I am restoring a 69 SS 350 / 4 speed, and I am trying to determine the original gauge configuration w/tach. Did the SS 350 most likely come with tach/center fuel gauge/idiot lights or tach/console gauges (were the gauges more for hi-po like Z28/396-375hp?). Since parts are missing I can't tell. Any help on identifying the most likely factory config is appreciated.

Both guage packages were separate options unrelated to Z28 or SS. While we'd like to think the performance models were more likely to be ordered with guages, that really isn't known to be true. Many just had a fuel guage and a speedo, some had either of the optional packages.

my car is a #'s matching 69 SS but didn't come with the guage package. it came with speedo & fuel guage.

when i restored it, i added center console guages and swapped out the fuel for the tach

If you got a tach it either came with the center fuel gauge or the console gauge package. Per the white book there were 1,410 U16 tachs sold and 29,524 U17 Special Instrumentation incl tach, amp, oil, fuel, temp and clock. That doesn't say which way your car was though. Look for the console gauge wire harness and look for the center gauge fuel wiring in your under dash wiring to help determine what you had. You should have one or the other...

Also, if the car had U17 (console gauges) from the factory, it would have a factory-drilled hole for the oil pressure line, as shown in the front of the Assembly Instruction Manual.

My Canadian documented X55 car was delivered with just the speedo and fuel guage.

I would think that the tach/center fuel gauge option was on more high performance cars that regular production cars. Many of the copo cars had that setup.

I remember reading a road test article in 1969 about the console gauges. The writer said that they are hard to read and should be moved to the dash. I guess Pontiac read the same test-drive. The 70 Trans Am corrected the 'error'. Somebody better tell Chevy! The concept Camaro is seen with retro-console guages!:hurray:

Here's my 1969 RS/SS 350 4-speed dash several years ago during resto. Console w/gauges, clock and 5k tach.

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/3915/mycar/images/myinterior9.jpg

Telltale signs will be the oil pressure hole, console holes in floor and a wiring harness that has all the correct connectors for all the instruments as stated earlier. Is there still a lens on your gauge cluster - clock with have a hole for setting time, fuel will not.

I've seen several 69 camaros on ebay claiming factory tach and console gauges (u17 option) with no center mounted clock. I'm certain this is incorrect, right? Its my understanding all 69 camaros equipped with the u17, tach and console mounted gauges, came with mandatory center dash clock, correct me if i'm wrong.

my car is a #'s matching 69 SS but didn't come with the guage package. it came with speedo & fuel guage.

when i restored it, i added center console guages and swapped out the fuel for the tach

Mine also has the basic dash and I want to do what you did as a personalization.... just curious though... if you were having a car judged what would your "upgrade" mean to the judges (not that you may care) but is a certain degree of personalization acceptable?

melav8r,

you are correct. if you ordered console gauges, it came with a center mounted clock

angel