Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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!

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Your OEM setup is exactly what I followed.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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!

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

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

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

I am all about making stuff easier on myself. And you get a nice little boost of chrome frontloading as well. As for the knobs, I too like the chrome knobs better, so I went with Chevrolet knobs which are black with chrome rings. They are shaped just like the 1960 GMC knobs, but lack the grey color. I can see why original owners opted for more bling. Those grey knobs are pretty sad when your buddy has a new Chevy with black against chrome, of the exact same shape. I could see how the GMC guys would want an upgrade of dash bling. Frankly, the GMC interiors were pretty Spartan. Those colors were sleepers. I had to wake my trucks interior up, so I matched the outside colors. It looks a lot more lively than before. Its all personal preference, after all. I prefer a rubber mat to carpet, chrome knobs to grey and GMC had more chrome than Chevy in 1960,on the outside of the truck. Chevy had anodized aluminum grills, where GMC had chrome. Chevy offered a small chrome ring around the rear glass that GMC did not. I added it to my truck because I like chrome, and it accents the rear glass perfectly. GMC chrome grill with its chrome eyebrow moldings and letters looks so good ,they kept it thru 1966. The Chevy grills were a little thin looking by comparison. But they all look better than a lot of what we have to choose from now. Greg Mead

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

According to the GMC literature screw on U shape clips were supplied with the clock for installation from the back, furthermore mounting it from the back makes the gauge blend in with the rest of the gauges and not look like an add on. As far as being a dealer installed accessory that's not quite true. My fathers 62 K1000 came equipped with the clock from the factory but upon delivery of the truck he requested they add the corresponding gauge to left side of the cluster which was a Bat-O-Meter, it too was installed from the back side.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Looking at your gauges they appear to be mounted properly, the differences being the holes were cut to larger diameter over what the blank pods were outlined for, this too has advantages if you want more chrome to be shown:thumbsup:

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Here is the sending unit for the Sun tachometer, provided you have a V6 engine.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SUN-TACH-TRA...dabdbf&vxp=mtr

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

I have the original paperwork from 1965 when my Dad ordered the one ton Suburban. It says the clock ($17.55) and the 270 degree Sun tach ($50.00) were installed by the dealer before Dad took delivery. They're both mounted from the front.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Just a thought, but maybe the dealers tended to front mount simply because it was easier. I would think they could front mount without removing the entire gauge assembly and panel. Perhaps there cuts would not have to be as accurate, with the chrome bezel there to cover the cut edge of the hole. To back mount ,you might have to remove them so you can get them in correctly. And I know to back mount you have to be dead on, on your hole cutting. Just a thought. Greg Mead

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

I've cut quite a few of these clusters for back mounting and the way they were designed it didn't even require using a hole saw. I did one right at one of our mini meets in 2004 at Brooks Oregon on Sam Roes truck. I drilled a hole big enough to fit a hacksaw blade then cut 3 slits in the plastic and broke them off, it tends to break right at the perforated chrome circle that establishes the proper hole size followed with some 40 & 80 grit sandpaper to finish the holes edges. If you want more chrome to show then it will require using a bigger hole saw and that's where it becomes really critical to be right on center with drilling.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Ed, looking at the pic the clock appears to be back mounted but the dealer cut the hole out larger so the chrome bezel is more pronounced, For the most these borg clocks supplied to GMC came with two small screw on clamps that only allowed for back mounting, if you can check and see if this is correct.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

I would like to see some pictures on how these gauges are back mounted, so if/when I find a set, I'll know how to mount them.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

I've got pics of the back mounting, I have to search in my files so I will post them soon.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Some appear to be front mounted but they're actually not. What it is the bezels are cut out larger in diameter revealing more chrome as well as protruding more forwarding giving the gauges a larger appearance as in the case of GMCNUTS cluster. If the gauges were mounted from the front there would be nothing left of the black beveled part of the cluster as in the case of FUNKY61'S newly acquired gauge cluster

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Ok here are the pics of back mounting installation of the gauges.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Cool! Thanks, I think I can handle that. Now I just have to find a set.

Several years ago I almost caved in and bought the tach that has the red football; I believe someone said that style was used in the '50's. The text style didn't match very well either.

This thread has motivated me to search again.


