Factory Tach Pics

[mattiez06]

Hello all, I'm new to the site and thought I would share something I thought was pretty cool. I have owned my 85 2wd short bed for 16 years now (a year before I got my license so I could restore it) and have been looking for a factory tach cluster to match my trucks vintage. After peaking in a million windows, I finally stumbled across an 80s up factory tach cluster, believe it or not in my own backyard. It came out of a wrecker and the guy who owned it said it never worked. He was running an aftermarket tach and said I could have the cluster if I replaced it. I have been stocking up on clusters and parts over the years and enjoy restoring them in my spare time, so I put a set together and swapped them out. While doing that I also noticed a bad tach signal connection, so I prayed that that might be the reason why it was not working. When I got home I hot wired the tach into my truck and it worked great, accurate within 50 rpm. I stripped it all apart and restored it with my best parts, also adding a new coated circuit board and clear lens from LMC. I also used a tip I found on 73-87.com and bumper chromed the blue part of the black bezel. This made the guage lights significantly bright but not overboard making it not look right. Once installed, the cluster looked great and worked perfectly. Eventhough my motor redlines towards 6700 RPM, it really finished the dash off. I have included a before pic of my cluster as well as another set of late 70s tach guages I have. I know where there is another 80s up tach cluster close to me that I am trying desperately to get me hands on as well as the rest of the truck. A little more faded then mine but definately restorable. Hope you enjoy. Now, if I could just find a set of factory 5 lug aluminum bullet hole wheels. Anybody?