Gauge Tradition

[CTX-SLPR]

Howdy,

I've noticed something about the gauge layouts in both of my 2 new vehicles with Tachs and the urgings of my friends as to the layout of my customized dash for my Riviera.

Why do we put the Tach on the left and the speedo on the right? Any particular reason?

[Ron Ward]

Re: Gauge Tradition

My tach is on the right....

I rarely monitor my speedo!

Ron

[Mr4Speed]

Re: Gauge Tradition

The tach is on the right in my Olds and my Firebird, on the left in my truck.

Edit-factory layout in all three.

[BangShift McT]

Re: Gauge Tradition

Either it's in the stock location, or it's tucked in at the corner of the dash, next to the A-pillar, in sight. Pretty easy for me. ;D

[Bamfster]

Re: Gauge Tradition

In my Chevelle....on the right, no speedo

Camaro.....center

Truck.......on the right (factory)

[joebogey]

Re: Gauge Tradition

Interesting. In my VW, speedo on left, tach on right. In the Explorer tach on left, speedo on right. In the Nissan, speedo on left, tach on right. Don't know why.

I'd say stick em where you want em. I know I mostly steer with my left hand. So if I was setting it up for the track I'd want the tach on the right since that's what I'd be concerned with. Vice versa if I it's a street car, although I'd only be concerned with the speed when the bushes have blue lights. ;D

[Fordplay0621]

Re: Gauge Tradition

All I have is a Tach, Oil Press, and Water Temp. The Timing Tower is my Speedo.

[cstmwgn]

Re: Gauge Tradition

I put my tach on the left and speedo on the right for the following reasons

1. I don't really care what the tach says below 3k rpm.
2. I don't really care what the speedo says above 75 mph.

So with the tach on the left I have better visability to the red line markings and with the speedo on the right I have better visability to the various low speed in town markings so I can have less of an excuse for not knowing how much over the posted limit I am driving.

There you have my logic for the placement of my gauges.

Now would you like to go into the other gauge placement based on mechanical vs electric and the functions that they perform/monitor?

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: Gauge Tradition

lol... no, I'm fitting 5in Autometer Traditional Chrome Speedo and Tach's into the 5in gauge pods in my Riviera. Right now the speedo is on the left and the now multi warning light thing is on the right. I was planning on simply replacing the lights with a gauge for now then doing the speedo later but I thought if I am doing one, might as well do both and if I am doing both then I can switch were they are. Honestly I like it the way it is but I wanted to know why tradiation seams to hold it one way over the other.

[Monster]

Re: Gauge Tradition

I have, traditionally, always liked the speedo on the left with the tach on the right, but cstmwgn's logic does makes sense, when considered with his perspective.

???

[Joeys66chevy]

Re: Gauge Tradition

wait let me check...... tach on the right(DOESNT WORK :o) speedo on the left.
its fun rev the shit out of the motor hoping you get the shift right ;D

[Schtauffer]

Re: Gauge Tradition

I have always felt that the tach belongs on the left and the speedo on the right.

I also just realized that in both of my cars the tach is on the right and the speedo in on the left.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Gauge Tradition

The factory gauge package on my 65 Impala SS is really long with two pods at each end. The left side pod has the oil, temp, amp, and fuel gauges. I only use the fuel gauge now. The oil and temp still work and disconnected, but the amp which is connected seems to have quit. No matter, I have a trio of Auto Meter's hanging under the dash. The big rectangular speedo is in the middle, the radio to the right of that and the far most pod which is more in front of the passenger has the factory vacuum gauge. A tach was optional in there, but you'd have to lean over to the right to see it.

I designed a gauge panel to replace all that plastic crap, but haven't decided if I want to replace the whole dash and wiring.

[squirrel]

Re: Gauge Tradition

speedo in the center, above the steering column, tach in the center on top of the dash....but that's for 50s stuff that never came with a tach from the factory.

If you're gonna shift using the the tach, you might want it sort of close to your line of sight. Speed isn't so important, so the speedo can be somewhere where you have to take your eyes off the road to look at it.

[DanStokes]

Re: Gauge Tradition

In the Camaro, I put the tach on the dash bar, right under where the rear view mirror used to be. So it's just to the right of the line of sight, with the shift light on the right. I'd have liked the shift light on the left of the tach (more in the line of sight) but it hit the windshield. Speedo is in the dash, but there's no time to look at it, anyway. Besides, I think it's only a rough approximation.

Dan