Modern Tach won't work with points?

Bob C said:
This is what you need to run your proofmeter.
Here's one on epay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1764323831...lp:2332490&itmmeta=01K1ZY0WAAWPPF1EHWD96BV82B
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571299
 
You can also find Mallory "flattops" for SBC's with tach drive on eBAY from time to time. Get one of those and have "Charlie NY" convert it for flathead use. That's what I did when I found a real neat NOS SW mechanical drive tach.

I'll bet they're a lot easier to find than one of those "do-hickeys" above. They work better, too.
 
tubman said:
You can also find Mallory "flattops" for SBC's with tach drive on eBAY from time to time. Get one of those and have "Charlie NY" convert it for flathead use. That's what I did when I found a real neat NOS SW mechanical drive tach.

I'll bet they're a lot easier to find than one of those "do-hickeys" above. They work better, too.
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I considered that too, but it defeats the look I am going for and I went to a lot of trouble to get old NOS points and condenser and an NOS Motorcraft distributor cap. Plus I am still running the loadmatic part of the distributor. This engine is bone stock and no reason to make it not so.

I am trying for an as-built in the 1950s look to this tractor. I know the electric fan kind of defeats that as does the 10si alternator to a lesser extent. But you are hard pressed to find any old tractor that doesn't have a 10si alternator conversion. Ford, International, Moline, Deere, etc. they all have Delco alternator conversions unless they are restored to the nth degree. As far as the fan, it is what it is. There is no room for a mechanical fan-especially after you lose a pulley groove. But the overall look I want to project is 1950. The last one (shown in my avatar) was blown apart and painted. It had had an "aerosol overhaul" before I got it with loads of bondo and paint over top of grease. This time I started with a pretty decent looking 8N so I am leaving it in a more work-like condition. If I don't like it, I can blow it apart later and paint it.

Thanks for all the advice!
 
Update. Short version, no luck.

Ordered a Bosch 00012 coil on Evilbay. 3 days later they cancelled my order, no reason. (probably because it was $5 less than all the others). So I ordered another. It came, I bypassed the resistor and put it on. Still won't show over 1000 RPM. Saturday I made the wiring permanent and prettier. Hoping it might fix it, but no. It runs great, idles great, drives great-just no good tach.

I am probably going to take this VDO tach off and put the marine Teleflex one on. With the analog hourmeter it is closer to what I wanted. And it will fill a hole even if it doesn't work correctly.

Also, my dwellmeter is dead-at least on RPM and dwell. It works fine on voltmeter. It is a Sears from the '80s. Hooked up as always; black to ground and green to coil -. Guess I need to take it apart and make sure there is nothing obvious wrong inside, but the timing is odd.
 
Well my "pretty cheap" Snap-On meter from 1973 is dead out of the box so I need to fix that before I can use it. It looks good inside, hopefully nothing too dramatic is wrong.
 
markdtn said:
Well my "pretty cheap" Snap-On meter from 1973 is dead out of the box so I need to fix that before I can use it. It looks good inside, hopefully nothing too dramatic is wrong.
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Likely a bad capacitor or two; those seem to be a common failure point for old electronics.
 
Dwell meter had a bad diode. I fixed that but still no meter movement. Capacitors all look good-no swelling or discoloration. I'm not a great electronics guy, but I'll keep after it as time permits.

In the meantime I have found a new solution. There exists a Delco 10si alternator with a tach drive. It can be bought on the jungle website for $138. It was used as a retrofit on some tractors and equipment to replace generators with alternators. It is 63A which is what I need. It will allow for the original proofmeter to be used which is even better to keep the look I am aiming for. Now I just need to sell some parts so I can afford it.
 
This is what I use on my 53' Merc,6 volt pos ground (reverse the leads) with no issues.
 

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