1964 GTO Tach Question

[MartyB62]

Hey all,

Looks like my 64 GTO (Tri-Power automatic) had transistorized ignition from the factory. When I bought it a few years ago, it had a Pertronix I ignition system and the factory transistorized tach installed behind the dash. The tach has never worked and I found that it wasn't even wired up when I got around to pulling the dash a couple of months ago. I have since pulled the Pertronix and gone to points-and-condenser ignition. I've seen other articles about converting a 1964 passive tach to Pertronix and other types of electronic ignition systems. My question is whether a transistorized tach can be used to work on a points-and-condenser system. If so, how? I have no clue where the wires would go. Many thanks for the thought waves...

Marty

[Larry]

This is the article we have in our On-Line Magazine concerning the conversion you mention fro passive to electronic: http://www.pontiacregistry.com/members/online_magazine.php?view=1&article=783

I scanned it again in case we had something about converting the opposite direction... sadly not.

Not being an electronic wizard, I can only guess that if it takes a special wiring deal (parts, etc.) to go one direction, it most probably would consider something just as involved to go the other direction.

I would suggest contacting the manufacturer of your tach and ask their advice. If anyone knows, they should.

Please let us know whatever you learn so we can archive it for others.

[MartyB62]

Will do, and thanks. FYI its a stock Pontiac GTO transistorized tach (the one with the two red-collared posts on the back).

[Larry]

In my experience of making things generate smoke when hooked up wrong, I believe most anything transistorized works off of less voltage/amperage than those that are not. I know the old fashioned tachs hooked to the dist side of the coil, but whether that "read" any voltage or just a pulse of some sort, I do not know.

If the manufacturer has any amount of information, I would sure like to see it and share it. Ask them if they have literature that they can share with us. I will be happy to promote their product in any article we make.