Twin Cam Special Tachometers.

[literarymadness]

My TCS is an early build 4 speed (10/72) Special.  It was the 69th Special off the production line.  My Tachometer redlines at 6500 rpm but I notice that all the 5 speeds Specials I have seen redline at 6750.  If you have a 4 speed Special what does yours redline at?  It seems that all standard Twin Cams redline at 6500 rpm.  Did they just change the dial or do 5 speed Specials actually redline higher than the 4 speed.

Wesley

[EuropaTC]

Hi Wesley,

In Miles Wilkin's book on the TC engine, there's a snippet that the distributor cut-out was 6500 on standard & SE engines but 6750 on the big valve engines.  Max power was supposed to be 6500 on the BV engines so having the cut-out just on (or with manufacturing tolerances possibly slightly earlier than) the max power probably wouldn't please customers 

Perhaps that's the reason for later cars having that extra 250rpm. I'll bet your car was so early that either they hadn't picked up on the differences and were carrying on using the parts they already had on the shelf from the TC cars.

Brian 

[4129R]

and were carrying on using the parts they already had on the shelf from the TC cars.

As my first TCS was the 6th last made, and had a Federal spec bodyshell with the rectangular cut-outs for the side repeater lights, my bet is using up old stock.

[literarymadness]

The using up old stock sounds about right.  My car is even painted in a leftover TC colour (Colorado Orange). Andy Graham (Lotus Archives) told me it is one of nine USA Specials ever painted in that colour, the last one built Nov/72.  Sounds like Lotus was using up whatever paint (and parts) leftover from the previous 72 MY. At least I got the better brakes and the pin stripes LOL.

[4129R]

What indicator switches have you got on the steering column?

What is the surround behind the steering column like?

The TC and TCS are completely different there.

[TCS4605R]

My 74 TCS (4605R) tach has a ‘yellow’ color from 6300 to 6800 RPM then is ‘red’ at higher RPM.

Tom
TCS 4605R

[literarymadness]

4129R

Forgive the quality. I just took the photo now outside in the dark.

Wesley

[literarymadness]

4129R

Here is a better picture I already had but you can't see the redline.  But the rest of the dash seems all TCS.  I did not realize how different the dash was from a TC until you pointed it out. Thanks!!

Wesley

[4129R]

Well those sticky things to either side of the steering column, and the fibreglass binnacle covered with black vinyl and held on with 1 ST screw around them are definitely TCS and not the earlier TC.