Hood tach install 1968 Firebird where and how to drill the holes

Pontiac hood tach installation
Where to drill the holes and how to get them in the proper location.
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[@bradh7601]

Just came across your channel as I was looking at restoration videos for a 68 Camaro I’m about to be given by my brother in law. Your vids give me some confidence that I may be able to do this, by myself, over time. Awesome content, man. Keep up the great work.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

The Camaro will make a great project , fantastic aftermarket support and loads of great options for upgrades if you go that route. The f-body platform is fundamentally simple compared to other cars as well. Good luck on your restoration and thanks for tuning in as well.

[@patrickmerriman2952]

I hope you are going to record footage of when you deliver this car. I guarantee that he will be in tears when he sees what a fantastic job you have done with his pride and joy. Definitely did this man's memory justice.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

I hope to do just that, as long as the owner is willing. I think it would be a fantastic conclusion to this cars journey.

[@dougbaker9473]

Love the hood Tac touch . Your videos are great and thanks for taking the time to make them . Keep up the great work !!

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Thanks. The owner wanted a tach mounted in the car someplace after a little discussion we decided hood tach was the answer and I could not agree more. This Friday will be the painting video too.

[@woodrowdelozier1]

Awesome 🦾😎

[@VinylVillageGarage]

I think it’s a nice touch

[@woodrowdelozier1]

@@VinylVillageGarage we fixed holes then created holes. Then cover said holes with something cool

[@shaggyscarshop]

Great work. You are getting really close to the painting. I cant wait to see it in its final color. Thank you for sharing.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Thanks buddy. This Friday is the painting video. Super happy with the results and color

[@shaggyscarshop]

@@VinylVillageGarage Awesome, I can't wait to see it.

[@petershonka3358]

A Hood Tach was not available on the 69 Trans Am. The hood scoops interfered in the hood tach location. If you wanted a tach, the in dash tach with the stair step gauges was available. Hood tachs as well as the in dash tachs were available on all other models including the 6 cylinder models.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Exactly!

[@user-fk5dl6cs3q]

I've been enjoying your videos for a long time and couldn't figure out how to add a comments, until now. My son just came over a taught this old dog a new trick. Your doing a fantastic job and in my opinion, you're offering some extremely valuable and useful tips and tricks. Thank you and keep up the great work!

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Wow much appreciated and Thanks for taking the time to send a this Message it helps the channel grow. The KZbins see it as I am doing a good job so the more comments the better. My kids helped me set up KZbin for me, they taught me how to do this stuff too. Thanks again for watching!

[@perrywe1]

Awesome hood tach! Very nice work and progress on the GP. Love your work Jon, always learn something. Much appriciated.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Anytime, enjoy sharing the in’s and outs of these old birds

[@fatbeat251]

1969 T.A.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Correct!

[@ArrowheadGarage]

Freaking awesome video, loved the side-by-side video... and the wall of Orange Mt Dew boxes lol

[@VinylVillageGarage]

I think your car would look great with a hood tach too and the garage wall could use a wall of Mountain Dew as well

[@billiebrew2185]

I don’t think I remember ever seeing one on a sprint? Wow , the Great Wall of orange mt Dew !

[@VinylVillageGarage]

What wall of Mountain Dew do you speak of 🙄 The 1969 Trans Am was the only first gen bird you could not get a hood tach from the factory. The tach was in the dash of optioned that way and then They had a special sacked gauge cluster that went where the clock goes for fuel, temp, and voltage

[@drewpackard6646]

Just amazing installation John!!!👍🏽

[@VinylVillageGarage]

I will say the hole saw worked way better then I anticipated

[@davidbrown-55]

Looking great! Better watch that Mountain Dew boss. Tough to control because it goes down so smooth! I have to control myself

[@VinylVillageGarage]

I don’t have any Mountain Dew……..😉

[@davidbisnette7673]

Great job!

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Thanks!

[@firstgenerationgarage2803]

The 69 T/A no hood tach brother and Great video 👍

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Yes sir that is correct

[@firstgenerationgarage2803]

@VinylVillageGarage thanks buddy did you use the template I send you at all

[@VinylVillageGarage]

@@firstgenerationgarage2803 I did actually, I did on my 1969 bird and then compared it to the print out that came with this tach and it was spot on. So I knew this one was a winner

[@firstgenerationgarage2803]

@@VinylVillageGarage you are the man Jonathan

[@user-dv3ke1bb5l]

Man u make it look easy! My tach came with template for a tempest. any chance I could get the 2 dimensions ? side of hood to outer edge of circle & rear of hood to outer edge of circle. Or where you got your tach from, i could try contacting them.... Greatly appreciated & videos are a great help

[@VinylVillageGarage]

I got my hood tach from a swap meet years ago I don’t recall a brand. And I have been looking for my template and seems I lost it. Definitely not winning this battle. I will keep searching I will need it again myself. I am fairly certain the OER brand comes with the template

[@RandDCustoms2]

Loving the content.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Thanks! Having fun playing cars and Sharing the experience

[@RandDCustoms2]

@@VinylVillageGarage Doing some of that myself. Check out my 67 Firebird project would love your opinion!

[@spencerroy7678]

another great job Jason. Would you mind sharing which tach and part # you used for this project. I assume you used an hei distributor?

