1972 John Deere Tachometer

[mctavish.95]

I am looking for a 72 tach. I no it will probably be very hard to find but I would really like one. This is what it looks like.

[johnnycyclone]

Check the classifieds on vintagesleds.com, there was just one listed.

[Matt]

We had this discussion years ago so I'm not sure I can find it, but the tach in that promotional photo never made it to production. I believe the actual tach was similar to the speedometer in it's needle design. Still, very, very hard to find.

[80spitfire]

Here's what the 72 tach ended up looking like during production. There were some changing runs made to it though I'm told, apparently some of them even had a red needle. Even the kits were kind of goofy. Instead of having a bracket that you mount to the back of the gauge, they have a plastic cup with a screw. Also if you look in the other picture I put up, you'll notice that the bezel is taller than the stock speedo. So needless to say, these are a very interesting little piece of the beginning of Deere sleds. The tach in the picture came from the guy on VS, by the way, so I'm sure it'll look the same

[mctavish.95]

Thanks alot for the info. I am in the middle of restoring a 72 400 and am wondering about other differences in between 72 and 73 besides the ones on models page( http://www.jdsleds.com/models/00/00.html ) if there are any more.
Thanks

[80spitfire]

I read through that page again, man it's been a while since I did my 500, and few things that I noticed are, it says the rear grab bars on ALL 72s was black,this is false, the 72 500s had a one piece chromegrab handle. It is correct about the 400s being black though. The skis are also a little bit diferent, most people don't remember this one. The skis had an extra cover over the front of the leafs. They never did this any other year, I'll post a picture sometime of it. This is interesting as well, in regards to the grips, the grips are actualy Arctic Cat grips. They are the correct 72 grips, but they actualy are an Arctic Cat part. In 72 they didn't have a dimmer switch either and the kill switch was also unique to the 72s. They used a black and chrome Indak switch which was used frequently on Ski Doos. The racers usualy opted to use these on the 74 295s. I'll post some pics of this as well. Well that's about all I remember. Here's a picture of me and my 500 at Waconia this year

[80spitfire]

Here's what the skis on a 72 look like, notice the extra cover over the front of the loop.



Here's the chrome one piece grab bar that came on the 500s

[mctavish.95]

Thanks so much. The 400 I am doing the guy before me took a 75 JDX4 and swaped the drive, the track, the skis, the suspension and who knows what else with it. I dont no what he did with the original parts so I am getting a parts machine. It is alot nicer when the machine has been sitting forever and is original and hasnt been messed around with. Btw your sled is awesome!

[sledder670]

I sold Rich Acre 2 nos tach kits that i think you are looking for they had the plastic cup. Not sure if they are for sale.

[Matt]

Thanks 80Spit, all good info, I'll update that page.

I notice in some of these gauge photos, the little lines in the MPH increments are white, others are red. I have an NOS 72 speedo with red lines.

[80spitfire]

Thanks 80Spit, all good info, I'll update that page.

I notice in some of these gauge photos, the little lines in the MPH increments are white, others are red. I have an NOS 72 speedo with red lines.

No problem Matt I'm glad I could help. Everything else I know about the 72s I learned from your site lol

Yeah mine has the red lines in it to, it looks pretty much identical to the tach as far as coloring.

[80spitfire]

Thanks so much. The 400 I am doing the guy before me took a 75 JDX4 and swaped the drive, the track, the skis, the suspension and who knows what else with it. I dont no what he did with the original parts so I am getting a parts machine. It is alot nicer when the machine has been sitting forever and is original and hasnt been messed around with. Btw your sled is awesome!

Yeah it really sucks when the sleds get messed with so much. I was fortunate to get a sled that has been in my family for over 30 years and sat in a garage attic for 25 of them. The sled was absolutely perfect for restoring when I got it out, even the original seat is flawless. Thanks for the kind words about my sled. I posted some more pictures of it in one of your other threads.

Here's a picture of the Kill switch by the way

[400brian]

Here's what the skis on a 72 look like, notice the extra cover over the front of the loop.

I need to see a side view of that, from the top those look more like '73s.

[80spitfire]

Here's the side view of it and I also took a picture of a 72 parts manual that you can see the cap in.





I took the time to do a little bit more research on the skis and what I have found out is, in 72 they had the an extra cap that was welded on and the part number for the 72 skis were AM 52033. In 73 the ski was changed to a little diferent style cap it's actualy almost more of a plate if you want to call it that and that part number I unfortunately can't find because I don't have a 73 PC and Vintages snow lists that they do but it's actualy for the 74s lol In 74 they changed them even more by eliminating the cap idea and the part number for these skis is AM 52884 I believe that this is the ski they used for the remainder of the years they made the 00 series.

[JDT]

I recall a few years ago someone posted all the differences between 72-73/74.
I think there were over 20 items between (and including) the front and rear bumpers.