Author Topic: 68 Factory Gauge Question  (Read 5721 times)

curtis0916

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68 Factory Gauge Question
« on: November 09, 2018, 04:17:23 AM »
I'm restoring a 68 SS 396 with standard interior, and I just discovered it did not come with a console.  Is there any way to know if it came from the factory with any gauges?  I would actually prefer to not use gauges (as I feel they are many times a problem), or just a minimum, but my goal is to restore it as close to factory as possible.

I really appreciate any help you can give.

x66 714

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2018, 04:27:17 AM »
I'm pretty sure in 68 a console was required before you could order gauges. 69 was different. You could get tach w/o gauges which didn't require a console....Joe
See America's First, Chevrolet

1968 Z/28 Corvette Bronze. Black Hounds Tooth. 02E Los Angeles born 3/13/1968 pnt OO. Purchased March 1976
1969 SS396 Yellow/Yellow 08E Norwood born 8/28/1969 pnt 76E. Purchased April 1981

fsc66

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2018, 02:00:44 PM »
I checked the CRG option list: http://www.camaros.org/pdf/options.pdf, I also cross-checked each price book 67-69 and all 3 years state that V8 and the optional console, D55 was required in order to have the U17 gauge package. 
Paul

curtis0916

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2018, 02:11:41 PM »
Thanks, guys!!!  That is great information and really helps me moving forward.

curtis0916

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2018, 03:13:56 PM »
For an SS396 325hp was there a tach/clock combination on the dash instrument cluster?  I have read about a tic-toc-tac on some cars, but I'm not sure if mine would have come with one as it does not have a console.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2018, 05:10:04 PM by curtis0916 »

Kelley W King

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2018, 07:46:50 PM »
On 69,s with no console and a tach the fuel gauge move to the center where the clock would have been.
69 Z28 RS Scuncio Hi Performance
69 SS L78
67 SS Chevelle
64 Corvette
66 GTO Tiger Gold
77 Trans Am Special Edition

curtis0916

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2018, 07:51:23 PM »
Mine is a 1968.

cook_dw

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2018, 11:45:20 PM »
For an SS396 325hp was there a tach/clock combination on the dash instrument cluster?  I have read about a tic-toc-tac on some cars, but I'm not sure if mine would have come with one as it does not have a console.


If it didn’t originally come with a console then there is zero chance it came with a factory tach.  But for those that did come with tach & gauges the tach would have been a 5.5k/7k redline.

http://www.camaros.org/diffs68.shtml

FWIW just about every question you have asked can be answered by using the search function or by reading anything and everything on the main page link.

www.camaros.org

Glad to see another 68 given some love.  Post pics unless you have already.

fsc66

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2018, 01:31:24 AM »
Curtis:
The stand alone Tach option U16 was not available in the 1968 Camaro. It became available as a stand alone option in  May of 1969. In 1968 the tach was only available as part of the U17 Special Instruments package.

Paul

z28z11

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2018, 04:43:50 AM »
I'm restoring a 68 SS 396 with standard interior, and I just discovered it did not come with a console.  Is there any way to know if it came from the factory with any gauges?  I would actually prefer to not use gauges (as I feel they are many times a problem), or just a minimum, but my goal is to restore it as close to factory as possible.

I really appreciate any help you can give.

Out of curiousity, how did you determine it was a non-console car ? Trans tunnel piercings absent ?

Regards,
Steve
1968 Z28 M21/U17 BRG/W 1967 Chevy ll Nova SS 
1969 Z28 X77/M20/VE3 LeMans/W
1969 L78 X66/N66 Cortez/BVT
1969 Z11 L48/M35/C60/C06  1949 3100 5wd 235/6

curtis0916

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2018, 02:47:16 PM »
Great question!!!  This was my late brother's first car, he had sold it sometime in the late 70's and got it back in the 90's.  It was in very rough condition when he got it back, and he planned to restore it.  He had actually accumulated a lot of the required parts over the years.  He passed a little over 1 1/2 years ago, and just in the last few weeks I found some pictures of the car he had taken in 1974.  While they did not include a good picture of the instrument cluster, one did show that there was not a console.  He had made very few modifications to the car, so I knew a console had not been removed.  Another part of the story is that my first car was a 1967 Camaro, and about 6 months before his passing he and I had started looking for a nice '67 for me.  A few weeks before he died we actually took a trip to Texas to look at one, but it wasn't quite right for me.  This car will mean more to me than any '67 ever will.  Below is a picture of the car as we found it 1 1/2 years ago, and a picture of it's current state.
« Last Edit: November 16, 2018, 03:09:30 PM by curtis0916 »

z28z11

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2018, 09:13:51 PM »
Curtis,

Just to make sure - look and see if the two holes forward of the shifter opening for the front console bracket are present, and/or the Rivnuts are present in the tunnel top behind the shifter opening. If they are there, it most likely had a console (although they, too can be added or removed just like most other features on the car). Rare396bronze reminded me to add to look for the extended length forward harness for big block console cars with gauges, which I would not have thought of (thanks, Sport !). He can measure the right wires on his if you need to compare.

Just checking with you - I like the gauge combo to appear in any first gen (although I've only got one originally built with it).

Steve
1968 Z28 M21/U17 BRG/W 1967 Chevy ll Nova SS 
1969 Z28 X77/M20/VE3 LeMans/W
1969 L78 X66/N66 Cortez/BVT
1969 Z11 L48/M35/C60/C06  1949 3100 5wd 235/6

curtis0916

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2018, 09:21:43 PM »
Thanks for the heads up, I'll check it to make sure.

x66 714

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2018, 12:37:52 PM »
Looks like you opted to add a spoiler...Joe
See America's First, Chevrolet

1968 Z/28 Corvette Bronze. Black Hounds Tooth. 02E Los Angeles born 3/13/1968 pnt OO. Purchased March 1976
1969 SS396 Yellow/Yellow 08E Norwood born 8/28/1969 pnt 76E. Purchased April 1981

z28z11

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Re: 68 Factory Gauge Question
« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2018, 05:11:13 PM »
Curtis,

Just to make sure - look and see if the two holes forward of the shifter opening for the front console bracket are present, and/or the Rivnuts are present in the tunnel top behind the shifter opening. If they are there, it most likely had a console (although they, too can be added or removed just like most other features on the car). Rare396bronze reminded me to add to look for the extended length forward harness for big block console cars with gauges, which I would not have thought of (thanks, Sport !). He can measure the right wires on his if you need to compare.

Just checking with you - I like the gauge combo to appear in any first gen (although I've only got one originally built with it).

Steve

I was reminded to clean this up a bit - the engine harness on a non-gauge equipped big block car carries the longer sender wire than a small block harness. Gauge cars used a hard line, obviously. Sorry for the misstated thought. The question was about gauges, not big or small block (age related confusion, believe me). At least the floor piercing indicating console appearance is correct !

Thanks, Sport -

Steve
1968 Z28 M21/U17 BRG/W 1967 Chevy ll Nova SS 
1969 Z28 X77/M20/VE3 LeMans/W
1969 L78 X66/N66 Cortez/BVT
1969 Z11 L48/M35/C60/C06  1949 3100 5wd 235/6

 

anything