Depending on your budget you could always look into another gauge cluster and just keep the original in storage

 

I have that little plastic pod that takes the place of the astray. It fits 2 auto-meter gauges and fits nicely under the radio bezel...i use the oil pressure and water temp in those two, and have an auo-meter RPM on the steering column holding with tyrapps...nice set ups and doesn't show too much....can't trust these old console gauges...now i get an accurate reading of what is happening....

 

i vote for it to be hose clamped onto the steering wheel. good hot rod look, and easy to remove whenever

 

If you have priced an original 69/70 tach you would already know the answer...

 

Check out the limited edition tach from auto meter. Only available this year. Model 2896.
Looks good.

 

If you don't mind drilling a small hole in the column, you can mount it at the 11:00 o'clock position.There are no wires there and is basicly hollow, just use a small bit for a starter hole and use screw that came with tach. Then run wires into the column cover, it leaves a very clean look and no clamps.I used a Autometer tach and it worked out fine.

 

If you have the money, without question I'd go for an original tach dash. Even if it's not original to the car, it's a nice option that you'll enjoy and most would welcome at resale time. I just think it's a cleaner look overall IMHO.

I've never done the swap, but I think you'll have to change out some wiring as I'm almost sure there is a difference at least in the alternator lead if nothing else.

 

Adding an original tach to a car is pretty expensive, figure around $500 for the cluster (yes, the guages are all different, as is the support structure). You can buy a tach harness for $500-700, or go the Boss 302 website re-pin the connector route, but that leaves some other minor issues.
If you aren't relying heavily on the tach, you can put it a 2 1/16" tach in the two guage guage pod that goes into the ashtray position on the console. Its fairly easy to remove at a show, if thats a concern.
If you show your car, be careful what hood tach you use, as you can get dinged for using a repro. Originals are in the same price range as a tach cluster itself, they just don't have such large wiring issues.
And, as mentioned, the tach on the column is always a possible. You can put a connector for the wiring on the lines where it can be pulled behind the dash, at a show, just pull the tach, disconnect at the connector, and hide the connector behind the dash.

Carl

 

There are some decent repos of the hood tack out there now, but it does mean drilling a hole in the hood. They were dealer add ons. Still, I like the old school behind the wheel look.....

 

Without permanently altering the vehicle, your only choice would be to put the tach strapped to the column or maybe find a mini-tach to put in an A-pillar pod or the ashtray pod. Those two are reversible. I went the route of putting in a factory tach dash and did the Boss302 mod. Easy to do once you have the tach dash, but does involve cutting your harness. Hood tach as said before involves cutting a hole in your hood.

 

Thanks to all for the replies.

Looks like I will go with the column mount and use black plastic ties instead of the hose clamp.

The car is old school so I will stay with that look.

 

One last comment...

I would venture to guess that the cheapest aftermarket tach available today is probably more accurate than the originals ever were.

Flame away! }:|

-Rory

 

Thanks to all for the replies.

Looks like I will go with the column mount and use black plastic ties instead of the hose clamp.

The car is old school so I will stay with that look.

Nothing say's Old school like black plastic (just kidding)by the way, nice car!!

 

Looks like I will go with the column mount and use black plastic ties instead of the hose clamp.

I mounted mine with a hose clamp. I painted the hose clamp black to match the steering column and trimmed off the "tail". I have the worm screw at the bottom, so all you see from the top is just a gloss black band holding the tach on.

 

Looks like I will go with the column mount and use black plastic ties instead of the hose clamp.

I mounted mine with a hose clamp. I painted the hose clamp black to match the steering column and trimmed off the "tail". I have the worm screw at the bottom, so all you see from the top is just a gloss black band holding the tach on.

Me too and it's rotated to the 1100 position so it doesn't block out the speedometer.

 

Swap to a factory tach is not that involved.
One wire is cut, repinning the plug is pretty straightforward, even the ALT light/harness deal is easy.
The ALT harness is a plug in affair and is available from nearly any period ford car that used an idiot light.

Bruce

 

You guys are sharp.

You busted my chops good on my old school comment and using the black plastic ties.

I was just thinking that the plastic ties would not damage the plastic on the column.

I will go with the painted hose clamp.

Dale, thanks for the compliment on the car. It has a few issues that I need to address yet but I am taking care of a lot of little things first.

It was restored over 10 years ago and the last person that owned it was not mechanicaly inclined so the car was poorly maintained. Something to keep me off of the couch and the computer.

Thank you.