The History Of Dixco Hood Tachometers

One of the absolutely coolest accessories you could have back in the 60s and 70s was a hood tachometer. One company, in particular, Dixson Inc, manufactured the Dixco hood tachometers. These were aftermarket pieces that never came off the GM assembly line, but they did end up in some very special Yenko models.

The Beginnings of Dixson Manufacturing: In May 1958, Bruce E. Dixson and his wife Louise co-founded a manufacturing company, Dixson Inc., in their garage on Vashon Island (Washington). Bruce conceived a way to simplify the installation of tachometers (instruments that display engine RPM on autos, boats, and trucks) and to expand their retail sales potential through a unique electronic system he devised allowing a single model to be installed on a wide variety of vehicles.

In 1963 Bruce was buying electronic meter movements, key elements in his DIXCO brand tachometers, from General Meters in Grand Junction. General Meters was in financial difficulty, and its board members convinced Bruce to move his operation to Grand Junction and take over the failing meter company. Bruce hired trucks that not only transported his manufacturing operation from Vashon, but also the household goods of his employees who moved to Grand Junction with him… read more >