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65 tach replaced with 66

Discussion in '1965-1970 Shelby Mustang GT350 & GT500' started by 2+2=gt350, Jan 24, 2015.

  1. 2+2=gt350

    2+2=gt350 Active Member

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    Just curious and was wondering if any 65 GT350s had the tach replaced with a 66 style tach in a situation when the 65s quite working? I understand the cars were sold without a warranty. Are the 65 and 66 tachs the same size?
     
  2. Bob Gaines

    Bob Gaines Well-Known Member

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    Not that I have ever heard of . The 65 and 66 tachs are completely different . They do not interchange. FYI the 66 tach had a higher failure rate then the 65. Of course there were a lot more 66 tachs to fail. The 65's and 66's had a 90 day factory warranty.
     
  3. 2+2=gt350

    2+2=gt350 Active Member

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    I have noticed some of the 66 the tachs had a chrome housing and others had a black housing, is there a difference in them as to the production number of when the car was produced?
     
  4. Bob Gaines

    Bob Gaines Well-Known Member

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    The consensus of opinion is that the chrome housing indicated a service /warranty replacement tach. The 66 tachs had a high failure rate early on. If they were going to fail they did so typically within the first 3 to 6 months . If they survived past that point they were typically good for many years. So you will find the chrome housings on a variety of different Shelby VIN numbers through out production but they didn't come from the factory like that. The black wrinkle finish was specifically designed for the GT350. SA didn't abandon or haphazardly substitute chrome housings in place of the project designed black wrinkle finished tachs.
     
  5. 2+2=gt350

    2+2=gt350 Active Member

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    All right good info thanks. So would that mean a black tac (original) is more correct than a chrome one? Do you lose points for it being non original? Are both considered original? Thanks
     
  6. Bob Gaines

    Bob Gaines Well-Known Member

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    Since the chrome housing did not come that way from the factory it is not original. Yes you lose points in concours for the things that are not original. The no points deductions are to reward the cars that are original. With all other parts of the tach equal (correct face, correct needle, correct center knob) the black wrinkle case is original and the chrome case is considered a service replacement . It is relatively easy to convert a chrome case to the more appropriate black wrinkle case.
     

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