USAZR1

When doing this swap,what other potential problems do you run into besides what to do about a new tach drive source? What distributor options are available? MSD,Mallory,etc?
What is a nice condition 60 generator w/tach drive worth these days?

Cruzmeisters

'62 has a tach-drive distributor...or you can get an MSD #8572 & 6AL "hot box", like I put atop the ZZ4 ;) :yesnod: :cheers:
Cruz

USAZR1

What would something like that cost,Cruz?

58Mike

<< or you can get an MSD #8572 & 6AL "hot box" >>

Hey, that's what I've got, too, for my 350. Of course, if you do this, you're losing your old points setup, if that matters to you.

Another thing that may be obvious to everyone (but wasn't to me) is that if you go with an MSD distributor, there is a small adapter that you put into the connector so you can use the standard 5/8" to 7/8" tach/speedo cable.

- Mike Greene

USAZR1

The car I'm trying to purchase has a 350" and point ignition is not something I want to keep. What size tach cable does a 60 have?
Clint

58Mike

<< What would something like that cost,Cruz? >>

Distributor is a probably less than $400. A 6A box is $132 (what I have) or a 6AL (what Cruz has) is $182. Prices are PAW (Performance Auto Wharehouse 818-678-3000). Summit or any other speed shop would also carry these.

58Mike

<< What size tach cable does a 60 have? >>

I believe the '62 had a 32" cable, so that's what I bought. Haven't put it in yet, so I can't say for sure.

Muttley

Also, remember that generator driven tachs read cable speed, while distributor driven tachs read twice cable speed. You will probably need to swap out the tachometer itself when making the conversion.

62fuelie

If your generator doesn't put out enough at idle to suit you, change teh generator pulley to a 3". May shorten the life of the generator if you run constantly at 5000+ RPM, but with that kind of service the generator will be least of your worries. :D

58Mike

DavidB is right about cable speed. The fix is real easy for a speedometer shop. They just put in a different size gear into the tach.

USAZR1

So,I will need to have the 60's tach re-calibrated with a tach-drive distributor? Who can do that and what would the approximate cost be?

andy60

USAZR1,

I may be missing something and am often wrong? To use a tach drive distributor you need to get the cable to it. The 1963 had a large hole in the firewall behind the distributor. Did the 60's have a place for the tach cable that will work for a distributor drive? I guess the cable may reach but that would be one heck of a bend from the "stock" location. I am running a generator with cable tach on my 383 and use an accell distributor. I just changed the springs in it and it is super easy to work on and nice because it has no points.

But if you decide to change your tach I had Corvette Instrument Service do my tach and it came out super.

I hope this helps
Andy

Cruzmeisters

DavidB - DAYAM, son, I had forgotten about that :bb ...you're completely correct! :cheers:
Summit's latest catalog - July/August '02 - shows:
MSD 8572 = $286.95
6A = $196.95
6AL = $249.95
Cruz

andy60

USAZRI,

I saw your post for the 509 motor, that looks like lots of fun. I may be able to help with "details" of stuffing one in your C1, I am running a 383.

If you go with the monster motor you may want to swith to an electric tach. Lots of guys use the sun mini tach. They slip right in and hook up nice and look nice. I had just rebuilt my tach because I had a "stock looking" motor in my 60 but since have switched to a 383 with headers. If you go that route hooker makes a passenger side bracket that worked perfect with my generator setup and let me keep the tach drive. My generator works fine, but I do keep a spair in the trunk :rolleyes:

Hope this helps
Andy

DZAUTO

I'm not going to attempt to influence you at all, but I only wish to say that I PERSONALLY would not eliminate the generator. But if that is your choice, then you can use ANY Corvette distributor from 62-74. All of them had a tach drive and you could install something such as a PerTronix unit to replace the points. ANY good speedo shop can both calibrate the tach as well as make up a tach cable (tachs and speedos use the same type and size of cable). Or, you can order a tach cable from one of the aftermarket sources which is both the correct length and has the rubber bushing which fills the hole in the firewall. ALLLLLLLLLLLLL 58-61 Vettes with FI and a solid cam used a tach drive distributor and ALLLLLLLLLLLLL 62s had tach drive distributors. So the tach cable for any of those will work if you if you install a tach drive dist. The 58-61 tach cables were made up with a rubber bushing (or grommet) on the outside of the cable housing to fill the hole in the firewall (if you install a tach drive dist you will need to cut a hole). All the 62s used a bellows type rubber seal which attached to the outside of the firewall.

andy60

Tom,

You are correct "ALLLLLLLLLLLLL 58-61 Vettes with FI and a solid cam used a tach drive distributor and ALLLLLLLLLLLLL 62s had tach drive distributors."

But they also had a large hole in the center of the firewall to accommodate.

The 60 carb cars tach cable uses a hole on the far passenger side of the firewall. I can not imagine routing a cable from the stock hole to the rear center of the motor. And, I can not imagine drilling a hole in the center of the firewall for the tach cable.

I stayed with the generator drive with my 383 and have no issues.

Andy

62fuelie

A properly functioning generator will keep your battery charged just fine and adds a certain amount of "character" to the engine compartment.

Katz

If you search the archives there was someone with a 59 who listed a step-by-step swap on how he went from generator to alternator. He talked about how he switched to an electric tach, etc.

However, I still have the generator and voltage regulator in my '58. It seems to do the trick; powering headlights and an mp3 player, even :D

USAZR1

I was interested in the 509" for a friend's project. If I buy a C1,I'll either build the engine in it or just buy a new ZZ4 crate motor.

DZAUTO

Andy,
I mentioned that if you used a tach drive dist that a hole would need to be cut into the firewall. But, I failed to mention that in lieu of cutting the hole, any good spedo shop could make up a loooooooooong tach cable/housing so that the cable could be routed over to the regular tach cable hole.

I'm runing FI in my 56 and I did cut the hole in the firewall to run a cable to a second tach. I have the original 56 generator driven tach and a second 57 tach that was part of the 57 RPO 579E pkg which is mounted on the column. It is driven by a 65 FI dist. At hi-rpm, the 2 tachs are only about 2-300rpm apart.