Well I went back and read a lot of old threads on gauges and tachometers and learned a bit. I did learn that dual point distributors use the setting for a four cylinder engine. That means that commercial tachs have internal circuitry to handle the option of 4, 6 or 8 cyl engines and it should be possible to rig cheap digital logic chips from Radio Shack to convert modern junk instrument clusters (only $20 here) to attractive instrument clusters. The remaining problem is to correct the speedometer but that may not lead to optional gears in all cases so I guess unless someone has a better idea or I figure one out before I cut out the holes in the dash (this winter), I will study the ads in Street Rodder and look over the cheaper gauges at Advanced Auto and the Whitney catalog.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder