where.
If you decide to repaint all the needles, correct paint is most important. Tiny lil bottle of acrylic latex is about 7 bucks at ebay. 1 bottle covers a bunch of needles. Chemical stripping the needles reveals/removes 1 thin layer orange, 1 thin layer white primer. One good layer orange can get like new look and that weight close enough too.
I wont go into my repaint technique here and now. Too much typing of info you may not require.
 
OK so don't cut it completely away. Leave a small section so it remains 1 piece/continuous (and apply a few tiny drops of super glue? ) I'd have to see the entire assembly and make a judgement call on adhesive, how much and where.
If you decide to repaint all the needles, correct paint is most important. Tiny lil bottle of acrylic latex is about 7 bucks at ebay. 1 bottle covers a bunch of needles. Chemical stripping the needles reveals/removes 1 thin layer orange, 1 thin layer white primer. One good layer orange can get like new look and that weight close enough too.
I wont go into my repaint technique here and now. Too much typing of info you may not require.


Redfish- Good Call on paint.- I have some coming for Saturday. On Vacation now and the internet is only if we go somewhere and they have wifi. The cabin we are in has no internet or cell service.
THanks for the info.
Joe
 
yeah, your screwed. Let them know. Id say maybe use your old face but the RPM range is wrong too.
View attachment 1715082198


pishta- I've got a plan. After seeing the "professional job they did on what looks like the repurposing of the tach", I just need to make it my own.
Lucky for me if I ruin the ring I just need to make another. It seems to be a aluminum sheet metal ring. Something I can fab in the shop.
 
-
Back
Top