Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase

[Funky61]

Been a member since about 2007 and started my learning curve about these GMC's and what is considered rare and or exceptional. I have most of what I need, but this item I've only seen in some of the albums posted here by original founding members and on restored vehicles. So I have been looking around for a while.
A few days back I just happened to do my usual window internet shopping when I saw this item at a Buy-It-Now price of $-- including shipping. I thought that couldn't be right. I hit the Buy-it-Now then backed out, to make sure it included all the gauges per the description. Yep, it was real. Here are some photos. No transmitter for the tachometer and I haven't checked to see if the clock works yet.


Gauge back panel is date coded AUG 28 62

Clock is Stamped AUG 62/manufactured by Geo W. Borg Corp in Delavan, Wisconsin and also has a hand etched 10-25-63 with initials

Tachometer appears to have the correct font and says Model RC5A
and use with Model EB or WB transmitter and stamped 332 on the bottom

I believe these are accessories and not options, so dealer installed.

Rarely seen and not for sale, but photos and info for the new kids on the block who may not have seen these or been aware of there existence.

[Clarke]

Yes, very lucky... I've been looking for the same tach for several years, but I haven't done such a good job lately.

Congrats!

[jbgroby]

Your OEM setup is exactly what I followed.

[Funky61]

Thanks Clarke; keep looking cause they're still out there apparently.

Jake, I have seen THAT dash on the other forum as well and it came out great!

[bigblockv6]

Originally Posted by Funky61

Been a member since about 2007 and started my learning curve about these GMC's and what is considered rare and or exceptional. I have most of what I need, but this item I've only seen in some of the albums posted here by original founding members and on restored vehicles. So I have been looking around for a while.
A few days back I just happened to do my usual window internet shopping when I saw this item at a Buy-It-Now price of $-- including shipping. I thought that couldn't be right. I hit the Buy-it-Now then backed out, to make sure it included all the gauges per the description. Yep, it was real. Here are some photos. No transmitter for the tachometer and I haven't checked to see if the clock works yet.


Gauge back panel is date coded AUG 28 62

Clock is Stamped AUG 62/manufactured by Geo W. Borg Corp in Delavan, Wisconsin and also has a hand etched 10-25-63 with initials

Tachometer appears to have the correct font and says Model RC5A
and use with Model EB or WB transmitter and stamped 332 on the bottom

I believe these are accessories and not options, so dealer installed.

Rarely seen and not for sale, but photos and info for the new kids on the block who may not have seen these or been aware of there existence.

Whoever installed both gauges did them wrong because the proper way to mount them is from the back side of the instrument cluster.

[Funky61]

Yeah Pete I noticed that difference as well from the Jolly site featuring your gauge photos. At first I thought it was a unique gauge cluster but it's not.

[1960HDGMC]

Here is how the Tach and clock are mounted in my truck. I think the two accessory items are back loaded. The chrome rings would be employed if they were mounted on the metal,1960-61 GMC instrument housing. The 1962 + GMC switched to a plastic housing(as seen here),which has cast bosses to accept the "GMC Approved" Accessory gauges. There is Williamson Instrument Repair that does amazing repair/repurposing. They can take a tach and convert it from 6 to 8 cylinder, and solid state too. The old battery box can be left for looks, or removed. All the system is inside the tach. Just two wires to run and done. My clock runs but I have been told that is rare in these old clocks. Mine has all the original internals, including the burnt contact points which energize the clock every 30 seconds or so. I may rig a separate battery just for the clock. If I can repair the points, I may can save the internals. You play heck setting the clock, because the pull arm is so close to the housing. I wait till the real time is matched up, and then hook up the battery. A broke clock is right twice a day. Later, Greg Mead

[GMCNUT]

I've seen the clock and tach installed both ways - I found a 1 owner 41,000 mile untouched 62 or 63 GMC once and it had the tach and clock put in from the front, and the original owner told the dealer he did not like the "new" all black plastic knobs vs the nicer chromed steel ones from 59 back, so the dealer removed all the black knobs and replaced them with 55-59 chrome ones - I have to admit - it looked better. So point is, when something is dealer installed, the "correctness" of that installation was subject to who was doing it, what they felt like doing that day, and what dealership they worked for. Generally speaking I believe rear mounted is what we should all consider to be "correct" but like Greg said - when the clock is mounted this way you cannot adjust it as easy as you can if front mounted. That could be one reason to mount from the front

[GMCNUT]

This is the cluster out of that 41K truck I was talking about - the guages were loaded from the front, but seat far back so you still get the same effect but without the difficulty winding the clock - plus depending on who you ask, the chrome accent rings add to the appearance anyway. This cluster was cut by the GMC dealership so the guages could be installed from the back or front and look basically the same I suppose.

[GMCNUT]

in case you wondered - I fumbled the ball trying to clean these guages, and dropped and broke the original 41K speedometer (boy was I PO'd) and ended up replacing it with the more faded out 80K + odometer you see in the cluster now