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tstracy39
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Location: Seattle, WA
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 Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 12:52 pm Post subject: Oval-compatible tachometers |
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I've been mulling over the idea of making a reproduction 80mm Oval tachometer for a while now and I need a little help, I've been searching for donor tachometers to borrow the housings and mechanisms from but I can't find anything. What makes and models of tachs will fit in the 80mm hole? I'm thinking late model Porsche maybe? I'm already in the process of designing a 52mm tachometer for 55-67 Beetles, but if I can get some cheap 80mm tachs to work with I wouldn't mind making a few Oval-specific tachs.
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RareAir
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sirzo
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Joined: December 12, 2007
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Location: Australia
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| Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 4:58 am Post subject: |
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Tracy, great idea, hope you have success with it.
I like the idea of a vintage look but I like having a more modern functionality (ie 12V).
Next project after getting the wife off my back is a 56 Oval window daily driver on an IRS pan, mildly lowered, with Empi 8 spoke copies. A mild motor with baby Dells. Maybe even graft in a factory ragtop.
Inside for the gauges:
For a vintage cockpit look can't go past the motometer rally pack I have a nice one which won't go in car as it is functioning (with all senders - got to keep it original!), so, I bought a copy IPSWEST aluminium panel which will have 3 old style 6V gauges converted to 12V...oil temp, oil press & ammeter. But need to somehow convert to get to look like motometer gauges (inner chrome ring).
For a Speedo I will use '68 model (I have a nice km/h one I couldn't get to for this picture) as it has the fuel gauge, will match the 52mm gauges and has the vintage look (chrome circle in centre).
For matching tacho I will have to go something that matches the speedo (again chrome ring). The only close ones I have found are: a Merc tacho (mechanical - would have to get guts of it replaced with electrical) and a Porsche tacho. Trouble is these will have to be colour matched to fit in with the colour scheme. See photo attached. Only problem tacho is a bit large (same size as speedo). was thinking of putting tacho in speedo hole and cut hole for speedo to the right (RHD). It would be nice if the tacho was a bit smaller (356?)
Would like a way of getting good copies of the motometer gauges (with the inner circle in gauge, or doing same with the old VDO 6V gauges. Anyone with ideas or suggestions?
I personally think it would be a great look for the style of car I will be building. Not authentic, but as if you were building the car with what you have available in early 70s.
For the purists the car isn't in fantastic shape - needs some work. I would rather have a nice oval on the road (at least lookwise) that can keep up with traffic effortlessly, look good and be safe (discs, better suspension, better tyres etc). I love the stockies but they are expensive to build matched up correctly. I want something to drive & have fun with.
Any one else have suggestions or comments on the gauge set up?
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tstracy39
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| Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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I'm finishing up the first 52mm tach, it'll be ready within a few days, I'll either update here or at the very least put an ad up for the first example as soon as I get around to taking pictures. It has the stepped (VDO style) bezel and tapered, off-white needle. It's 12 volt, 8000 RPM. By doing an ebay search I discovered that MG (Smiths) tachometers are 80mm but that's about the only one I could find and it looks like they're a little pricey, anyways I'll definitely be making the 52mm tachs for a while as I have an unlimited source of parts with which to make them.
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envycustoms
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| Posted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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Any pre production pics? Im sure alot of people will be interested, me included
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tstracy39
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| Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:07 am Post subject: |
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It'll be the same face as my splitbus tach
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but, with the offwhite style needle and stepped bezel that you see on earlier VDO gauges. Just finished the needle, all that's left is to put everything together now
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EMPIFLAKE
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sirzo
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| Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 7:31 am Post subject: |
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tstracy, from memory and some quick checking:
I think there are some Volvo tachos that are around the 3 inch diameter. These might just be the inners without housing as goes on those dashboard combp speedo-tacho clusters. Other late models of other makes may also give options to gut out for the mechanisms.
Also from memory the Fiat 124 tachos (Veglia) were around this 80mm diameter. Some of these had a habit of jumping around when electronic ignition upgrades were made. A quick fix was done by installing a .68 microfarad capacitor (plenty of info now on web concerning this upgrade).
As you saw Smiths 80mm tachos from Minis are available but have gone up in price.
I did some surfing for you & Prosport sell a reasonably priced ricer tacho for about $130US (http://prosportgauges.com/80mm-tachometer.aspx). Dont know anything about them though.
Hope this helps.
PS: China may be an OK option for manufactured housings if you get big enough and want to produce in the 100s |
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tstracy39
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| Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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For anyone who was interested in the 52mm tachs, here's the finished product
These are going to be a little bit pricey because the needle has to be made from scratch which takes a long time, anyways I'm thinking $190 but don't quote me on that.
I'm going to put the 80mm tach idea on hold for a while, because the original VDO ones aren't that hard to find, I just scored an NOS one for $100, I can use it as a pattern if I decide to restart that project again.
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tstracy39
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| Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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I managed to sell a few 52mm Beetle tachometers, but not as many as I was expecting, so I'm now concentrating on making 60mm and 80mm Beetle tachs. The first 80mm ones are already finished:
[/img]
They're built entirely from original VDO parts. 60mm (Motometer panel fitment with imitation Motometer "Rally" face) tachs are coming soon.
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Trevor P
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| Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:39 pm Post subject: |
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Nice work. 
Any chance you will make any others besides the 5K and 6K version tachs. Like a special order 8K tach for freaks like me who like the vintage look of an oval with an IDA equipped stroker out back? 
