Can anyone say for certainty which of the two different 8 grand 70-71 E-body tachometers were used in which application.
Was the 5500 redline used in small block Cudas and Challengers, and the 6500 rpm in big blocks, or was it a 70 and 71 thing, or perhaps auto verses 4 speed.
There were two different versions but both carry the same part number...5500 redline..

....and the 6500 redline rpm tach.
I have seen more of this version in a variety of 70-71 E-bodies....
Colors have faded a bit but both are untouched originals.

They look the same to me!!!

Definately two different color patterns, unless I've got the only one in existance.
70-71 E body guys with 8G tachs, take a look.

My V code, 727, Challenger has the 6500 redline 8G tach.

They fade with age! If they have the same pt.#,why else would they be differnt?

Just asking, thats how we learn about these cars. If you saw these two in person you would see what I mean.
There is a glaring difference
So far two others have contacted me with the same two different tach faces, one guy claims it was bigblock verses smallblock.
Hopefully we'll hear from more people.

Challenger T/A - 6500 redline, 417 SPD, D21 with 3.55 gears.

Hmmm, never noticed that one before. I see what your talking about. If I get a chance I'll look at some tachs I've got laying around. Unfortunately they're not in cars.

I've heard of companies that re screen your tach face from a 7 grand to an 8 grand unit. Are you sure these are both unmodified examples?

Tav

There are definately two different 8k tachs as far as redline colors. I don't know if we can ever figure out the exact reasoning, I would be VERY surprised if it tied into BB/SB. I would say most likely it was two different vendors? Are the 5 digit vendor codes different on them? Aside from alot of 72s have 8k tachs with the resets through the plexiglass, I had a somewhat early 72 Rallye with resets throught he woodgrain, and date codes on everything showing it was original to the car.

Tav
These tachs are untouched. I removed the complete clusters, from two red Cudas in Dobbins Auto Wreckers in upstate NY in 1976.
If I recall, both were 340 4 speed cars and had the two different tachs.
Numbers on the back of these tachs as well as all 7 grand tachs I have and have seen, are all the same 2984185, beneath that is 04091 which I would assume the vendor, then 300532, then 960-BK.
If anyone has anything different on any E body tach, any year, it would be interesting.
Only difference I've seen on the rear is 72 and up sometimes have a date code in larger black letters.

Terry
This is the original unmolested tach in my 70 440-6.
Bruce

Both my cars have a 6500 redline tach. 70 Challenger RT SE 440 AT, build date 917. 70 cuda 340 4-speed, build date 310. I have about 4-5 more of those tachs, I will try to remember to take a look.

Some non-HP cars also came with rally dash (318 or 383-2). Maybe it would make more sense for those to have a lower redline?

Bruce
My 71 440-6 Challenger tach is the same as yours.
After reading Pauls post and agreeing some early 72's used 8 grand tachs, I wonder if the 5500 redline 8G tach could in fact be from a 72 and not 70-71.
Since the 7 grand 72-74 tach has a redline of 5500, perhaps the same redline was used on the leftover 8G tach installed in rallye clusters in 1972 lower compression 340 E bodies.
Also agree with Barnabas

Terry,

I have the 6500 tach, 70 383-4 Auto Challenger SPD Oct69

I have a 70-71 8K tach with redline at 6500.

I also have a 72-74 7K tach with redline at 5500.

#s on the back of each match yours.

clearly it's not a vendor/supplier issue because all the different tachs have the same vendor #.

The fact that these different tachs share the same part # tells me that the factory was only keeping track of one kind of tach. meaning that they probably did not care to differentiate between BB/SB or auto/manual trans or performance/plain jane, one part # = one tach and a car either got one or it didn't. If you ordered one over the counter you could end up with any one of them. It would seem then that each tach superceded the previous one. The 5500 redline 8K tach probably came between the other two making it late 71/early 72.

It wouldn't have come from a 74 360 four barrel car would it?

Sounds like we need to find all the 5500 redline 8K tachs we can and gather some more info.

Tav

I have a 70 383+4 Barracuda Gran Coupe convertible four speed with SPD 09 05 69 with 6500 reline. Also a 70 440+6 cuda convertible with SPD 02 10 70 also with 6500 reline.