Integral Brazilian Tachometer - First Mockup Phase Successful

How accurate are your overlays as far as RPM reading?

 

Hi Larry...great question. My Brazilian style overlays read as accurate as the original Sunpro dial face, because they were designed to match the physical sweep dimensions, and full range scale of the Sunpro dial face. The Sunpro Tachometer guts itself, are only as accurate as the manufacturer specifies, with respect to it being wired according to Sunpro's Instructions.

The Sunpro dial pictured in my original mockup picture looks misaligned with the needle at full scale, because I hastily taped it on too high vertically, when I first mocked it up 2 years ago.

If the modification is done with care, it will line up nicely.

 

One more question; If I'm not concerned about it looking "factory", is there a way to mount the entire tach unit in the center of the cluster (without disassembling the tach)?

 

Larry, I have never tried putting the tach in the center of the whole Instrument Cluster, so I'm not for sure. I'm not saying it can't be done.

 

Does anyone have a spare Speedometer pointer needle with center beauty ring/escutcheon still attached that they can sell me.

 

I have a nice complete unit, I freaking broke the outter plastic, but the innards are good Verrrrry clean very low mile piece. PM if you still need.

 

New Instructions in Preparation of Long Overdue Tech Article

I am just updating this thread with recent, improved Instruction and pictures, for doing the Brazilian Integral Tachometer Modification....

...It will be easier for me to edit this long write up, and confirm these pictures are located correctly in this thread, before I submit this for a long overdue Tech Article.

I have learned a few more tricks after doing the first Mod over 2 years ago, and therefore wanted to add these important details, for those that are doing this Modification themselves.

(*So ignore reading all this stuff, unless you are currently getting ready to do the mod, or have never heard of it)

update *Thanks to the moderators, for making this a Tech Article:
http://mmb.maverick.to/showthread.php?p=987831#post987831

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Instructions for Doing The Brazilian Integral Tachometer Modification:

Here are a couple of pictures of a Modification installed in a car (pictures courtesty of Kevin in Canada) :




And here are some pictures of another member's Mod on my workbench, that I did for him:

(*The Speedometer on this customer's unit was an Actual 1970 Ford Maverick Speedometer, just like my 1970 NOS one... and came with the "Red Lines" from the Factory, and ONLY the 1970 ones did. I repainted the Red Lines on this customer's Speedometer, because they were badly faded, and I also repainted ALL 3 of the gauge pointers, so they matched)

(*It is pretty easy to re-create these "Red Lines" on a later 71-73 Speedometer, if that is desired)







The below details may look like alot at first, but are just basically the details of a 3 Step Process:

1. Move the Factory Fuel Gauge up 1/8th-1/4" of an inch.
2. Mount the extended Needle to the Tach.
3. Mount the Sunpro Tach to the back of the Instrument Cluster.


Parts/Supplies Needed: (Around $ 40 total*, not including an extra Early Style Instrument Cluster, Greenish/Blue Color, and custom Brazilian Tach Overlay) :

*If you want to buy one of my Brazilian Tach Style Overlays, PM me.

- Sunpro Super Tach II, Model CP7904 (Any Sunpro Super Tach II model has the same guts, and I bought it from Amazon for around $ 35)

- 2" inch long sewing needle, was bought at Wal-Mart for around $1, and it came in a multi-pack: The package said "Dritz Household Needles" item # H66.

***It will frustrate you if you do not have the correct sewing needles:

***The pack of needles that you buy, NEEDS to have at least one sewing needle, that is long enough, and with the correct thickness, to fit this Modification properly. So if your pack of sewing needles do not meet both of these criteria, then you need to go shopping, and be sure to have the correct ones.

*The way you will know that your sewing needles are correct, is to make sure they are at least 2" long, and you test the thickness by sliding one end into the EXTRA Speedometer Pointer, after you have cut each end of the sewing needle with a pair of good quality side cutters. The needle should slide in, and have very little wiggle room.

Sewing needles come in SEVERAL THICKNESSES, sometimes in the same pack, so test your sewing needles before you start, so you don't get frustrated later.



- Instant drying Krazy Glue from Wal-Mart, around $2.

