Wildcat Tac into 65 GS Console

[mdkd]

Seeing the Buick Tac in RARESUN "parts for sale" ad reminds me of a question.

I have an early Wildcat automatic console with the Buick tac mounted in a chrome cup on the top front of the console.

My question is wether I can use this Buick tac in the automatic console of my 65 GS convert?

I tried a dry run with a spare console I got with the car but couldn't see how to install the Wildcat tac.

The Wildcat tac retains its chrome bezel after you remove it from its chrome cup.

Does the 65 GS insignia come out and the tac slide in with it's own bezel or do you take the Wildcat bezel off and slide it into the 65 GS bezel? OR...OR...OR

[nut465gs]

I did that same tach conversion on my '65 GS about fifteen years ago. I found a Buick tach in the chrome cup, probably from a Wildcat. If I recall correctly, that plastic insignia in the GS console screws out. Take the tach out of the chrome cup. You do not use the bezel from the cup. The guts are all that you need. The mounting screw points are in a slightly different position from a GS original, but not a big deal to readjust. Otherwise, it's the same Buick tach. You should find the factory's brown tach wire and the light bulb socket under your GS console.  It's part on the dash's wiring harness. Simply plug them in and secure the console back in your GS. You then need to find the other end of the brown wire in the engine's wiring harness and connect it to the coil.

John Egel

[mdkd]

Thanks John

I am still getting ready for winter here in Minnesnowta but as soon as the dust settles I will give it a try.

Thanks again

[campfamily]

I did this same conversion about a year ago, was very easy. Just make sure the console is properly grounded, or the tach won't work (neither will any of the lights in the console).  The reason I know this is before I put the console back in the car, I decided to make sure the tach was working properly.  It didn't work.  I then proceeded to spend about an hour trying to troubleshoot why my tach wouldn't work.  Once I noticed that none of the lights in the console were working either, it dawned on me that I likely had a grounding problem. Put a wire from the console to the body, and voila, everything worked perfectly.

Keith

[mdkd]

Keith

Thanks for the heads up.

You never know what you will forget

[Mark Ascher]

Where are you in MN?

Mark

[mdkd]

Twin Cities

[Mark Ascher]

Which part? We should get together sometime, I'm on the St. Paul side of the river.

Mark

[mdkd]

Mark

North Side E & W merge.

I'm really looking forward to getting together.

Reading the threads it sounds like there are a lot more knowledgeable Buick people around here then I was aware of.

I tried to send you an email but got confused by the setup questions.

I will have to read my instructions again.

[mdkd]

Mark

Tried a PM to you

Did you see anything?

[Mark Ascher]

Yes, got it. I'll give you a shout this weekend.

Mark