Hi guys, does anyone know the placement or pattern (hole size). I wired up hood tach and worked fine. Ordered new hood and car is going to paint. Wanted to give body guy some specs. On the install, the book calls for a rivet. Should I follow that or is there a better way to secure. Getting fired up for this ride to get on the road. Painter said he will stick with it untill it is complete and this is his full time gig.
I just checked your photobucket site. Not quite sure but it looks like you have an original 67 hood tach, being larger than the 68 version. I can be wrong because of the perspectively slight angle of the front view pic:
My two 68 repros look smaller in upright size but then again they are repros (LH side the one from Ames they call themselves "the better one" [produced by ThePartsPlace!!], RH side the once again available 68 tach from Performance Years with correct steel blue face but a little less accurate in quality than the PartsPlace tach -- I´m still not sure which one to mount on my hood... -- perhaps I´ll interchange the bezels). Note also the different location of the numerics comparing your original bezel to the two repro bezels.
I have no clue if large style and small style tachs have the same hood location but I found a template specifically for a large style tach in the net:
BTW - does anybody know if only the outer shell of the hood tach is painted body color and the inner frame just in front of the glass is left black or does it have to be painted, too? I´ve seen both versions in the net...
There was discussion here a while back where people were comparing locations of hood tachs they knew were original and there seemed to be variation. The centerline of mine is about 10" inboard from the left hand edge of the hood. Mine is a March 1967 bird. CDJr's sketch may be close to mine. Try searching the database.
The very first replacement hood tach that I bought back in 88 from Year One had a template with it. I follow it exactly. The 69 had power brakes. The hood tach was positioned directly over the booster. Every time I shut the hood the tach hit the booster. Eventually the lower part cracked and then moisture got into the housing. For this reason I know that there must be a 'wrong template' available. I've cut three holes since and none of the tachs hit the booster.
I have to wonder exactly how the factory put the holes in the hood for the tachometer. Did they have a fixture? Maybe they had a tool that was just placed in the general vicinity and punched the holes. It would be very interesting to know for sure how they knew where to put the holes at the factory. GM must have had drawings or special instructions detailing this.
I believe my hood is original,Tach location are original. Mine is mounted on sort of a angle and it also has part of the frame cut out. I'll go out and look at it more closely.
could you please check up the hood tach painting, too?
Quote
BTW - does anybody know if only the outer shell of the hood tach is painted body color and the inner frame just in front of the glass is left black or does it have to be painted, too? I´ve seen both versions in the net...
I have an original '67 hood tach and the inset is black. My car came from the factory with a hood tach and the location matched the detailed schematic that Thomas provided. I think there is a mistake with CD's template because another 2" would put the tach too close to the scoop bulge. The face is angled from the hood lines so that it more directly faces the driver. Mine is surprisingly accurate and useful. I have a good picture of the underhood bracing after the hole is cut here: http://john.my67.net/body2.htm
Thanks everyone , you had some great pics John. That sums up the placement but nobody mentioned on install of a factory tach do you use a rivet to secure the back side of the tach.
Is it possible they moved the placement in 68? I see what youre sayin about it being too close to the scoops...maybe its different on 350 hoods and 400 hoods?
Ya, I measured it, and its a 350 hood. So without the 400 scoop there, it looks centered pretty much, but I can tell it would have interference on a 400 hood.
Page 384 of the '69 Firebird Assembly Manual has the placement specs; my copy is rather poor so I cannot replicate it or accurately post the info. Anyone have a better copy?
Vikki 1969 Goldenrod Yellow / black 400 convertible numbers matching
I looked in my 69 Service manual, it show how to install but does not give any dimensions on where to drill holes. http://home.att.net/~pontiacstuff/HoodTachLocation04.pdf
Vikki, I checked my copy and finally found the page you were referencing. Mine isn't very good either but I can read some of it like: "3.75" dia. hole in hood inner & outer panels" "15.420" to center-line of car." Don't see anything that looks like dimension for front to back location.
-=>Lee<=- Due to budget constraints the "light at the end of the tunnel" has been turned off!
I have to wonder exactly how the factory put the holes in the hood for the tachometer. Did they have a fixture? Maybe they had a tool that was just placed in the general vicinity and punched the holes. It would be very interesting to know for sure how they knew where to put the holes at the factory. GM must have had drawings or special instructions detailing this.
The hood was placed in a jig, or one was mounted on the hood then punched/drilled. I'm thinkin' assembly line tactics.
Originally Posted By quick68bird
Claus, a few guesses about your placement. 1. Maybe someone used a 6cyl location, perhaps they were different since it's not a 400 hood.
2. Someone used a GTO template measured from the side of the hood, the GTO hood being wider.
3. Someone placed it next to the hood bulge the way it's usually next to the 400 hood scoop.
And BTW the Royal Bobcat decal looks killer.
There's no discrimination in engine displacement or hood type for the tach location. They all went in the same location. Hence my idea of the factory having a jig. And the Pontiac Service Manual only has one location for Firebird.
In doing the research on my convertible, I found the tach is in the wrong location. I indeed found the tach was placed with the GTO template.