'71 6500 RPM Tach

SS454Elky · #1 07-04-2002, 04:36 PM

I just joined this BB and am amazed at the amount of knowledge here. I was hoping someone could help mw with a question I have about my '71 SS454 ElCamino. I bought this car way back in 1980 and am just now getting around to restoring it. It is a SS454/M22/3:31 posi car. The original engine was gone when I bought it, but it still had the matching # M22 in it which should confirm its SS454 heritage. Anyway... This car has a 6500 redline white lettered tach in it. I know there were no '71 LS6 Chevelle/ElCaminos or 396/375 horse made, so why was this tach installed? Some people have told me they were just leftover tachs for the planned '71 LS6, but I just cannot see GM dealing with that warranty nightmare that might come from someone twisting a hydraulic liftered 454 to 6500 RPM powershifts. Is there anyone out there that might be able to answer this? Has this been discussed before?

**Mr70** · #2 07-04-2002, 11:23 PM

SS454Elky Welcome,
Not a definitive resolution,but take the Tach out.On the back face is a date stamp.Read it to see if it is a possibility.The real ones are dated.
Although the Factory didn't put these in,you could buy these 1971 white face 6500 redline tachs over the parts counter in 1971.
They are reproducing these today,so it can be done,and has been a few years ago in homes,to through confusion into the hobby.
Any Paper on your car at all?
Or what is the plant and time code.I am giving you the benefit of the doubt here,because most would agree it ain't factory. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

SS454Elky · #3 07-05-2002, 02:37 AM

Well, I have had the car since 1980, so any modification would have had to have been prior to that. I did have the dash out once in the late 80's to track down an electrical short, but did not think to note any numbers. It just wasn't a big deal back then. The car was built in the Kansas plant in the second week of Feb. I searched for a build sheet many years ago and did not find one. The only place I have not looked is on top of the gas tank. Maybe its time to pull that out. So I guess the consensus is that it would have been added prior to 1980?