Looking for some advice on what type of tachometer to use on a pre war dry lakes type roadster. Been looking around for something that will fit the era of my rod but have come up short. Even a 40's type tach will work just not sure which way to jump. Anyone out there that has the type of tach I need chime in with some information and photos. It may be that it's more correct not to run a tachometer? Gomez.
This is an early Sun tach that would kook good IMHO. That big protrusion on the front is actually where the light is. It's out side of the unit and shines in through the gl***!. Not easy to find but not highly sought after either. My buddy bought one in Fla. for 20 bucks. It uses a Sun box just like the modern chrome type. Will this be exactly correct for a pre-war roadster? I'm not sure but who is going to tell you that it is incorrect?
That Sun is incorrect. You need a no logo (script only) Stewart Warner. Look in the "Mother of all tachometers thread".
Most of the early tachs were mechanical drive. Here is a pic of the drive on a lakes 4 banger. Also some info on one of the most popular ones of the time. Sorry, no pic of the head. Maybe someone else has one.
I think those early sun tachs were late 40's and into the 50's. I have one but it only scales up to 3500.
I had heard from a gauge guy that the Sun tachs went back to 38-39' but I can't confirm that. I always thought the perfect prewar tach would be from an airplane like the one mounted in the column on idskys roadster. John I kinda like this one too...it looks kinda stewart warner-ish but the needle looks more like a motometer gauge. I believe these came in pre-war wood boats but they could of been used later too...the needle just looks old timey to me. Here it is in a what I believe is a Chris Craft dash with the tach in its rightful place flanked by pre-war motometer gauges.
Great information, and I look forward to where this thread goes- I'm needing one that's mid-late 20's
Thanks for all the good, useful information. I love the look on the Sun tach which would suit the look of the car but is most probably a late 40's post war item. I do agree that a era correct tach would be a mechanically operated one. At least now I have a better idea of what I need to look for.
I don't know, it may be correct. I was just trying to be funny. But, I'd think a 6 grand tach may be a little bit later than pre-war. His banger-powered roadster should probably be equiped with a 4 grand tach. (The tach pictured below is the very first curved-gl*** SW I ever bought, many years ago) .
I have a direct drive Stewart Warner Motor Minder tach thats goes to 4.5 grand. It came on an early flathead powered pump that I picked up. This was made right before the war I think as the other gauges are 36-38 Ford car gauges. The crank drive itself didn't have any mounts or brackets with it that I see in some of the other picture threads. -Fryguy
Checking through some threads on the crank-driven tach it looks like there were a couple of different options, one that everybody mentions is the right angle unit. The unit I have doesn't seem to be that unit. It does have a bolt that screws right into crank pulley but there were no provision for a bracket, although they may have been missing. when I spin the bolt it spins the cable shaft, there are no other pins or square shafts that seem to be missing.
Fry, you don't need a bracket for your crank mount. Just bolt it onto the crank and use an Adel clamp to hold the cable to the framerail or inner fender panel. Bout as simple as it gets. And yes, your tach (not a Motor Minder, that is a vacuum gauge) would be perfect for his car. SW didn't directly market to hot rodders pre-war, so a hot rodder would have been perfectly fine stealing a tach off a piece of industrial equipment.
This is a version of the early v8 adapter, just a pic not mine I had heard a guy was recasting them a few years back but there probably wasnt too much of a demand even though I WANT ONE now!
Kris Elmer might be recasting tach drives to sell at Sugar City Speed Shop. At least that's the plan. Once the site's store is up and running I'll have a better gauge on what we're going to carry. **** was that spam too?
If your shop idea wasnt so cool Id report you quicker than some of the old buzzards around here would! What was the name of it again??
Where is Zman when you need him? Now you guys have me rethinking my tach. Any idea what the hell it would have been out of? I sure it isn't as old as I'd like but I'd really like to figure out where it came from. That small 4k tach definitely looks the part. I'd love one of those!
Thanks Jeff, yes you are correct that the motor minder is the vacuum gauge. I saw the words motor miles at the bottom of my tach and I got confused. You say the crank drive unit I have doesn't need a bracket huh. Thats what I figured but I wasn't totally sure. It makes sense to put a bracket around the cable as that would not allow it to spin or bind I imagine. Do you know the main differences between the 2 types of crank drive tach units?
JJ, here is a link to an auction with a tach that is just like mine except that it only goes to 3500. It even has a adjustable redline hand. Very cool. If you don't get it, I most likely will http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-STE...iation_Parts_Gear&hash=item231e3bc649&vxp=mtr
Thanks Fryguy!!! I'll keep and eye on it and see where it goes. That adjustable redline is beautiful!!! Here's one that just went up in the cl***ifieds... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=707017
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