I like, but is it tacky?

Provided its installed correctly and looks like a factory install...rather than something some teenage kid glued to the hood....
too the purest I'm sure it will be a point that sticks out as a glaring "non-stock addition"
to probably 99.7% of the people looking at the car, it will be a rather interesting additional option,
and Id bet if you simply tell them, it was a rather rare option that year, they will believe you.
keep in mind even most "KNOW IT ALL" enthusiast would have to check reference material ,too feel sure enough to dispute ,what looks like either a rare option, or a dealer installed option. and I,m fairly sure that was done on dozens if not hundreds of cars back then as most if not all, dealerships would readily do minor custom work on time and materials basis.
back in the late 1960s it was far easier to simply go to the dealership parts counter, buy an optional piece of equipment and walk over to the order write desk and slip the guy $20 and some mechanic $50 to have some minor custom work like that done at most dealerships on time and materials, billing, in fact I know several guys that had non-factory custom work done.
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as an example
I know several people that had the dealerships add a kit that was sold in the early 1970 that allowed the cosmetic hood scoops like on the 1967 formula 400 hoods converted to fully functional opening vent versions that was not an un-common dealer option at the time, using parts for the 1968-70 cars vents.


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http://www.classicindustries.com/product/firebird/parts/k892982.html

RELATED
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/cooler-denser-air.8961/#post-31945

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http://blog.streetsideauto.com/accessories/the-legend-of-the-hood-mounted-tach/
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After I pull the motor and do a complete detail of the bay and engine I'll install the tach.

I just ordered the PHS docs. It should be just a few days, my last one was only 2 days -what a sweet racket that guy has!
 
Now I remember why I always stuck with the ever popular sport coupes and rarely exceeded mid-size unless it was a An Impala SS or a Caddy (of certain years). It never dawned on me that a late '60s Catalina would be a pita for finding parts. I'd ad that the parts are not obscure parts, they made 240,000 Catalinas so why can't I find a rear bumper or a front bumper Poncho arrow?

As for a convertible model . . . I've been searching eBay and others parts places for a week with nothing to show for my time, I'm even looking for a donor car.

I will pay a reward (or donate to maintain this site) for help finding these parts {and by now you know I will}
The stainless steel trim that attaches to the bottoms of the wheel skirts (or do you call them fender skirts?).
A perfectly straight rear bumper (I don't want to ad to the back-log of metal bumping schedule).
The Pontiac arrow found in the center of the pointed front bumper (5" long - 2 " wide at the top)
I want to find swap out exhaust manifolds to something larger (perhaps the next size?)
A red parade boot or (top down cover?)
 
Good thread title! I'll make a suggestion here since I went through the same thing with a hood tach. Make a mock up of the tach out of cardboard or whatever and test.

I bought the same style hood tach for my 70 bird. Painted it body color when painting the car. During reassembly I placed the tach where I thought I wanted it. Then moved it back, then forward, then sideways. After an hour or more I couldn't find a place where I thought it looked good and would be willing to drill a hole for wires. I set it aside and about a week later took it out and went through the ritual again. Then a month went by and I repeated, then a year, then two, then 5. Finally after about 20 years I sold the tach on Ebay. Here's the one I had.

 
That sounds like something I would do, except it would be 2 or 3 years before it would be on eBay.
Years ago Gale Banks put a twin turbo on a 421 cu Catalina, a '65 actually and it had a hood mounted GTO tach. I remember because someone argued with me that it was a Bonniville, not a Cataline. Pictures disappeared from The Banks website but was a thumbnail photo on the Salt Flats Records which held some record until some time later Banks used a newer Red Firebird and shattered anything in it's class for quite awhile after. The hood tach Catalina looked great! And I would expect no less for the '68s ( I think the '67 s were hiddious!)
 
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