1969 Coupe DeVille Tachometer inside clock case

[Mihai Tarţa]

I am currently working on installing the guts of an aftermarket tach inside a clock shell of a '69 coupe deville. I think it'll be successful.
I made a new face out of plexi glass. The markings on it were made with a marker, just to check wheather it's working as it should and so far it does. I plan on printing out a sticker with the markings, white font on black background just like the speedometer.

Video of the first test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld5X6yLM0X0

[cadillacmike68]

Where are you getting the feed? Off the primary coil wire? Make sure that wire is carefully routed and protected against shorting.

[Scot Minesinger]

Great idea, I was thinking of doing that too only with temperature.  I will send you a picture of my gauges.  They are all electronic and completely removable without a trace with one bolt and unplugging.  Have oil, temp, vacuum, volts, and rpm. 

[Gene Beaird]

Nice work!  Can't wait to see it installed.  Oh yeah, and a parts list.   

[George D. Mukalian CLC # 10047]

I did the same with my '69 DeVille but used a red digital tach that matched the red interior of the car.

George

[cadillacmike68]

I'd like to get  at tach in some discreet location, but not in place of the clock.

It was quite the PITA getting a working clock for my DVC.

[Mihai Tarţa]

I bought a broken clock off ebay, so if I ever change my mind, the original one goes back into the dash as if it never happened.

As far as parts go:

-Clock case (you only need the front metal frame and the plastic one that goes inise it along with the lens plus the metal back case.
-an aftermarket tachometer. Try to pick out one that has the RPM range closest to what you need.
-electrical connectors and wires
-plexi glass for the new face
-sticker paper on which to print out the design of the new face. I think I'm going to crop the numbers from a picture of the speedometer.

The trickier part is that the guts of the tachometer probably won't fit inside the clock case. To fix this, I separated the motor that moves the needle from the rest of the circuit. On my tachometer it was bolted onto the circuit with the bolts also acting as contact points.
So the clock case will hold the motor face and needle, and the rest will go in a separate box somewhere under the dash.
of course, if you find a tach that is small enough to fit inside the clock, that would be a much easier way.

[Mihai Tarţa]

I did the same with my '69 DeVille but used a red digital tach that matched the red interior of the car.

George

I'd also like to install a horn button somewhere, but I can't seem to find a place that is hidden and also easy to reach. The rim-blow is busted and the previous owner installed a button on the lower part of the dash, left of the steering column. The problem is that I have to feel out the area for about 5 seconds before finding the damn thing.
Fixing the rim-blow is no longer an option. When I bought the car, the steering wheel had some pretty bad cracks in it, and I decided to get it leather-wrapped. It looks really nice now, but I no longer have access to the rim-blow contacts.
I came across a NOS steering wheel on ebay, but I'm not going to spend $700 on a steering wheel just for the horn.

Any suggestions?

Mihai

[mgbeda]

Sounds like a very clever project.  I might do something similar to retrofit a temperature gauge in my '76 (or I might not; long time before I get to that detail).

You mentioned cropping numbers from a picture of your speedo.  I found a useful, free website where you upload a picture of a font you're trying to match and it will give you a bunch of suggested fonts to use.  I've used it to match Cadillac dash labeling fonts (just for curiousity) and to match Buick block lettering for a sign and was very pleased with the results.

http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/

-mB

[Scot Minesinger]

Some 1969 Cadillac owners convert their steering wheel to a 1970.  that way you hit the horn as normal.  This of course has drawbacks, there is no good reasonable cost solution.

[Mihai Tarţa]

Thanks for the tip for the fonts.
As for the steering wheel, I'll try to find one from '70. Seems like the best sollution.

[Mihai Tarţa]

@mgbeda I checked out the site you told me about and it works nice. Thanks again for the tip.

[Mihai Tarţa]

First version for the tachometer face design.

[Mihai Tarţa]

Redline or no redline?

[Mihai Tarţa]

Updates: I have printed out the face , put the whole thing together and tested it. I have mounted the circuit box under the dash.
Next step is to install the tach in the dash, hook it up and I'm done.
I'm quite pleased with the results.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUDpAoYG9eo

[Mihai Tarţa]

More pics

[cadillacmike68]

Great idea, I was thinking of doing that too only with temperature.  I will send you a picture of my gauges.  They are all electronic and completely removable without a trace with one bolt and unplugging.  Have oil, temp, vacuum, volts, and rpm.

Scott,  what brand gauges did you use and where did you get them?

[aod92]

Looks awesome!  I would love to do something like that with a temp gauge.

[Dan LeBlanc]

I like it.  Good call on going with the redline.  Looks much better that way.  Looks factory.

[Mihai Tarţa]

Thanks!
I'm quite pleased with the result.

Yesterday I managed to fit the circuit box underneath the glove box, hook up the ground, hot and signal wires.
All I have to do is install the tach in place of the clock and connect it to the circuit box.
I will probably finish this up on Sunday and I'll get back with pics of the finished product.