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tstracy39
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| Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 10:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Trevor P wrote: |
Nice work.
Any chance you will make any others besides the 5K and 6K version tachs. Like a special order 8K tach for freaks like me who like the vintage look of an oval with an IDA equipped stroker out back? |
Only in 52 and 60mm. All the 80mm parts I have, particularly the pointers, will be dedicated to making the 5k VDO reproductions due to the fact I need to get top dollar for everything, with the one exception being the 80mm Barndoor tach which uses a different style pointer I already have a million examples of
Because no one ever made a 60mm tach until the late 60's I can prettymuch just make whatever I want with whatever 60mm parts I have, no one would be able to tell it isn't stock and I won't incur any losses. 8000rpm black face VDO tachs can be found in 80mm with chrome bezel fairly easy, I bought an NOS one dating from 1967 for $100. It was exactly the same as this one:
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charger
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Location: France
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| Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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| tstracy39 wrote: |
I managed to sell a few 52mm Beetle tachometers, but not as many as I was expecting, so I'm now concentrating on making 60mm and 80mm Beetle tachs. The first 80mm ones are already finished:
[/img]
They're built entirely from original VDO parts. 60mm (Motometer panel fitment with imitation Motometer "Rally" face) tachs are coming soon. |
Would you do this model in 52mm ?
If so, consider me as a buyer...  |
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Keith
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| Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:15 pm Post subject: |
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| charger wrote: |
| tstracy39 wrote: |
I managed to sell a few 52mm Beetle tachometers, but not as many as I was expecting, so I'm now concentrating on making 60mm and 80mm Beetle tachs. The first 80mm ones are already finished:
[/img]
They're built entirely from original VDO parts. 60mm (Motometer panel fitment with imitation Motometer "Rally" face) tachs are coming soon. |
Would you do this model in 52mm ?
If so, consider me as a buyer... |
Same here!!!!
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tstracy39
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Joined: May 14, 2008
Posts: 3295
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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| ovalteen wrote: |
| charger wrote: |
| tstracy39 wrote: |
I managed to sell a few 52mm Beetle tachometers, but not as many as I was expecting, so I'm now concentrating on making 60mm and 80mm Beetle tachs. The first 80mm ones are already finished:
[/img]
They're built entirely from original VDO parts. 60mm (Motometer panel fitment with imitation Motometer "Rally" face) tachs are coming soon. |
Would you do this model in 52mm ?
If so, consider me as a buyer... |
Same here!!!! |
I can make these in 52mm. I am switching to a different 52mm donor tach that is significantly more expensive than the one I used to use, so the price is going to be a bit higher. Because it would be $300 or less though, I won't be keeping a waitlist organized. I will most likely put one together when the last 8000RPM tach sells, and put it in the classifieds in its place.
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Eric Outland
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| Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:08 pm Post subject: Eric (VMR) |
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Also for a Nominal Fee in keeping with the original theme of the 3 1/8 inch Tach VDO 0-50. NHSpeedometer will keep the Tach Face all grey if you want and remove the Green and Red gauge face plate replacing it with the more original (VDO) 1956-57 Tach. VW all Grey and white increments and numbers.
Last edited by Eric Outland on Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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tstracy39
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| Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: Eric (VMR) |
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| Eric Outland wrote: |
| Also for a nominal Fee in keeping with the original theme of the 3 1/8 inch Tach VDO 0-50. NHSpeedometer will keep the Tach Face all grey if you want and remove the Green and Red gauge face plate replacing it with the more original (VDO) VW all Grey and white increments and numbers. |
VDO made the 5k tachs in both plain and redline faces. These are all original tachs:
The plain 5K faces appear to have been replaced with a 6000 RPM version around 1961, the redline faces appear to have ended altogether around 1962. The redlines are the rarest and most sought after.
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charger
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Location: France
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| Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 2:33 am Post subject: |
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| tstracy39 wrote: |
| ovalteen wrote: |
| charger wrote: |
| tstracy39 wrote: |
I managed to sell a few 52mm Beetle tachometers, but not as many as I was expecting, so I'm now concentrating on making 60mm and 80mm Beetle tachs. The first 80mm ones are already finished:
[/img]
They're built entirely from original VDO parts. 60mm (Motometer panel fitment with imitation Motometer "Rally" face) tachs are coming soon. |
Would you do this model in 52mm ?
If so, consider me as a buyer... |
Same here!!!! |
I can make these in 52mm. I am switching to a different 52mm donor tach that is significantly more expensive than the one I used to use, so the price is going to be a bit higher. Because it would be $300 or less though, I won't be keeping a waitlist organized. I will most likely put one together when the last 8000RPM tach sells, and put it in the classifieds in its place. |
Thanks for doing that...Please let me know as soon as available so that I paypal you ! |
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matara
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| Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:31 am Post subject: |
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I found this nice 6v tach from a BMW 2000CS and modified/cut the dash grille.
Cheers
Steve
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tstracy39
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| Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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Just for future reference, in case anyone doesn't know already, you can get a repro grill with an 80mm hole already stamped in, known as Perohaus type
The speaker divider bar still needs to be cut. Also available is the Perohaus step ring, which is long enough to stack an 80mm clock onto the dash without any cutting, but not long enough to stack an 80mm tach without cutting the bar.
I do realize that BMW tachs are smaller than 80mm, have never seen a step-down ring to mount one of those in an 80mm hole.
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