Help me Tom Cruise ! Help me Oppo ! Is this a option !?

"DatASSun" (DatASSun)
07/16/2014 at 12:24 • Filed to: None

So here we are its a matter of days before the Datassun fires to life and starts stealing all the candy everywhere it goes.

Not a huge problem but my stock 280z tach won't work with the LS1 .. at the moment .. I'll have to send it off blah blah blah boring bs to have it work in my car . which means taking the damn dash out just to remove the gauge. That project I'm going to hold off for until the end of this year then replace all my gauges with aftermarket .

However, Last night I was doing what I normally do. laying in bed with the woman smoking a little , eating my new addiction PRETZEL CHIPS ! and browsing the internet for any car I consider "cool" for dirt cheap.

I got this idea of putting a tach on the outside of my car just like the GTO had. I really like the idea of this but I'm not sure how it would look and how well it would function .

My concern is about the heat we get here in Texas . I'll be driving my car every day and don't want to have to worry about my tach being dumb because it's 100+ outside.

My second concern is about the humidity and rain. Do I have to worry about the gauge fogging up and not working anymore ?

Any input would be great ! Thanks Opppo !

DISCUSSION (14)

quarterlifecrisis > DatASSun
07/16/2014 at 12:32

Welp, here's my guess. It'd be difficult. I can only assume that send the tach off to have it work right involves the LS computer sending an electronic signal for the tach instead of it being a mechanical gauge. The hood tachs, btw, the one in your picture is off of a Nova or Camaro (Yenko didn't do GTOs), are mechanical, so it was just a matter of running the cable to the point in the hood. Could be different in your application. Otherise, just seal everything up properly in whatever type of pod you find, and you're, theoretically, good to go.

camaroboy68ss > DatASSun
07/16/2014 at 12:33

the hood tacks were prone to fogging up with temp swings and after a while rain would get past and short them out. I know a couple guys with gtos and if there is even a thought of rain they are wrapping the tach up in plastic to keep water out. They look cool but not practical in a everyday type car. You could go old school and mount a knee knocker tach.

Mattbob > DatASSun
07/16/2014 at 12:42

What is the difference between the tach output signals from the LS versus the original. You could make a small converter circuit to convert the signal. If you have the info, I could take a crack at designing a quick circuit for you.

crowmolly > DatASSun
07/16/2014 at 12:44

The old hood tachs were not known for their accuracy and working examples are pretty expensive now.

Why not just column mount an autometer or something like that?

camaroboy68ss > quarterlifecrisis
07/16/2014 at 12:46

his pic is off a 70 Yenko Duece Nova. They were GTO units Yenko stuck on to add a little more flair since in 70 the Novas were small block powered not big block.

Mattbob > DatASSun
07/16/2014 at 12:59

You could buy this http://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/a…

Joshua "Dr. Science" Gilbert > DatASSun
07/16/2014 at 13:02

Take an electronic tach, mount it on the hood, shape/cut a cone to go around it, plastdip/paint the outside of it to match the body!

Joshua "Dr. Science" Gilbert > Joshua "Dr. Science" Gilbert
07/16/2014 at 13:06

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/sho… or http://www.cjponyparts.com/hood-mounted-t…

Joshua "Dr. Science" Gilbert > DatASSun
07/16/2014 at 13:09

also, you could use one of those vintage mirrors for the 280z and repurpose it as a tach housing

crowmolly > Mattbob
07/16/2014 at 13:09

Wave forms are different. Autometer and MSD both make tach adapters that may work in this situation. You can also get a Dixco updated to modern internals but it's not cheap- probably more expensive than all new modern gauges in the long run. If the OP has an MSD box with a tach output it *might* work but it would be a gamble.

Joshua "Dr. Science" Gilbert > DatASSun
07/16/2014 at 13:10

Kinja'd!!!

or if you had a hood with vents, shove it into one of the vents.

crowmolly > quarterlifecrisis
07/16/2014 at 13:12

Pretty sure the tachs were electronic? At least the Dixcos are, and they are the most common.

quarterlifecrisis > crowmolly
07/16/2014 at 13:22

I guess I was thinking digital v. analog signal. Assuming that the LS computer sends a digital signal out to an electronic dashboard/gauge in the original application.

DatASSun > Joshua "Dr. Science" Gilbert
07/16/2014 at 13:50

That's a damn good idea right there ! I don't have a hood like that lol I'd buy some beefy heads for the LS before spending any money on looks . Idk if you've seen my car but it's all function and low on the form part.