- Slower drying Super Glue Gel (for glueing particular parts later, that may need to be pulled back off right away, in case you mess up)

- 2 small self Tapping Screws (3/4" long, aprox the thickness of a # 6 screw)

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(* Member Drew Pittman, was the first person to try this modification earlier in this thread, after I posted Instructions on doing mine, and he did an excellent job and write up, with lots of pictures, and other info. I have included some of Drew's pictures, along with my own, below)


The best way to explain these Instructions, is to start by Master referencing everything to the center hole that you will drill, in the center of the Maverick/Comet Gauge Instrument Dial, which is the Dial on the left side, when you're facing the Instrument Cluster.

*Remember to treat the Instrument Cluster like a fragile egg shell. It is extremely brittle, and requires a little bit of patience when working with it.

First, remove the Dial Face on the left side of the Maverick/Comet Instrument Cluster, and then remove the round escutcheon/beauty ring from the center of the gauge dial face, by unclipping it. Mark the center of the dial by putting a cross that intersects over the center point...that way, if your drill slides, and removes the mark, you will still be able to see where the center is. This will be the hole that your Sunpro Tach Needle protrudes through, and this hole will be the Master Reference point for everything on this modification.

Now, get set up for a 1/8" Drill Bit, and drill an 1/8" hole, on fast speed, with light pressure. Next, make the Hole larger using a 7/32" Drill Bit.

Next, remove the guts of the Sunpro Tach by removing the case screws, and prying the cover off. Slowly, and carefully remove the Sunpro dial pointer with a trim-type remover tool, or 2 screw drivers, that can slip under both sides of the dial pointer. Apply pressure slowly while slightly rocking tool side to side. *

***Do not throw the Sunpro pointer away...set it aside for later, as you will need this IMPORTANT PIECE for extending the Sunpro tach needle.

*You won't be able to use the complete Sunpro pointer anymore, so you will either need a spare Mav/Comet Speedometer pointer, or another Sunpro pointer.

Now remove the 2 Philips screws holding the Sunpro Dial Face on, and you can have the tach guts completely free. You will know from here on, which way is up and down on the bare guts of the cluster, by knowing that down (toward the ground), is the side of the Tach guts that the 3 position switch is located on.

Before taking the Fuel Gauge out, use a Black Sharpie marker, and put a mark on the inside-bottom of the cluster housing, right at the bottom/center of where the Fuel Gauge ends. You will use this mark later for referencing where to mark above, and drill the hole for the Sunpro Tach needle to protrude through. (The actual hole will be drilled approximately 1/4" above this point, but read on).

Before you drill the 2 holes to mount the Tach to the Mav/Comet Cluster, and the one hole at the inside/bottom of the cluster, for the Sunpro needle to protrude through, you need to move the Fuel Gauge up about 1/8th of an inch:

Remove the 2 nuts holding the fuel gauge onto the circuit back-plane, and set aside the fuel gauge.

Next, drill a hole right above each existing Fuel Gauge terminal hole (the width of the drill bit should not be overhanging the existing hole when you do this), using a 7/32" drill bit. Be very very careful, don't grip the cluster with alot of force, and use all the proper safety gear (safety glasses, etc). *You can start with a smaller 1/8" drill bit, and then make it larger with the 7/32" bit, running the drill in reverse, if you want to be more gentle on the brittle cluster.

I set mine on a folded up towel to absorb shock while drilling. Drill on high speed, with light force. Carefully ream the paired holes, so that they join, and form a slotted hole for the Fuel gauge to be adjusted up and down. The new slotted holes still allow the Fuel Gauge's attaching Nuts to make contact with the circuit traces. As a matter of fact, luckily enough, NONE of the 6 drilled holes in this Mod, interfere with the circuitry/circuit board.

Next, drill a hole using the 1/8" drill bit, *approximately 1/8"-1/4" of an inch above where you marked the lower/center boundary of the Fuel Gauge, and run the drill in reverse if you are worried about breaking the cluster, as the bit punches through. Running the drill in reverse helps to lessen the shock of punching through the brittle plastic.

Now make the same Hole larger using a 7/32" Drill Bit, and again, run the drill in reverse if you are worried about breaking the cluster.

