I started my 83 today and the rpm needle didn't work when i started the car, it stayed at the bottom.. then i drove the car for about 15mins it starts jumping then finally decides to work.. can anyone tell me why its doing this.

 

in most cases thats a sign of a dieing igniter.

 

ok i'll check that out.. so it might not be anything else?

 

There's a million things it ' could ' be,, but start with the igniter(s) there on the distrubuter, little black box's 2 of them.