<VV> Aftermarket speedometer in LM

Tue Aug 21 02:00:41 EDT 2018

HI Bryan,

I see you are not doing an FC project, which is all that I can speak to with
experience, but here goes..

I fully customized the dash of my Rampside.  I machined matching billet
chunks of aluminium for the dash panel and the glove box lid, then I ordered
custom gauges to suit my truck.  (Well, the timing does not exactly fit that
description, but it rolled off the keyboard neatly.  I actually ordered all
the gauges then designed the dash around them)

I bought a pair of head temp gauges, a speedo which reads kilometres as I am
north of the northern border, a tachometer and a multi gauge which has a
fuel gauge, oil temp, oil pressure and a voltmeter.  All the gauges I
figured I would ever need.  I bought them from Classic Instruments who built
them and matched them to my truck.  I was very happy with them, although in
truth, I now know things I would do differently.  The multi gauge is the
real issue.  I was not specific enough with indicating the oil pressure
range – mine shows zero to 80 and I doubt my engine will ever get over 25PSI
so there is a great range that will never be used.  The voltmeter and the
fuel gauge are right on, and the oil temp was all he could do to get a
usable range.  I asked for zero to 500° but ended up with 320° as my max and
I can live with that.  What I would like to have is the gauges aligned so
that the ‘normal’ position of the four gauges is horizontal for all of them
so that with a single glance I can see all four gauges are showing normal
results.  Instead, my voltmeter shows normal at about 8 o’clock, the normal
for the oil temp is about 4 o’clock, the oil pressure is barely readable
between the 0 and 20PSI but that is around the 9 o-clock position, and the
fuel gauge keeps going from full to empty way too often!  If you are
ordering custom gauges, be specific about what range each on should be and
where you want the ‘normal’ reading to be – it will make you happier in the
long run.  Look at the picture of the multi gauge and consider where
everything is pointed when at ‘normal’ – they are all over the place!

Now, to address you real question about the speedo, I have an electric pulse
speedo.  We simply removed the speedo cable at the transaxle and put the
speed sensor in place of that.  Actually, if I recall correctly, the speed
sensor supplied was slightly too big to fit so I used an old one as a spacer
and put the new sensor on top of it.  (the electric speed sensor screws into
the original speedo output and commonly has a matching speedo cable output
so that you can continue to use the cable driven speedo if all you want is
an electric pulse for things such as GPS etc.)  The first one does nothing
but space the new one out so it does not get hit by the drive axle.  From
there it is strictly wires that go to the gauge.  The manufacturer supplies
instructions on how to change the dip switches to adjust to the appropriate
speed of the vehicle.  (Do this before bolting the dash in permanently as it
is a bit of a trial and error thing, it took me two tries to get it to the
point where I now know it should be changed to next time I care to remove
the dash)

Here is a link to some photos of the dash and the gauges:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kMSJza6UkTzx2FBr9

Here is a link to the manufacturer of the gauges, and no, I am not related
or connected to them in any way except as a happy customer.
https://shop.classicinstruments.com/

PS.  I have just completed 3,200kms on my new 3.1L motor.  Shortly we will
install the secondary carbs and make it really go!  This is the first time
in three years I have been really able to ‘drive ‘ it.  Hallelujah!
Corveric is back! 

Eric Taylor

 <mailto:Corveric at me.com> Corveric at me.com

’61 Corveric, ’63 Pontiac Lemans Coupe, ’71 Triumph GT6

And still my lovely first wife of 33 years.

Hi folks,

I really am going to get back to our '66 project, honest :-)  Once I get the
windshield panel done and the windshield installed, I'll want to put in the
instrument cluster.  The odo apparently broke on the way to the Clark's show
last year and the rest are a bit iffy, my preference at this point is to
just replace them all, so I picked up a set of adapters to fit standard
gauges into the Corsa cluster from Seth at the convention.

The only issue I see is what speedometer to use?  Most are expecting 1000
revs per mile, where the late Corvair speedo is set to 825.  There are
basically three available options:

- GPS speedo.  Too expensive for me and there are some issues with GPS
coverage in cities, mountains, etc.  I'd really rather not.

- Regular speedo with a gearing adapter.  I'm ok with this, but where to get
said adapter and how do I get the right ratio?

- Electrical speedo with a hall sensor pickup.  This option sounds like what
I want, but how does one adapt the pickup to the cable and can the
speedometer then be calibrated without a gearing adapter?

I know some folks have put in aftermarket speedometers in.  What did you do
and how do you like it?  Thanks, as always, for any tips, clues, or how tos.

--Bryan

Bryan Blackwell | Fairfax Station,  Va. | bryan at skiblack.com |
http://autoxer.skiblack.com/ CORSA Eastern Div Director

  Corvairs: '62 700 Wagon, '64 Greenbrier, '65 Corsa, '66 Corsa

  '69 Road Runner, '99 Neon R/T, '00 Miata SE, '09 Ford F-150 "Why do
something if you're not going to obsess about it?"

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