Thanks again,

Clarke

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

I actually bought a couple of those with the football on it(RC-50) . I ended up installing one on a 66 GMC because my customer liked the way it looked, the numerals actually match closer with the clock, not all that bad and any RC-50 is good substitute for the RC-5A Tach.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Attachment 2699I decided to throw in some pics with the football Tach mounted in the 62-66 cluster.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Thanks for sharing... That tach looks like the one I looked at a couple of years ago, except it only went up to 4k RPM, which is enough for our motors. I made note of the two numbers you referenced.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Well for some unknown reason I wasn't able to access the site. Finally got thru!
Here are few more photos on how this was mounted. Clock does not work.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

The clock does not work and had this written on the side, plus the name "woodworth" and here are the mounting screws used.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

It looks like someone made their own brackets mounted on top of the factory brackets as a wedge to hold the housing and also set a screw on top of the cluster to lock the clock in place. The clock I got dates to June 1962 it also didn't work so I sprayed a little WD-40 then it started working. As an alternative clock, Studebaker used one also in the early 60's I think in their "Hawk" other than a black bezel and less bolder numerals of the same font that clock was identical. I picked one up back in 1993 for about $20 at a swap meet and the seller had no idea what it was for, I bought it because it reminded me of the GMC/Borg clock. I'll post some pics of it later.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Thanks for sharing... So the first picture with the strap across the entire back (of the tach?) gauge must be installed from the front? I noticed the strap is connected to the back of the gauge in lieu of the plastic cluster, so it appears the plastic cluster is "pinched" by the flange on the gauge and strap on the back?

Just double checking; I want to make sure I understand how each method is attached.


Thanks again,

Clarke

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Yes Clarke, that's correct; both gauges are front loaded.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

The pic of the strap on the Tach is an incorrect way of mounting, that should not even be viewed as an example of how to mount any of these gauges rather of an example of how not too! If you look at the face of the Tach it completely covers up the bezel looking like a real "cobb job"!

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

After three years of periodically checking in I finally got a hold of the guy I met at a swap meet, who lives a fews hours away. He's going to make one final showing at the Sunflower Swap Meet, then he's retiring.

I sent him pictures of the dealer installed battery meter and tach. He has the battery meter. :thumbsup: He said he has five boxes of tachs, but he has to looks through for the one I'm looking for. He said he has at least one or two with the red football. Anyway, I'm going to make arrangements to meet him at the swap meet.

Question for you guys... Where does the box for the tach install? On the passengerside inner fenderwell? Near the battery regulator (or whatever it's called)?

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

David --

I suspect there is no "standard" location for the tach transmitter. It was probably just a decision whoever installed it made. In my Dad's Suburban the shop at Sauder-Lygrisse installed it before he took delivery of it. They hid it behind the triangular "wing" on the driver's side that goes from the top of the grille support up to the top of the radiator support.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

That is super interesting Ed - thanks for sharing that. All the factory tach transmitters I have ever seen were screwed to the firewall next to the fuse block or mounted to the drivers side inner fender next to the firewall, and in one case screwed to the firewall vertically adjacent to the master cylinder. Never heard of one being mounted out front so far from power and the distributor, but I guess you could certainly do that. just have wires all the way up the inner fender that way is all - if you have window washers you could strap the transmitter wiring to the fluid hoses I guess.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

OK - so I certainly agree with Bigblockv6 in that these specific guages are somewhat incorrectly mounted in that they do not recess into the guage cluster, but I must say (forgive me bbv6) that if you buy NOS GMC accessory tachs or clocks in the original GMC boxes you will be provided instructions, wiring and these exact straps and clips to mount either of the two exactly as you see them on this set of photos - so these are correctly mounted in terms of the use of the bolt-on U-strap for the tach and two special C-clamps for the clock housing - the reason I say they are still not done entirely correct is because whomever cut this particular cluster did not feel comfortable cutting it according to the instructions and in this case left the guages flush with the face - could have also been a customer choice to have them done this way - who knows - back then it was like I said earlier - preference of the installer. In any case, If I can find where I saved them, I will scan and upload the instruction sheets from my NOS Tach and Clock and show you guys how GMC says it is supposed to be done and hopefully clear up once and for all anyone's confusion on this subject and get us all more in agreement on what is understood to be correct.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Funky61 you're right about the instructions, the old GMC accessory literature mentions that. Prime examples of mounting correctly are 1960HDGMC and GMCNUT whose bezels are cut out for more chrome and gauge face to show, page 18 of the 1966 GMC Owner's Manual has an illustration of this showing the whole dash for purpose of AC controls. I have found another way of making the clock sit more forward by removing the chrome bezel and mounting it in the cluster without it to make the adjustment knob easier to access, I'll post some pics later.

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Here are some pics of the Borg/Studebaker clock compared to the GMC/Borg clock

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

I just bought a factory clock out of a Studebaker Golden Hawk and it was the exact same as the GMC version - mine is not like the one you show on the right, so it might need to be out of the right Studebaker year or model to be the same one used in GMC's.....

Re: Very lucky Clock/Tach EBay purchase
 

Can you send a pic of your clock?