ryan22

Considering an electronic tach for our 58...Corvette Specialties is only vendor I find who sells one that is plug & play and price is $435, ouch.

This kit is available from a few vendors, priced at $160 and description reads " Simply remove factory tachometer from cluster and mount the new electronic module on the back of your original tachometer face."

Here's the one Zip sells-

https://www.zip-corvette.com/53-74-e...rsion-kit.html

Was planning to have the original rebuilt but I'll likely have $350 in that and its generator driven, dunno if I'll ever decide to upgrade the charging system with an alternator but if so having an electronic tach wouldn't be an issue.

Anyone have any experience with these electronic conversion kits, or thoughts, pros/cons of them ?

Thanks-
Ryan22

ryan22

Related question; here's the install instructions-
https://www.zip-corvette.com/amfile/...product/16701/

#4 talks about a "signal generator", can someone clue me in on this ?

Thanks-

AZDoug

I think a signal generator refers to something the ECU puts out, assuming your engine has one and isn't carb'd.

Otherwise, you generally hook up to the low voltage side of the coil.
Doug

Frankie the Fink

A signal generator is an external, separate piece of electronic test equipment that most people will not have...just follow the instructions and use a separate tach (e.g. digital timing light with RPM) and use the conversion's adjustments to "dial in" the matching RPM....

10 minute job...

This tach operates off the negative terminal of the ignition coil just like every aftermarket tach that we put in as teenagers decades ago..

SDVette

Frank is right.. the signal generator is lab equipment used for calibration.

66Vett

For RPM the electronic Tach get a signal from the distributor. It needs to be HEI or other type not Points.

Frankie the Fink

That conversion should work just fine with points if the green wire goes to the negative terminal of the ignition coil...

65GGvert

That's just not correct. It works with both. From the instruction sheet:

Green= This is your signal wire, on a distributor 8 cylinder this will go the negative side of the coil. On a LS engine or a MSD ignition it will connect to the Tach output wire from the corresponding box.

Frankie the Fink

Every old Sunpro tach I hooked up in the 60s to points cars worked just fine off the negative ignition coil terminal...

JohnZ

VDO also makes a small electronic tach that fits the '58-'62 tach opening with a simple hookup.

Hermn59

My 59 has a vintage Stewart Warner tach, but requires the sender.

ryan22

Thank you for all the replies. The gauges need restored so I'm gonna pull the cluster, send the gauges out and convert the tach to electronic. I'll let ya know how it turns out.