In another thread Imentioned the cost of instrumentation in a modern rod. I am just thinking out loud because in recent trips to a local junk yard I noticed a LOT of nice instrument clusters in late models (junked) which have built-in tachs in an attractive compact layout. I mention in particular the new Saturn, the Ford Ranger, several Buick models etc. Interestingly another note from an up-to-date junkyard is that there are not many V8s in there anymore, mostly V6 and 4-cyl cars! Thus the question is has anyone adapted a digital tach from a late model V6 or 4-cy to a V8? If the unit requires pulses from a digital electronics unit there should be some way to just count the pulses differently and that should be easiest for doubling/halving the pulse count of a 4-cyl engine adapted to a V8 engine. There are many ways to look at this. On the one hand a billet Deuce panel or a reproduction Auburn panel may hold nostalgia for some and indeed look better than just mounting aftermarket gauges in simple holes in a fiberglass dash, but on the other hand if you go back to great looking cars like the AMBR No.1 and other early rods you see innovations based on parts available at that time. Should we not look for innovation/adaptation using modern parts. Of course the main problem may be the speedometer instead of the tach in that the speedometer needs to be corrected to whatever rear ration is being used. Anyway I recall a few Internet sites showing how to retrofit the instrument cluster from a LeBaron with a Tach to another LeBaron which came without a tach. Can that be done only in special cases where the models match closely or are there some cases of a near universal good looking instrument clusters that can be adapted using just the gears in the speedometer cable for a different ratio? Just asking, but when you get a chance peek in through the window of late models and note how many of them have great looking instrument clusters which include tachometers. Anybody adapted one yet?

Don Shillady
Retired Scientis/teen rodder