Distributor – Gauge help

[SugarRay8]

OK, my son bought this gauge to use in the Dodge. It has DIV GM, Flint Mich. Stamped on the back along with, what we can best read, August 6, 1960. We can’t find any other numbers. The person he bought it from said it was out of a 34 Ford, but based on what it says on the back he was wrong.
The thing we need help with is how to run the tach. It is cable driven and the cable needs to be turning counter clock wise. We know we can get a GM cable drive distributor, but I believe they run clock wise. So far all the techs we have tried to contact (at gauge companies) have either not responded or have just said “I’ve never seen that before”.
Does anyone know if there is a counter clock wise union or whatever that we can use to run this gauge?

 

[goose-em]

Are you sure it spins counter clockwise. I know it looks that way and I am sure when you turn it that way the needle goes left. However does the odometer on in turn the right direction when spinning counter.

It may be, based on the reversed oil gage but right way volt gage that someone in the past put a sticker on it and reversed the needle. Which is an alternative for you also, just have it run backwards.

Another thing, there was a time when you could reverse the drive by moving it from the left side of the tranny to the right.

This gage is unique as far as I know and may have been a factory mistake or made for a right hand drive. I spoke with my right hand drive expert from Australia and he has never seen one either.

If it must run CCW then I would suggest looking into a converter, run your CW drive to a CCW converter. Where to find one, Mcmaster or someplace like that. It won't necessarily be made for automotive application but you can make an adapter.

Or just make one yourself, by two gears of the same diameter go from your drive to one gear and from the other gear to your tach. You would need to make a case and some shafts to hold the gears but wouldn't be too hard if you have the tools.

 

[SugarRay8]

I’ve been worried to hook a drill up to it, so I haven’t spun it enough to see if the odometer runs the right way. I may just bite the bullet and try it. All we know right now is turning it by hand the needle only moves if you turn it counter clockwise.
As for someone reversing it in the past, it really looks like it’s never been apart or messed with. Everything looks very much intact and original.
I’ve thought about making my own reverse gearbox and may still do so if we can’t find one to buy.
Guess the 1st step will be to really confirm the rotation and go from there. I’ll hook up the drill (counter clockwise) and see what happens.
Thanks for responding.

 

[Rat'l Trap]

Hope the motor this is planned for is sleepy. That gauge only goes to 4500 RPM.