Is this a REAL cobra tach? (Grumpy?)

[INEEDAGN]

We found this while going through the stuff of my uncle, who recently passed away. Dad claims that waaay back in the day they parted out a cobra that had been rolled and that not much was left of it. However my dad has this way of remembering stories that never happened, so I'm looking for information on this tach. Dad had it sitting on the bench in his garage under a bunch of junk, and I was just wondering if it could be from a real shelby cobra or if this is likely an aftermarket item available "back in the day". It is likely not for sale, but if it was it'd probably go on ebay with the proceeds going to his kids. I think it's cool and would like to display it with my die casts or something.

Is it worth $20 or $2000?

EDIT: Just noticed that if you look down at an angle under the bezel at the bottom, below the cobra it says: FARIA PATENT 3005155

 

[F8L WS6]

Sorry to hear about your uncle.

I did a quick search and this is all I could turn up so far :
cobra tachometer? [Archive] - Club Cobra

eBay Motors: Original Cobra 9,000 Tachometer - Faria (item 170244495812 end time Aug-03-08 15:36:49 PDT)

Also this image of a one that is probably the same as yours but was semi redone with a higher RPM range. :

Sounds like what you have might be real.

 

[INEEDAGN]

That last pic you posted looks very promising. The others may be add ons or later units, if they are column mounted with a mounting cup. This has NO numbers or markings on the back and looks to be an in dash mounted unit. best of all, it looks like it'd clean up REALLY nice with a bit of hrome polish and some glass cleaner. the needle moves freely when you roll it around so I'd bet it even works, but I have no idea how to hook up a two wire tach like this. probably wouldn't try it anyway. I wonder what kinda sweet talking i'd have to do to be able to own this.

 

[Grumpy]

Ebay one is a joke yours looks like the 1965/66 Shelby GT 350 .. NOT from a 427 Cobra (they used Smith gauges) .. Sorry have no idea what they are worth.. I know steering wheels are in the thousands Ill look later in my Shelby "stuff" .. Has to be worth something .. I'd Ebay it

 

[UNGN]

yours looks like the 1965/66 Shelby GT 350 .. NOT from a 427 Cobra (they used Smith gauges)

A solid lifter 289 with a 6 grand tach? that would be weird.

I'm not saying it didn't happen, but that just would be weird.

 

[Grumpy]

Ford also sold them over the counter... have to paint Melissa's hood and after that Ill look threw some of the junk I have here

 

[Grumpy]

A solid lifter 289 with a 6 grand tach? that would be weird.

I'm not saying it didn't happen, but that just would be weird.

been a while since I looked at mine.. hi po 289s did have the 9k tack so that would mean the 65/66 GT 350s had it .. it could rev that high right before it threw the rods out :biggrin:

 

[Grumpy]

Dammmm ..old age sucks .. I thought I couldn't remember things that happened this morning BUT I could remember "stuff" from 40 years ago .. Welll I don't Found my old Shelby American "parts book" .. 1965 had a completely different tack.. the 9k Cobra one is on just the 66 GT 350's .. I would say at this point the tack you posted 6k was over the counter from Ford.. I have the Ford parts books BUT SOMEONE did some cleaning in my Cobra parts and lit .. Remind me to give her a kick when she gets home in case I forget.. on the other hand nevermind.. she hits back now :biggrin:
Soooo I would still throw it on Ebay and see where it goes See keeping parts books for 40 years sometimes pays off


oh the hood is painted !!! one more thing done !!

 

[INEEDAGN]

Thanks for your time. I figured that the car they parted out was somebodies kit car or clone or something. I don't know how they would have ever gotten hold of a real shelby anything (although I had a couple of 80s shelby chargers, LOL). In the condition it is in, it is still a neat piece of vintage speed equipment and there is always a market for that. Might look good on a shelf for a while. If it did hit the 'bay, I'd be sure to post a link in this thread for you.

Thanks again.

bob

 

[GNVenom]

I believe it's a FORD supplied aftermarket part because it is 6000 RPM. That looks suspiciously like the "over the counter" Ford part sold to dress up the Mustangs in the day...and they offered parts for all the models that were similar as I recall.

Definitely not AC Cobra part though. It's similar the the Shelby gauges.

I second the Ebay route. Verifying the tach would be helpful, to be sure it works.

Back around 1980 I sold a four speed manual "Dagenham" transmission out of a six cylinder '66 Mustang, and got $1000 for it at the time...very rare part as it turned out. I also had a couple of the "Rally Pac" tach/clock setup for the car, one with a 6 grand tach, and one with the 8 grand tach. You could order either one from the option sheet, with virtually any engine, including the six cylinder.

 

[INEEDAGN]

so how would you test a two wire tach like this? I really don't want to fry it.