$250 Original tic toc tac, Or repro.?

[skip68]

I found a guy that has 10 or 12 tic toc tacs. He said I could have one for $250.00 and says some work and some might not,(don't know whats what) My question is should I buy a nice looking original that may or may not work, or a reproduction........THANKS......Chuck.............................

[694spdRT]

I bought one of Charger Specialties reproductions. The font is slightly different than the original but, I could not find a decent original one that I had any faith in working. If I had one with the car I would have restored it instead but, with buying one and then fixing it I did not want to have $700 or $800 in a tach. If you get a used one I would not count on it working after 30+ years.   

Here is the repo installed.

[skip68]

Looks nice 694spdRT, That's what I'm affraid would be my luck. I guess part of me just want's an original one but not at 7 or 8 hundred bucks. I'll check out charger specialties.  Thanks, CHUCK.............

[Dodge Don]

Even when new the originals were off.

[bull]

There's got to be a way to test them. I don't know it but there's got to be something you can do. I always go with original stuff unless the repro part is pretty much a perfect match. It just bugs me when stuff doesn't look right.

[skip68]

Maybe they will let me test it? If they do and it works I'll take it because I too would rather have original. Even if the clock does not work, I'll take one because I think I can swap my clock with it.   Chuck.............................

[blue69]

You can swap your clock internals into it. Just about any american car clock built around that time frame used the same clock internals. I bought a nos clock of another brand for $20 last year and swapped the internals into my tic toc tach and now it works perfectly. If you get one that the tach works but is not accurate you can swap the board to a more accurate one http://www.rt-eng.com/. I haven't tried it yet since my tach is only a few hundred rpm off. This place also sells quartz clock conversion kits if you don't care about originality and mind it ticking. Someone sells reproduction movements for around $80 if you want it to look original.

[beenaround]

the real time engineering is the way to go if your face is in good shape.they were just reviewed in mcg.had nothing but good to say about them.i have a 1970 and a 1971 tach that only need a circuit board to work.so i do plan on trying them out.

[Silver R/T]

id say for 250 its decent deal even if it doesnt work

[skip68]

Yep, I think I'll get one from the guy anyway and just keep it on hand because it is the real deal.  I just don't want to cut corners to save a buck.  I've always said toys cost money, if you have to cut corners on the parts for your toy, then you can't afford it. I would cut corners on other things but not the toy   Life is short , why settle?   Chuck........................

[bull]

Yep, I think I'll get one from the guy anyway and just keep it on hand because it is the real deal.   I just don't want to cut corners to save a buck.   I've always said toys cost money, if you have to cut corners on the parts for your toy, then you can't afford it. I would cut corners on other things but not the toy   Life is short , why settle?   Chuck........................

Yup. It hurts so good. My theory on Charger parts is if I think it will bother me to install a certain part knowing it's wrong, or close but not quite right, forget it. If I have to choose between spending $50 on some phony-looking arm rests or $100 on one of those wet-noodle dash pads or three times those amount on the real deal I go with the real deal because I don't want to do this half-assed.

[694spdRT]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and if you really want an original tach don't even think about the repo. I spent plenty on my Charger's resto and didn't really consider it cutting a corner to go with the repo. The extra $400 went a long way to other detail items I felt were more important...besides my car did not come with a tach originally so "technically" it is incorrect either way. I do agree that some repo items are not worth the packaging they are shipped in like those junk dashpads....the tach is not that bad though IMO.

Hope you luck out and get a working one.

[charge-it]

I bought one of Charger Specialties reproductions. The font is slightly different than the original but, I could not find a decent original one that I had any faith in working. If I had one with the car I would have restored it instead but, with buying one and then fixing it I did not want to have $700 or $800 in a tach. If you get a used one I would not count on it working after 30+ years.   

Here is the repo installed.

Couldn`t you have put a new set of correct decals on your repro tic toc tach?

[694spdRT]

I bought one of Charger Specialties reproductions. The font is slightly different than the original but, I could not find a decent original one that I had any faith in working. If I had one with the car I would have restored it instead but, with buying one and then fixing it I did not want to have $700 or $800 in a tach. If you get a used one I would not count on it working after 30+ years.   

Here is the repo installed.

Couldn`t you have put a new set of correct decals on your repro tic toc tach?

Not really. The new tach not only has a different font but, it reads at a different increment than the old one. Therefore, the RPM would be off over the entire range if new decals were applied.

[BigBlockSam]

the original tachs have to be modified or you have to install a tach trigger . to make them work with electric ignitions. i installed an msd ignition in my charger . threw the tach way off.