*You can look down through the hole you drilled in the center of the dial face, to be sure you mark your drill hole in the correct spot. You can also slide the Fuel Gauge up/down in the newly drilled slotted holes, to check for proper fitment and clearance. The completed Tach needle should end up just missing the Fuel Gauge housing by 1/16", when final adjustments are made later.

Here are some pictures that show the above 3 holes drilled: (front and backside)





Next, you will notice that the Sunpro guts still has a plastic bracket surrounding the guts. This bracket is awesome. It allows the Tach to mount with 2 screws, while missing all the vital circuit traces, and keeping the tach square with the cluster! (*you may need to shim the top side of this plastic bracket with small 6/32" washers, to get the Tachometer Needle plumb later).

*** On the underside of this white colored, U-shaped plastic bracket , that surrounds the Sunpro tach guts, there are 2 recessed areas,in each bottom corner, about the size of the 1/8" drill bit. This is exactly where you need to drill the holes into the back of the Mav/Comet Instrument cluster. So you have to first carefully drill an 1/8" hole in these two areas.

Here is a picture showing the location of the spot to drill these holes: (the two spots marked with a "+" )



And here is a picture showing the holes drilled in the plastic Sunpro bracket:



The way I accurately marked my drill holes for the Instrument cluster, so that they matched these bracket holes, was first accurately position the tach guts to the back of the Instrument cluster, like we talked about before, then I used one of those plastic pin tacks, that you can pin papers on an organizer board with. (this is the kind that you can grab with your fingers, and not the more simple "thumb" tacks that don't have a grab handle.

Use the tack to mark each drill hole, and make sure the holes look square to the cluster/tach, then carefully drill out each hole with a 1/8" drill bit.

Here is a picture of me getting ready to mark a hole with a Push Pin Tack:



And here is a picture of the 2 holes drilled in the Cluster, to hold the Sunpro Tach/plastic bracket: (you will later use 2 self tapping screws)



Now take the Pointer that came with the Sunpro tach, that you set aside earlier, and disassemble it (pictures below), and use a pair of side cutters, and cut the complete straight plastic collar (around 1/4" long, black color), off the base of the pointer, and this will be used as a coupler, to join the Sunpro Needle, with the extended sewing needle.

*Make sure to clean the rough spots off both sides of the coupler, checking the fit, with a sewing needle.

Here are a couple of pictures of the Sunrpo Pointer, with coupler:



(*The plastic coupler you save is pictured in the lower-right) :


Next, take your 2" inch sewing needle, that matches the diameter of the tach needle, and use a pair of side cutters, wear safety glasses, and aim into a trash can, and cut just enough off of both ends of the needle, so that no tapers are present. It cuts very easily, and you can wait to cut to exact length later.

***Before you do any Super gluing...***Make sure you have the correct length and thickness of sewing needle ready.

Now apply just one good drop of instant Krazy/Super Glue to one side of this black plastic coupler. This plastic coupler seems insignificant, but it is the most important piece to make this modification successful.

Slide half of the coupler over the Sunpro Tach Needle, and make sure to only slide it halfway in, because you need the other half free, for your extension sewing needle.

Now add a good drop of slower drying GEL Super Glue, to the free end of the coupler, and carefully push the sewing needle into the other half, and wait 15 minutes to dry.

*The reason I am recommending using slower drying Gel Super Glue in this step, is in case you put the wrong needle in, or postion it in wrong, it is more forgiving, and you can pull the needle back out, and do it again. If this step is messed up, you will have no extended needle/coupler.

Here is a picture of the Tach Guts with the Extended Sewing Needle installed: (picture courtesy of Drew Pittman)



Now it's time for the First mount of the Tach guts, to the back of the Cluster...

Next, carefully take the Sunpro Tach guts, with the extended Sewing Needle installed, and position it on the back of the Mav/Comet Instrument Cluster back-plane, being careful to place the Needle in the center of the 7/32" hole you drilled earlier. Make sure to have the bottom of the Tach that you marked earlier, face the bottom of the Instrument Cluster.

Use self tapping screws to hold the tach on with. (aprox: 3/4" long, and aprox: 4/40 or 6/32 screw thickness).

