Convering a Tachometer????

[Brandon Metzger]

I have a '72 BB. The car currently has a '74 454 with a HEI distributor. I belive this is the right discription. The distributor is the high efficiency distributor. My current Tach is a mechanical tach, but the distributor has a place for the tack to clip on to at the top not in the stem or shaft. ( I do hope I am explaining this well enough.)

My question is can I convert my mechanical tach to an "electricl" tach to fit my distributor? Dr. Rebuild sells tach. kits and I was hopeing I would be able to buy one to fit my distributor and then rebuild the tach. accordingly.
Any advice would be appriciated.

Thank you,
Brandon

[Joe L.]

Re: Convering a Tachometer????

Brandon-----

There is no practical way to covert your mechanical tach to electronic; all you would be left with if you did would be the original face. You have 3 options, as I see it:

1) obtain a 75-76 Corvette electronic tachometer. This unit will have a face similar to your original. You can install this tach as-is or you can try to exchange your original face with the one on the tachometer. I think that these will interchange, but I'm not sure if they will;

2) Obtain an HEI distributor which has been converted for mechanical tach drive. These units are manufactured by Hi-Tech Innovations of Panorama City, FL , but they're expensive---about $600, exchange;

3) Obtain a conventional Corvette tach drive distributor and replace your HEI unit with one. This will be a direct retrofit, will work perfectly on your engine, and will work with your existing tachometer. Still, not inexpensive, though---about $300+ for a new or rebuilt unit.