'63 Tach redline "bar" colors

[Jeff Debs]

I'm trying to determine the correct colors originally used on the '63 high redline bar of the Tachometer.
Several years ago I had my tach fully restored by a recogised well-known shop (will keep anonymous) and I feel they painted the tach incorrectly. They painted the redline area maroon and orange. When I questioned them about this they said since they noticed the tach was the buzzer type, as used in the high reving fuel injected motor for '63,..that was the color that it came from the factory. I thought it should have been yellow and orange from noticing many cars at shows over the past few years.

What is the correct colors for both the 340 and 360 hp cars' tach redlines?
My car is a 340hp.

Also,..the same shop restored the speedo for this car. The car has only 2,800. miles in 12 years and it just recently froze at the 60mph mark and won't move from there no matter if the engine is running or not.
What can I do? Please Help!

Thankyou,
Jeff Debs

[Duke W.]

Re: '63 Tach redline "bar" colors

It's tough to describe a color shade in words, but the tach markings on my March production L-76 are yellow for the caution zone from 6300 to 6500 and "orangeish red" from 6500 to 7000. Over time the red tends to fade to more of an orange, so I don't know if anyone really knows the original shade. Even if a tach was kept in a box for the last 39 years there would probably be some fade, and, of course, being driven around and parked in the sun, etc. meant more UV exposure and faster fading. Both L-76 and L-84 had the same tach markings since they were basically the same engine with just different induction systems. Though Chevrolet literature says that only FI engines got buzzer tachs,they were equipped on both early L-76 and L-84s according to Nolan Adams, but disappeared fairly early in the model year. You can see from the AIM that different cluster numbers were called out depending on the engine.

If the early buzzer tachs had different color shades in the caution and red zones, I think this is the first time I've ever heard of it.

As far as your speedo problem is concerned I can't be of much help. I'd suggest disconnecting the cable at both ends to see if it is still functional. If it is, then the problem is probably in the head, and I think you might need to find another instrument repair/restoration facility.

BTW, have you ever revved your engine high enough to activate the buzzer? Can you hear it above the shriek of the engine? What does it sound like? I recall a '79 RX-7 owned by a friend that had a tach buzzer at 7000, but it sounded like a wimpy vintage door bell.

Duke

[G B.]

Early color change?

The red area was a dark red with no noticable orange tint on the pilot line '63 tachs I've inspected. I've never seen this dark red shade on a regular production '63 tach. To me, the "red" area on later tachs looks the same as the fluorescent red-orange used on the gauge needles.

The yellow area of the pilot line tachs looked like the same bright yellow shade of later tachs.

WARNING: my wife says I don't know beans about colors. She says the tan interior of her car is "taupe". What the hell is that?

[John H.]

Re: Early color change?

Jerry -

I think "Taupe" can be applied to anything - when I had my garage floor epoxy-coated, the color chip I selected for the final coat was called "Taupe"; I call it "light gray". Of course, I'm an engineer, not an interior designer

[Jeff Debs]

Re: Early color change?

Thanks to all that responded,..I'm going to investigate more.
As far as Duke's question of the buzzing,..the answer is yes! I've heard the buzzer buzz but only for a brief second because I wanted to "back-off" on the rpm's for fear of blowing up something in the newly restored motor.

My car is an early '63, having been built in the first week of Dec. '62.
I don't believe, however that this tach should have any dark red color in the red line area and the "restorer" is just blowing smoke up my A**!

I'm going to ask him to repaint it orange and yellow.

Taupe you ask about? I too have an issue with that color. My 2001 Jag S Type is said to have taupe color on the lining of the A pillars and headliner, sun visors, etc...
I hate the word "Taupe!" Always have! To me it looks brownish-gray.

Whatever,....gives the Martha Stewart types in this world something to enjoy.
Taupe,....Jeez!

JD

[Patrick H.]

Re: Early color change?

Your floor is light gray. I've seen it. Same as mine - light gray.

Your wife's part of the garage, however, is definitely taupe.

Patrick

[Tom P.]

Re: Early color change?

Eric Gill wrote an article in the Summer 1981 Corvette Restorer about 1963 buzzer tachs. He identified four different types!! One of the main variants was the colours in the warning zone.

If you have an early car, you probably should have an orange/red warning area on your tach.(Type 1)

I can tell you that my 340 HP car made the last week of November 62 has orange/red. The orange is "faded" but the red still shows as honest red.

Hope this helps.

[Craig S.]

Re: Early color change?

How about another color....mauve....another designer type name...pink-purple sounds better to me!... fuscia....jeez....real colors are Marlboro Maroon, Goodwood Green, Elkhart Blue, Marina Blue..Sunfire Yellow...etc....Craig

[Norm B.]

Re: Early color change?

I also had my cluster redone by a well known shop. When it came back I was quite satisfied with the quality of work, the car is a driver and I specified that when I sent it, but I questioned them on one thing. The 6300-6500 range was a bright, almost florescent red. I was expecting yellow/orange as it was a very faded yellow/orange when I took it out of the car. When I questioned them they replied that they noticed it was an early "Buzzer" tach and they were different colors from later 63 and 64. That didn't answer my question so I sent them a picture to clarify what I was talking about but never heard back from them. Since as I said the car is a driver and there is a lot of BS to go through to ship it back and forth across the U.S./Canada border I decided to keep it and if I ever decide to restore the car the cluster will go to someone else.

To try to help with your question, it's a late October 62 built 340 HP car. As I said it was badly faded but my best guess is that 6300-6500 was originally orange. 6500+ was red.

E-mail me off line if you would like to compare which shop did the work.

[Mark Ring]

Re: Early color change?

I would say Mauve is Mauve but purple-pink is Heliotrope!!! More pink than that is Fushcia.

Martha's jumpsuit will be Mandarine with Pitch and Ermine vertical stripe details. "It's a good thing"

-Mark.