'69 - '74 tach cable with housing

[G B.]

I believe the assembly line '69 through '74 tach drive cable length was about 20.5" long. The housing was about 20" long, flange-to-flange.

The current GM/Delco/Delphi replacement is #25032184. This part number is actually for a 23" long cable in a 22.5" long housing. Judging from the listings in Corvette aftermarket catalogs, most suppliers sell this longer cable and housing as if it would fit. It doesn't. I'm not just being a ***** about this length difference. Those extra 2.5" really make a difference in the way it fits in the car.

Could someone please tell me a source who stocks the original length cable and housing?

[Erv Schlepp]

Re: '69 - '74 tach cable with housing

Juliet Page just had an artical printed in the lastest issue of Corvette Fever on replacing the tachometer drive cable in a 1970 corvette. She stated that the 1970 cable was about 20 iches long and was different than a 1969. The artical gave the exact cable lenths. She also stated that a longer cble would be hard to install and due to bending the excess cable could lead to binding and future problems. I suggest you get the lattest issue of Corvette fever or contact Juliet Page at Juliet@annapolis.net.

The artical was great and gave step by step instructions on the replacement of the cable.

[Lee McGlamery]

Re: '69 - '74 tach cable with housing

Hi Jerry. I purchased a tach cable for my 70 from either Eckler's or Corvette Central about 4 months ago and it fit perfectly. I look through my 5 inches of parts receipts but I could not locate the receipt for it. I am sure that if you call them they can get the measurements. I ran into a similiar problem with the wood grain insert on the shifter console plate. The insert was approximately 1/4" to wide in the section above the engine data plate. I called every vendor asking them to measure the insert and finally found one that was correct at Volunteer Corvette in Knoxville, TN. There is a young man there would measure the cable for you. His name is Brian and he has been a lot of help. Volunteer Corvette's part number is CA09. There telephone number is 865-521-9100. Brian will probably take your call.

Thanks

Lee McGlamery

[G B.]

I need more help

Erv, thanks for responding. I've read Juliet's article. I think she did a very good job writing it.

The article implies that the current GM cable, #25032184, is 20.7 inches long. It is not. Perhaps Juliet got that length from the note in the Chevrolet parts book that says the cable is 525.0 mm long. Unfortunately, I believe this note was originally written about a discontinued part that has since been replaced by the 25032184 cable assembly. I just bought one of the current cable assemblies from GM today. It says the housing is 22.5" long right on the package, and sure enough, it measures 22.5" long.

In other words, the GM part number in the article is for the service cable that is too long.

[G B.]

I'll call Brian

Lee -

I doubt I could get anyone at Eckler's or Corvette Central to measure their cables for me. Thanks for the reference to Brian. I'll give him some of my business if I can.

[G B.]

No soap

Evidently no supplier sells the correct 20.7" tach drive cable assembly for a '69 - '74. You have to have make one. I shortened the housing myself and bought a replacement cable kit.

The aftermarket suppliers I talked to (as well as GM dealers) sell only the 23" long replacement.

[Juliet P.]

Re: I need more help

Jerry, Thanks. You're right about the length of the GM cable (525mm) being from the description. For the record, I did measure one in person at Tony's Corvette. It was one he had 'in stock' on the shelf in the GM pkg. I didn't order a 'fresh' one from GM when I wrote the article this past winter. When I verified the part number with my local dealer, the description (length in mm), the cable I measured at Tony's, and the part number all jived, so I figured that was that. Lesson learned. I can't say how long the 20.7" cable on Tony's shelf had been sitting there. But it did have the GM part number on it. I've got a call into Tony and will let you know what I do find out.

FWIW, I also had one from one of the aftermarket vendors which was the longer length which I have since returned. I wonder if Joe Lucia can shed any light as to what might have happened in the GM parts system. My first article in CF, and well sheesh. Just my luck. Sorry about that. Glad you got it fixed. Trust me, I'll dig to the bottom of this. ~Juliet

[Jim T.]

Re: I need more help

Juliet I liked your article in CF. Have you noticed your speedometer is a two piece cable. This made it,or even today, makes it easy to disconnect the speedometer to keep the milage down while driving.

[Geoff C.]

Why would you want to keep the mileage down? *NM*