I got a call this week from a client with a screaming tach drive. This is a chronic problem with Bugeyes, the mechanical tach is a complicated system that has to be set up just right, otherwise pieces break. Cables bind. Tachometers get dusty and jumpy, and reproduction tach drives are notorious for heating up and imploding. Reproduction generators don’t always interface properly with tach drives. It’s a chain that can be finicky and tough to maintain. So here’s a great solution that fixes a multitude of problems once and for all… this alternator kit with electric tachometer fixes everything once and for all.
Charging is also more reliable with the alternator—the regulator in the alternator is more reliable than the original, and the bearings in the alternator last longer. Most Sprites don’t need an alternator for increased output, although that is a fringe benefit (and the headlights won’t dim at idle as they do with the generator). The real reason for doing all this is that the mechanics are much more reliable, the interfaces easier to maintain, and the overall reliability is greater. This is a set-up that we feel a lot more comfortable sending out into the world on all our cars, with the best results!
Included in the full kit is a correct Mark 1 tach with modern electronic guts hidden inside. You simply follow the wiring instructions and hook it to the coil. This is a relatively easy upgrade and fun for anyone who is handy. Or bring the whole kit to any car repair shop and they should be able to put the whole thing in pretty quickly. You’ll need to send us your mechanical tach as a core, so we can rebuild it for the next client. Built into the price is a $200 core charge, and if your tach is cosmetically in good condition, we return the full amount. If it is marginal, you might get less than the full core charge returned so we can pay to have your tach restored for the next client. You must convert your car to negative ground for this to work. Please also note if you have a high beam indicator or an ignition indicator on your tachometer and order accordingly. FYI from the factory Bugeye’s came with the Red ignition indicator but we often find the gauges have been swapped with later gauges that are the opposite configuration.
This kit is a great way to eliminate a lot of the common Bugeye headaches, so you can enjoy your car with greater reliability.
You can see the alternator kit available by clicking here.
You can see the electronic converted tach by clicking here or a brand new electronic tachometer by clicking here.
