I was toying with the idea of adding a factory tach to my non-tach 68. I have an MSD pro billet distributor w/o a box. Aside from the circuit panel on the gauges, what else would I need to wire it in. Also, how would I hook in a fuel gauge?

On a 68, the factory tictoc tach was only available with the optional console gauges, which included a fuel gauge.

The following items are different:
tic toc tach
console gauge pod
Cluster PCB
console, dash, and front lighting wiring harnesses.

A "conversion harness" is available from the repro houses to add the required wires without replacing the dash and front lighting harnesses.

A factory style conversion adds the tictoc tach in place of the fuel gauge, and a fuel, ammeter, electric temp gauge, and mechanical oil pressure gauge in the console.

The brake idiot light stays. The oil idiot light becomes low fuel, and the gen and temp lights are deleted.

It costs about a $1300 to do this with OER repro parts using the conversion harness, $1900 if you replace the main harnesses.

Your msd probillet distributor will work with the OER tach using the tach fitler detailed in the electrical basics, that's what I use.


There are other options if you would prefer a more functional rather than factory setup, and are good at wiring.

I modified the existing cluster pcb, dash harness, and console harness, used aN OER tictoc tach, and autometer console gauges with fuel, electric temp and oil pressure, abd voltmeter, and kept all the idiot lights functional.

I like idiot light, they shout "look at me!!" Even the best of us may miss a bad reading on a gauge, particularly when the gauge in down on the floor well out of your normal line of sight. Just Friday, driving home in traffic in a 93 vette, she heated up on me. I saw nothing until that bight red "CHECK GAUGES" warning lit up on the dash. Note that light is within an inch of the temp gauge!!

Cost of my guage conversion on the 68 was about $700, nearly half of which was for the OER tictoc tach.

I did my conversion and went to American Auto Wire http://www.americanautowire.com/ 1-800-482-WIRE I sent them my original harness and they converted it as if the car was a factory Gauge Car. You will also have to change your Front Light harness, Engine Harness and Console Harness. They are real professionals and you will have no problem with the conversion.

Thanks - great info as always!

check out the 69 chevelle ss tach cluster - i've seen some people do pretty neat conversions using those.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-CHEVELLE-SS-DASH-GAUGE-TACH-5700-REDLINE-OEM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ10076QQihZ013QQitem Z230137260583QQrdZ1

check out the 69 chevelle ss tach cluster - i've seen some people do pretty neat conversions using those.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1969-CHEVELLE-SS-DASH-GAUGE-TACH-5700-REDLINE-OEM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ10076QQihZ013QQitem Z230137260583QQrdZ1

Do you have a picture of anyone with that conversion? What is the size difference in the gauge diameters? Would you replace the speedo with a chevelle speedo as well? Interesting...

email sent - i can't post pics here

Wow, that looks "period appropriate". Certainly anyone with a Camaro background could ID it as incorrect, but to the casual eye, it looks like it belongs. That would be a decent option for someone who wanted a tach, but w/o the hassle of a console or doing the Covan gauge set.
Thanks,
Scott
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/67Therapy/Interior/ChevelleTach.jpg