Like these: Or These:

The screws will screw in from the inside of the Instrument cluster, and out through the back of the instrument cluster backplane, and finally through the plastic bracket that surrounds the Sunpro tach guts. Use a Philips Screwdriver for this, and not a Powered driver.

DO NOT trim the extended sewing needle, until later in these instructions. (Right before calibration of Pointer to Zero RPM..below)

***You may have to use a small 6/32 flat washer, under both corners of the top of the bracket, where the bracket meets the Cluster, in order to level and "plumb" the Tachometer Needle and Pointer.

I am able to electronically Spin the Sunpro Tach Needle, on my workbench, with a DC Power Supply and Function Generator, in order to look from all views at the needle, while checking for levelness, and plumbness.

I first shim with washers, if I need to, and check the levelness by looking at the needle from side view, and all views. Then sometimes I have to tweak for Tach Needle Plumbness, LATER ON...by unscrewing the Sunpro Tach from the back of the Cluster, and using Needle Nose Pliers, to carefully bend the needle, in the correct direction, to make it Spin plumb, without wobble, by looking from a vantage point straight above the needle.

Here is a picture of Tach guts mounted to the back of a Cluster: (Photo courtesy of Drew Pittman)



**I assume most people don't have electronic test equipment laying around their shop, so you may have to do the "Plumbing" (but not leveling) LATER ON, while your Tach is CAREFULLY connected, to your car, with the engine running. (***DON'T SHORT ANYTHING OUT!)

Now very carefully position the Fuel Gauge in the cluster, and slide the Fuel Gauge up and down, until the bottom just misses the Tach Needle. You have to get it as close as possible, without the Tach Needle hitting the Fuel Gauge housing, through the full spin of the Tach's Needle. Also make sure you have the Fuel Gauge positioned level and square.

Make sure everything is square, and not bumping up against anything, and tighten the 2 fuel gauge backing nuts on the back-plane. The circuit traces for the Fuel Gauge should still make electrical contact.

Next...Applying the Brazilian Tach Overlay to the Dial Face...

Carefully clean the face of the Dial, with either Windex window cleaner, or a very mild cleaner. You don't want any pieces of dirt, metal, or stuff, under the Overlay when you stick it on.

Now the Brazilian Overlays are not just a cheap graphic, that peels from a single backing layer. These Overlays would never stick on correctly that way, due to the cutout in them. They were originally drafted up by me, and then I had a graphics company in Arizona convert them to a Vectored Drawing, like in AutoCad, and then they were manufactured with a special graphics machine in Chicago, Illinois, to have an extra "Application Layer" on top, that holds the overlay in place, while you stick it on. After it is stuck on, the final overlay step, is to remove the top clear/satin layer, which exposes the Brazilian Tach Overlay.

My Brazilian Tach Overlays are sandwiched between 2 separate peel off layers. First carefully remove the Bottom peel-off layer...(*And all 3 layers of the uninstalled Overlay, will already have a hole cut in the center, by me, so you can stick it on without interfering with the Extended Tach Needle, that is protruding up though the Dial Face.)

(*The Overlays also have a perfect cutout, in just the Overlay layer itself, so that the Factory Brushed Aluminum, on the Dial Face, will show up in the finished product.)

...Now carefully position the Overlay, to where the Overlay is Squared up straight, and also centered, before sticking it on.

*You will know it is straight by the "X" in the RPM X 1000, being lined up, with the center of the unused Warning Light, right below the "X"...

...Now while the "X" at the bottom of the Overlay is still centered, be careful to keep the outside edges of the Overlay, inside of the White Circles, as you stick it on. I curl mine to where I stick them on from the center outward.

Then I carefully rub a finger, in a spiral, starting from the center, then outward, to make sure it's smooth, and stuck on good.

*You can choose, to glue the Sunpro's Dial Face to the Mav/Comet Instrument Cluster, if you did not purchase one of my Brazilian Tach Overlays. It is a perfect fit, but you can also decide on other custom graphics for your 8000 RPM tach.

