Sunpro is celebrating its 75th anniversary as a manufacturing of tachometers and gauges.
Founded in 1935 in Crystal Lake, Ill., as the Sun brand, the company originally made industrial tachometers for Jeeps and tanks. As the performance marketplace emerged and grew throughout the 1950s and 60s, Sun responded with products ideal for the new enthusiast market. In fact, if you drove through any given town on Friday nights during the 1960s, you were bound to find enthusiasts showing off their muscle cars at the local drag strip with the iconic Sun Super Tach(r) perched on the dash, the company says.
The tach's unique chrome ring and blue line styling became an instant classic among hot rod enthusiasts. By 1970, Super Tachs were appearing on speed shop shelves from coast to coast.
In the 1980s, the company expanded and became Sunpro, debuting products for both the professional technician and the enthusiast markets. Decades later, this brand remains popular among hot rodders and performance buffs.
"Many of today's enthusiasts grew up with our gauges adorning their dashboards, and they are passing that passion down to their kids and grandkids," says Jennifer Otto, product manager, Sunpro. "We are very proud that our company has reached this significant milestone, and it is our goal to continue developing Sunpro-brand products that serve the needs of automotive enthusiasts for years to come."
Sun was the first company to bring style to the design of tachometers, including the introduction of color dial faces as well as lighted pointers and larger chrome bezels. That distinct design heritage continues today with the recent introduction of Sunpro Retro Tachometers, which feature the nostalgic styling of the past enhanced by the modern electronics of today, according to the company.
The original tach came with two bracket choices: one for the dash and one for the column for racers who wanted to keep their equipment hidden from other drivers. As horsepower increased, Sun began to monitor shift points and introduced its pointer, which allowed drivers to pinpoint their max RPM line, or designate the point where they wanted to shift. This concept inspired the title of the 1965 racing film "Red Line 7000," starring James Caan, and included Sun Super Tachs on vehicles used during filming.
The pointer allowed for safer driving and shifting, and was the solution to saving engines in the racing industry. The increasing popularity of the tach continues to attract muscle car enthusiasts, hot rodders and weekend racers to the brand.
For more information, visit www.sunpro.com.
