Vintage Tach Collectors Show and Tell

I've got this Corbin RPM that came off an old Indian
And if you need to check your amperes, use this nice old tool

 

This is from a '55 Studebaker Speedster. I finally found a tach sender and hope to use the entire group in my '26 Chevy roadster.

 

Can anyone date this Sun tach by the style of the font? It's 6v and the print is light green

 

My Dixco from '65. Was in my AV8.

 

Some of the ones I have, the small ones are plastic faced so maybe 60's or early 70's? (Dixco and RAC?). Hmm, seems I don't have a picture of the other tach, but it's the same size as the Dixco at around 2 1/16".

 

I really like this thread, and the others over the years dealing with tachs/gauges. I recently bought two tachs; one is an original, non-transmitter, 8 grand Sun Super Tach in beautiful condition. A "REAL" Sun Super Tach, not the lame Super Tach II. The other is IDENTICAL to the 8 grand Sun Super Tach, but it is marketed by Equus, a California company still in business today, but manufactured in Taiwan. It's NOS, right down to the box it came in, the warranty card, instruction sheet, and wiring kit. Even the font, blue and white stripes, and pointer, is identical to the Sun's writing, but instead of Sun Super Tach, it says Pro Racing Tach. Talk about counterfeit! I just can't put a date to it. The tach in my 56 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery is an 8 grand, black and white face, Sun, with the short sweep. I'm sure it's been in that car since the 60's. Good thread. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Just picked this one up and put it in the Chevy

WP_20140806_002[1] by Dutch54 posted Aug 14, 2014 at 5:08 PM

 

Here's an old SW tacho I found some time ago. Unfortunately I do not have the sender unit.
Where could I found a matching sender - anyone?
0...3000rpm is low range for a car, but since I installed R10 OD in my D24, I might try to hook this tacho... ;-)


p.s.
Anyone would know the age & original apllication where this was used?

 

There are two types of senders that will work. One plugs into the distributor tach drive (and is the same as the SW speedometer drive that plugs into the transmission tail-shaft) and the other mounts between the distributor and the distributor cap. The latter are extremely hard to find.

Look at my album here where I have a copy of the catalog pages for these: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/media/albums/stewart-warner-corporation.43975/

Yours must have originally been intended for a diesel engine due to the low RPM range (no distributor there obviously).

 

I believe you may be incorrect on a transmission sender for that tach, with the 3 prong plug I think it was only for the distributor unit, and the plugs and bakelite unit for the dist are both very hard to find! Gary

 

Here is the best information I have found about wiring this type of SW tach.
http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123971

 

Makes me think that a signal generator or something can be made for the old large tachs. Some more info:
http://builda32fordroadster.blogspot.com/2011/03/stewart-warner-mechanical-tach-drive.html
http://www.1956goldenhawk.com/tachometer-instructions.pdf

 

Pretty cool thread. Here are a couple of pics of an old mini tach I have had since the '60's. I believe it is a Dixco but it doesn't say on it. Ran it on a banger for a while.

 

I believe it's early-mid '60s. Any red or white numbers on the back of the tach head?

 

Anybody got an idea what year this one was manufactured?

I just got it back from Williamsons.
Top notch work,and great folks to deal with!

Scott


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Stoked on this one. Needs a little clean up but worth it!

 

Thanks. It's in a cup, so as soon as I get the chance, I'll pull it out and look for some numbers.

 

Model RC. 5A. on tag. Red ink numbers stamped on back: 1357 1

 

The model number matches that style face. The red ink number are throwing me a bit as you don't see that many numerals, usually. Is that actually a space between the "7" and the "1"?

 

Mid to late '60s for sure. I've seen similar models from the early '60s, so it maybe earlier as well. Do you have any ink stamped numbers on the back of the tach head?

 

I will have to pull it apart and have a look.

I still haven't hooked it up yet,but I can't say enough about the amazing work that Williamsons did on this thing.
Absolutely outstanding!

I'll get back to you when I get it apart for some numbers.

Scott


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Yes, there is a space there between the 7 and 1. It says on the tag it needs an EB or WB transmitter. It had a EB 1A 6 volt transmitter with it, which I have also. Given the low rpm scale and the 6 volt transmitter, I was guessing early to mid 50s, but that's only a guess.

 

Your tach is not a style one sees often and, when I answered your original post, I was going on memory as to when I had seen that style. I still think that style, or something like it, was used during the early '60s. There were still 6V vehicles in use during that time, so Sun cud have still produced some of those tachs. However, now that we've looked at the ink stamped numbers on your tach, I'd say that tach was from 1957. That style probably does date back to the early '50s as well, but I just haven't seen enough of them to say for sure.

 

Thanks a bunch. As you stated, I have not seen this style of numbers before, either. The idea of 1957 vintage makes sense. It was in the pile of parts in the car in my avatar, and it had had a 265 chevy in it before it was parked in 1961. I'm going back with a flathead, so the 5K scale will be fine

 

No problem. Glad I cud be of some help to you. Have you tested the meter yet to see if the needle bounces and returns properly?

 

I'm gonna bump this thread up as it deserves another go-around and also because I require some input on a tach I picked up years ago.

It'd a Jones Motrola 5101-213 cable drive 10k tach. I'm under the impression it's late 60's, the fella I bought it from pulled it out of an ex drag tri-5 that he was restoring to run on the streets.

Curious as to the history and value associated with this piece a I am nearing the point of my coupe build where I need to start selling shit in order to fund new shit

 

Mine

 

View attachment 3475717 View attachment 34 ss
Swapped cheapie $5 swap meet solid state guts into my 760-AT stewart Warner tach tonight...works great and I was able to keep the S.W. face plate and all needles. Didn't notice the orange paint had fallen off one needle until I was all finished...damn!