***ABSOLUTELY DO NOT GLUE YOUR FINAL TACH POINTER ON, UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE MADE SURE YOUR ZERO CALIBRATION IS CORRECT, ON THE TACHOMETER. SOMETIMES THIS TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET RIGHT. The best approach is to not glue it on, until you are absolutely sure you are completely done with this mod, and are ready for final install, in your car. I do a final gluing with one of those syringe style super glues, because it can be tricky reaching the spot to put a dab of super glue.

TEST FITTING AND TRIMMING THE FINAL TACH POINTER:

Test fit your Tach Pointer, for how far it slides down the shaft of the sewing needle, and carefully cut off just enough of the extended sewing Needle, so that your Tach Pointer will set above the Dial face, the same amount that the Speedometer Pointer sticks above it's dial face.

*I also trim the length of my Tach Pointers, so as to not extend up into the Fuel Gauge Window...basically it will reach just a little past the White Circle, above the numbers. I use a small pair of side cutters, and cut one half at a
time, because it is shaped like angle iron.

***POSITIONING YOUR FINAL TACH POINTER FOR ZERO CALIBRATION OF TACH RPM READINGS:

(*MOST PEOPLE USE AN EXTRA MAVERICK/COMET SPEEDOMETER POINTER FOR THIS TO MATCH THE FACTORY LOOK)

In order to Position your Tach Pointer, for zero calibration of the RPM Readings, you have to have the Tachometer wired up correctly to 12 volts DC.

*You SHOULD NOT have your tach's input wired to your engine during the calibration of the ZERO.

Now, with the Tachometer powered up, and NO ENGINE RUNNING (*engine should be off), AND WITH NO SUPER GLUE YET, carefully position, and slide on the Pointer, to where it lines up with "0" (ZERO on the overlay), then test to see if the Pointer sags lower with the power turned off, and go back and forth several times, to make sure you are zeroed, from the vantage point you will be observing the Tach from, in the driver's seat.

Remember, it is supposed to point at ZERO with the Tach powered on (key on), but NO ENGINE RUNNING. THE NEEDLE WILL SET BELOW ZERO WITH THE POWER TURNED OFF.

*** DO NOT GLUE THE TACH POINTER TO THE EXTENDED SEWING NEEDLE, UNTIL YOU HAVE TRIPLE CHECKED YOUR ZERO CALIBRATION ABOVE, and until you are finished doing any FINAL seal-up with a dust cover.

(*Dust cover can be just electrical tape, or fancier, depending on your preference), for the back of the tach, and final testing, and final repairing of any broken pieces of your Cluster housing. I have put black tape (Scotch Super 33 plus) on the back on my Sunpro's circuit board, so that it's protected against hitting anything, until I seal a dust cover over it. A homemade plastic dust cover may prevent chunks of stuff from falling into the electrical and mechanical components of the Tachometer Guts, so that it stays working for a long time.

I am not wiring the Sunpro Tach's internal light for my setup.

*You can follow the "SunPro" provided Wiring instructions, for properly wiring The Tachometer up to your car's engine. *There is also a 3 position switch on the back of the Sunpro tach, for setting how many cylinders your engine has.

Whew!...finally you're done...now you can take the car for a drive, and enjoy your new Tachometer.

Here's the first picture I took of my setup, right after installing the first made Brazilian Tach Overlay, in the fall, of 2011:

(*This picture was taken before I repainted all 3 of the gauge pointers, and before I shortened my Tach Pointer's length...*my SMALLER signature picture now shows these changes, compared to the larger pic):

*(By the way...I have found the best way to apply the paint to the pointer needles, is to spray the spray paint into a puddle in a plastic paint can cap, and then use a FLAT WOODEN TOOTHPICK, and dip a small amount, and then apply in a single smooth motion. The flat toothpick also becomes useful for scraping, and cleaning up errors)

 

I added another one of Kevin's installation pictures to this thread, and the tech article.

Thanks Kevin!!!

This gives people a much better idea of what this looks like installed...much appreciated

 

I want one of these really bad. If anyone is selling theirs please pm thanks

 

I love the write up. I already have my super tach 2 and a extra cluster but before i start do i have to have the overlay or can i use the supertach 2 dial face?

 

Any chance of getting white overlays?

 

VERY cool !!!

 

I realize this was posted a long time ago.. But do you have you finished guages ? And are you willing to do this for others