Optional Gauges

Does anybody know...

What year did they come out with the RPM gauge?

What about the clock mounted to the left of the steering wheel?

 

Welcome to the board. I would have to guess the rpm and clock gauges came out the same year. As for the year not sure, possibly 70-76, someone will chime in with the correct answer soon.

I have both in my 79.

 

i have a 73 and dont have them ... wish i did i just have a dash mount rpm and no clock

 

I think the earliest would be 1976, when the dash was changed. 1975 and earlier have the original flat metal dash, and no place for anything other than the big speedo, and 2.125" amp/volt and oil.

 

my 75 doesn't have them, so 76 would be my guess.

 

IIRC was part of a pkg 76? came out when CJ7 did.
I had it in a CJ7 of that era and I have a friend that has it on a CJ5 of about the same years, i think his a 77.

 

Pretty sure the clock and tach came with the dash change in 76. All sources I have found (and personal observation) is they always came together, and usually came as part of a Renegade/Golden Eagle/Laredo/Limited/Levi package.

I put a factory tach in my 83 CJ, some wires had to be disconnected and the tach hooked up inline, but the wires are there. There is also a factory power/gauge light harness that goes with the tach and clock that plugs into the fuse box. Good luck finding one in the junkyard.

I have since replaced that tach with an aftermarket repro. These hook up entirely different, they are like hooking up an aftermarket type tach, and as a sidenote, the gauge light bulb is sealed inside and is not replaceable. However, they are adjustable to 4-6-8 cylinders, which is nice when you are running the mopar 4.0 fuel injection where the tach must be set to 4 cyl to read correctly.

I *think* the originals are engine specific (6 or 8, I *doubt* 4cyl equipped models ever had the clock/tach) but do not quote me on that one.

 

In my 1975 Dealer book it shows a column mounted tach on the CJ-5. I personally have seen two of them. One was for a six cyl, and the other was for a V-8. They are very similar to the late '60's Rambler dash mounted tachs, except they have a mount for the column and the AMC emblem on them instead of just AM. I have a Rambler style one that I can post a pic of if anyone is interested.

 

Seems to support that the first year of the dash mounted tach/clock was 76.

 

Nope. It is an order book for the 1975 model year. The tach is shown on a 1975 model which has the old style steering column. The two tachs I have seen have a small cast clamp which actually clamps around the column.
Here is a scan from the book. I also noticed under the 1975 Product highlights, it states, " New optional column-mounted tachometer". My guess would be that the dash mounted tachs were used after the steering column was changed in 1976

 

which is what Chuck is saying
1976 first year for in the DASH mounting

 

I was pretty tired last night, I really read THAT one wrong!