1955 tach and clock question

[maxx1963]

my dad bought a 55 last year. the tach goes to 6000 not 5000. it is an origianal face not an aftermarket tach. it does not work but can someone explain the 6000 instead of 5000? did this come off a different year? and also the bezels around the tach and clock are chrome not painted? the car is driver quality, no one would have spent money to have a custom tach made, and the chrome bezels are older, they have not been chrome plated recntly. was any of this an option? i need to look at the vin #, maybe it was one of the first few cars made and they just threw in expirimental stuff. any help would be appreciated!

[gbhrps]

maxx1963,
The 55's came with a 5000 rpm faceplate for the tach. Reproduction faceplates are readily available ($18.95 from several Bird parts catalogues). I would think your faceplate has been replaced with a non original one somewhere in its history.

As for the chrome plating, I believe you'll find that the entire unit was chromed at the factory, and then the main body painted over to match the vinyl of the dash. That left just the narrow quarter inch wide ring next to the faceplate as chrome. Yours has had the paint removed over time?

As for getting it to work, you may find its drive gear into the distributor is loose or stripped. If so, reproductions are available ($36.95). You can also get replacement drive cables. Hopefully the tach's internals are ok. Good Luck!

[maxx1963]

i looked at the tach real close last night, it is not a factory tbird tach. it is obviously a factory ford one, just not sure what it is out of. it is very close looking to the origianal tbird one. i have to look wether it is mechanical or electric. i am getting ready to put in a ron francis bare bones wiring harness this weekend, so i will check when i get into the dash. good info on the chrome.
Thanks!

[edmlynek]

if you find out your tach internally is shot, i have the one from my 55 bird--it worked fine--i removed it 2 months ago when my stock tach drive dist. was total junk and un useable--went to a MSD DIST. (HAS NO FORD STYE TACH DRIVE SET-UP)--so i installed a sun-pro tack from summit catalog--it fits the hole in the dash very well. this leaves a good tach in a box on the shelf--if you want it, just e-mail me at edmund.mlynek@sbcglobal.net .....bye ....ed