[@VinylVillageGarage]

The tach I used was included in a box of parts I got, it didn’t have a brand or manufacturer tag. I wish I knew I would buy another one. The distributor is the points distributor with the accel brand point elimination kit and the tach works great

[@bfmcarparts]

2:29 My friend's 68 RA1 has a dealer installed tach and the dealer cut a square hole in the hood for the tach's protrution. Is it legit? I've made 5 templates of factory installed tachs, they ALL vary. 6:31 I've never had any of the lucks (good, bad or tough) with holesaws. I ended up drilling a hole to suit the holesaw drillbit, replace the holesaw bit with a rod then drill the holesaw hole. If I don't do this the holesaw goes left(or right) and one mangled, skin gashing mess. I should have bought a virgin holesaw like you. 9:00 Since only on early Firebird came a tach standard in the dash I would guess the '69 Trans Am? Though I have seen a '69 TA with a hood tach. I see you haven't yet installed a tach seal. The '67s had a hood to tach seal, and the '68s did not, BUT a 68 hood tach seal is listed in the early parts catalogue. Sounds like a good idea. Nice job done. One last thing, Are you going to install another dealer installed option? This feature is very common on full size Pontiacs, rare on 68 Firebirds. A reelout trunk light. I bought an unopened accessory with full instruction s and 1968 GM Accessory Catalogue. Why rare? The option box fully describes it but the catalogue just calls it a trunk light.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

i have only seen round tach holes, not sure why it was square, interesting of course. the new holes saw worked fantastic for me, might be worth buying a new one every time considering the cost of a new hood vs a hole saw. 1969 trans am was the only first Gen that you could not get a hood tach, it’s on the factory order form. they even created a special in dash and stacked gauge set for those who wanted a tach in a trans am.

[@randyrhine9896]

No hood tach from factory when that option is not selected! I’ll take my tshirt in 3 xl! 😂

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Lol. Brilliant! I suppose that is a viable answer as well

[@GoGoGarage]

Cool, I thought about getting one, but I'm going with digital gauges, so it's not going to work for me.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

The owner wanted a tach for this car but liked the factory looking dash so we opted for the hood tach. Are you going digital readings or digital gauges? I have seen lots of options now

[@GoGoGarage]

@@VinylVillageGarage Most likely going with Digital Dakota, but they will look somewhat stock. I need to go this route becuase the engine uses a computer and the transmission has a digital output even though it's a fully manual automatic.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

@@GoGoGarage all makes sense, hope to see your mods on the KZbins too I would like to see that.

[@whitneymckim9651]

That makes me so nervous!! How much would it cost for you to do my hood tachs?

[@VinylVillageGarage]

If you have a tach and harness with you I would do it for 2 orange Mountain dews

[@justindennis1186]

Coming right along! Looks great. Is the hood tach the same as the gto by chance?

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Year by year yes. Then you have two different redlines as well. 6cyl and ram air cars have a higher red line then standard v8

[@justindennis1186]

Thanks! Also does the 68 use a vented gas cap or non vented?

[@VinylVillageGarage]

@@justindennis1186 I want to say vented because it doesn’t have any vent tubing. 1969 early production have a vent tubing system that was scraped and went to a vented cap only. That is one way to tell an early production 1969 bird

[@justindennis1186]

@@VinylVillageGarage that’s what I thought also but wanted your expertise! I appreciate all the great content. Hope to get mine in body work soon if I can just find some decent front fenders. Thanks!

[@VinylVillageGarage]

@@justindennis1186 understand that, I like to find and repair original fenders. The repops I have head some people love them and others hate them and I don’t want to find out. Now if someone gave me some for free I might tear fit them 😁

[@JK_Nex_Garage]

Really like the hood tach. Finishes the hood really nice. I just know our ‘67 sprint didn’t come with one. Did you get your tach from Ames?

[@VinylVillageGarage]

This one I had purchased from a guy several years ago and finally decided to give it a permanent home. If I where to buy one I would get it from AMES

[@raymondlugo9960]

You got the tach. Are you going to install the spoiler?

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Yes it’s painted and ready to be installed

[@raymondlugo9960]

@@VinylVillageGarage I like the look.

[@user-gj1ki6gr1y]

The 6 cyl did not come with a tach

[@VinylVillageGarage]

It was a option for the 6 Cyl. It even had a higher red line then the standard v8 tach.

[@dreamchasergarage690]

Hmm, no hood tack option... Sprint?

[@VinylVillageGarage]

nope good guess, the sprint actually had a higher redline hood tach then the standard V8. the answer might surprise you.

[@badbird2182]

69 ta

[@VinylVillageGarage]

That is correct!

[@rajcam80]

Man that is so tacky! Lol.....

[@VinylVillageGarage]

lol yes it is. and super fantastic too

[@rajcam80]

@@VinylVillageGarage It is amazing to look back at the past and see what the auto makers were doing! Lol...

[@raymondlugo9960]

Was there a hood mounted clock on the passenger side on some car or am I dreaming?

[@VinylVillageGarage]

@@raymondlugo9960 you might have seen a picture where they mounted an empty hood tach on the Passenger side during experimental stages of improving the firebird performance. The thing I can’t remember was why at the moment. I think it was an air intake for the engine. To the best of my knowledge never made it to production stage just prototype

[@raymondlugo9960]

@@VinylVillageGarage I remember a tach on the driver's side and something else on the passenger side with the same dimensions. I looked recently at every Pontiac brochure I could find from the era and didn't see any pictures a second device on the hood.

[@shawnbaird2015]

6cyl 1bbl😮

[@VinylVillageGarage]

nope, good guess. 1969 trans am is the correct answer

[@shawnbaird2015]

So...i just ordered my oer tach..(69 400 H.O. 5500rpm).i assumed the Template would come with...NOPE😮( I AM GRUMBLING)GRUMBLE GRUMBLE.. so... where do i get a template for it😮

[@VinylVillageGarage]

I will send you mine from the pumpkin. It will locate the large hole correctly, you will have to confirm the stud location of course

[@shawnbaird2015]

Why dont you show the template so dude can copy it with screen shot.

[@VinylVillageGarage]

Not a bad idea. I have a scale I could put on it to verify it is right.