Sales literature says (like in '66) that manual shift cars get a vacuum gauge on the console. Every one I can recall seeing (and/or have a pic of, most of which are B-body) have the tach.
Anybody know of any with a (original) vacuum gauge?

 

Same here, I've never seen one?
The few all original 4 speed 65 442's I've seen had the tach. The Sullivan 442resto guide shows a factory pic of a '66 console with a big vac gauge on the manual trans console. Pic of a little tach that went on the left end of the dash.

That book costs a ton of money now, price went up faster than the '71-'72 Cutlass/442 stone shields.

 

This is for Cutlasses, 64-65 had the tach. 66s had the VAC gauge and 67s had nothing. Sound right?

And I think thats right for both consoles.

 

'65 and '66 sales literature reads the same: Tachs for the auto consoles, and "perfomance gauge" (vacuum gauge) for the stick consoles. Which is how the '66s came.
But I cannot recall any '65 stick consoles with the vacuum gauge, and I've seen plenty with the tach.
Thus my question: Does anyone know of any '65 stick consoles that came with a vacuum gauge like the sales literature says it should?
Far as I know the answer is no, and the '65 sales literature is in error for whatever reason.

 

Hmmm...was searching the forums for the word "literature" and stumbled upon this thread. Perhaps topical, but the Feb 2011 issue of "Collectible Automobile" on the newsstands now (as I type this), in the article on the 65-66 fullsize cars, says on page 67 of the '65 Starfires and Jetstar Is:

"Other commonalities were bucket seats with console; tachometer or vacuum gauge, depending on transmission;"

Interesting, since as far as I am aware, no console equipped big cars got the vacuum gauge. Yet another example where the factory literature was wrong AND propagates through repetition even 45 years after the fact!

And on a related note, I KNOW I saw a 1966 Delta 88, green, for sale on the net in Texas about 6 or 7 years or so back that was (it appeared) factory equipped with buckets and an automatic console. The green interior appeared factory (materials and patterns) and was well worn, even torn. Only one I ever saw, but all evidence suggests to me that it was factory and not a custom job (if it was, it was a labor of love done many years back...sure seems improbable).

 

I'm not sure how common it is for 1966 Delta 88 cars to come equipped with the buckets and console, Might be rare in the States but up here in Canada I've come across plenty and 2 of which I own came equipped, Strangely though the only color interiors I've seen were black, Green interior or any other color would be very interesting to see.