1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

[Bob M.]

An experienced dash person who looked at this picture of a '63 instrument cluster said that, based on the darker colors of the orange and red redline, this was a buzzer tachometer cluster. He did not see the picture of the backside. I am not familiar with the feature and do not know what to look for. Does anyone knowledgeable about the buzzer see anything on the back of this cluster that would confirm that it is or is not a buzzer tach? The housing is date stamped October '62. Also, did the buzzer come on fuel cars only or also the 340hp engine? Thanks...

[Jimmy B.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Bob,

That's the cluster I sold you 25 + years ago. Send it back for a FULL refund.

Jim Blakely

good luck with the resto of your car. Ron Clark and I were talking about you recently.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

An experienced dash person who looked at this picture of a '63 instrument cluster said that, based on the darker colors of the orange and red redline, this was a buzzer tachometer cluster.

Your friend is correct. Those are definitely the colors unique to a 63 buzzer tachometer. (and 67 tach with speed alert speedometer)
When the 63 tachometer changed to a non speed alert around the high 8000 VIN range, the colors of the red line changed to yellow/orange. The buzzer tach colors are more of an orange/maroon.

I don't remember exactly where the wire for the buzzer plugs in to the back of the cluster. I vaguely remember that it's a small diameter round pin style connector though??

[Joe R.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Bob,

Yes, that is a buzzer tach. The hole is just above the mounting screw with a single pin connector just as Michael says.

Those clusters were with both FI and 340HP cars in the early months. The 340HP cars didn't have the buzzer. Just the buzzer tach.

What oil pressure gauge does that cluster have? 60lb or 80lb

JR

[Michael G.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

My car doesn't have a harness, but I think the buzzer harness may have plugged into the small round hole just above the upper screw head. The tach has a rubber receptacle in back of that hole, shown on the attached picture as a black cylinder on the right side.

Maybe someone with an early car can verify that that's where it plugged in.

Mike

[Bob M.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Thanks for the comments. I guess I was expecting something more "electrical" looking than a hole. It seems like there should be a grommet or something to protect the wire passing through the hole?

In the reading I did on buzzer tachs, I didn't see much on the buzzer itself. Do these show up occasionally? Are they unique to this application or an off-the-shelf item of some kind? Mounting bracket?

Joe, the cluster has a 60# oil gauge.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Bob,

Yes, that is a buzzer tach. The hole is just above the mounting screw with a single pin connector just as Michael says.

Those clusters were with both FI and 340HP cars in the early months. The 340HP cars didn't have the buzzer. Just the buzzer tach.

What oil pressure gauge does that cluster have? 60lb or 80lb

JR

Here's a shot of an NOS 63 buzzer tach. The round black plug socket on the back side is for the buzzer wire.

[Tom P.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Joe:

"Those clusters were with both FI and 340HP cars in the early months. The 340HP cars didn't have the buzzer. Just the buzzer tach."

Not sure how consistent the assembly line was regarding the buzzer on 340 HP cars but my late November 62 340 HP car definitely has one.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Thanks for the comments. I guess I was expecting something more "electrical" looking than a hole. It seems like there should be a grommet or something to protect the wire passing through the hole?

In the reading I did on buzzer tachs, I didn't see much on the buzzer itself. Do these show up occasionally? Are they unique to this application or an off-the-shelf item of some kind? Mounting bracket?

Joe, the cluster has a 60# oil gauge.

Bob,

I think the back of the black rubber cup on the back of the tach (see pic in post above) would be against the inside back panel of the cluster. The male pin connector would be down inside the rubber cup.

As Joe mentioned, the buzzer tach, along with it's unique redline colors, were unique to 340 HP and 360 HP.

As I remember, the buzzer unit and harness was deleted from production some time around VIN #3000 but the buzzer tach with it's unique colors was used to at least VIN #84xx.

When the new non buzzer 63 tach entered production, the redline colors were then the same yellow/orange that were used on the low 250/300 HP engines.

[Joe R.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Thanks for the comments. I guess I was expecting something more "electrical" looking than a hole. It seems like there should be a grommet or something to protect the wire passing through the hole?

In the reading I did on buzzer tachs, I didn't see much on the buzzer itself. Do these show up occasionally? Are they unique to this application or an off-the-shelf item of some kind? Mounting bracket?

Joe, the cluster has a 60# oil gauge.

Bob, I could not make out from the picture. It should have a 60lb being that early but you never know. Some were changed out later since the 60 stayed pegged most of the time.

Thanks,

JR

[Jimmy B.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Bob,

Pin hole Mike spoke about is correct. There is a wire loom with a small electrical box, looks like a horn relay if memory serves me and that is held to the dash cross mount with a self tapping hex headed screw and 1 wire goes to the fuse box. My ex 63 fuelie #660 had one in place but by the time you were reaching the rpm to set it off there was so much other noise it was a mood point. Kindof a throaty "squelch" sound.

Glad you kept your car all these years and didn't give up on it. Saddle saddle if I remember correctly??? Of course it has only been 25 years or so...

Jim

[Bob M.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

Bob,

Glad you kept your car all these years and didn't give up on it. Saddle saddle if I remember correctly??? Of course it has only been 25 years or so...

Jim

Good memory again, Jimmy, tan on tan. My memory slipped; I thought your coupe was a Z06. I sent you an email using the forum email function. Don't know if you got it, not much in the way of a confirmation when I sent it. Interesting that you are still in touch with Ron Clark. Six degrees of separation or something here. Another "What are the odds?" bit in my email. Spooky. Ron owes me a good headlight replacement for waiting 30 years...

Bob

[Mike M.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

my early 63 360HP coupe(built first week of dec 1962, had the buzzer tack and the buzzer but no harness. the coupe was a basket case and the harness may or may not have been installed at the factory. the buzzer was as jimmy blakely described. mike

[Frank D.]

Re: 1963 Buzzer Tach. Is this One? Pictures...

I have an October 1962 340 car that has the buzzer tach and also the buzzer. Like others have said. can barely hear it but I did wire it to a test light and it works.

[Bob M.]

1963 Buzzer Tach Cluster Pin Picture.



The cluster is a perfect candidate for restoration and I am fascinated by gadgets such as the buzzer. I can get the buzzer harness from M&H Electric Fabricators, but I have no clue about the buzzer or where I might find one.