Bodywork, Paint, Interior, Trim, & Wiring

discussions about bodywork, paint, interiors, trim, audio, electrical components, wiring, etc.

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IaTR6
Dennis Costello
Central Iowa
(191 posts)

Registered:
12/29/2007 02:53PM

Main British Car:
'73 TR 6 '97 Explorer 5.0

tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: IaTR6
Date: September 25, 2015 11:35AM

I am to the stage of deciding what to do about my tachometer and speedo. I talked with Morris at West Valley, and the speedometer change to electronic is somewhat expensive. I had thought about a Cable-X or similar, but cannot tell if the Triumph cable would match the GM/Ford output. (tech guy there said probably no, since it is European, and therefore metric). I am thinking it might be easier to go with new gauges that closely match the existing. I have a Tremec T-5 from an '88 Mustang, and I do have the VSS for the trans. I will also be using a Megasquirt, either alone, or with a Ford EDIS. I would value any wisdom you might offer.
Thanks,
Dennis


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: September 25, 2015 12:24PM

My opinion would be electronic.
You already have the VSS and the electronic speedo is far easier to calibrate.
Especially if you plan to play with tire sizes and gear ratios.

Live like you mean it.
Fred


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4576 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: Moderator
Date: September 25, 2015 11:48PM

x2!


pspeaks
Paul Speaks
Dallas, Texas
(698 posts)

Registered:
07/20/2009 06:40PM

Main British Car:
1972 MGB-GT 1979 Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: pspeaks
Date: September 26, 2015 02:58PM

Dennis, I don't know if you're trying to maintain a stock look or not, but something to think about. I tried cable, then electric, and finally ended up with a GPS speedometer from Speed-Hut, yes, a little more expensive, but they will give you much more information than just speed. You can make any changes you want to the drive line and the speedometer couldn't care less. Given that, I agree with Fred and Curtis, I would go with electric too.


Paul


Nexxussian
Erik Johnson
Alaska
(62 posts)

Registered:
04/20/2015 10:32PM

Main British Car:
1974, MGB, Citroen Color Rover V8

Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: Nexxussian
Date: September 27, 2015 04:44PM

X2 on what Paul said.

I haven't uses a proper GPS driven Speedometer, yet; just the speed readout on a GPS (Garmin).

I'm planning on GPS drive for my 'B for the very reasons he mentioned.


If you choose to drive it with a VSS, make sure the speedometer you choose is, in fact, easy to adjust.

Some I've found require either gauge removal from the dash, or going under the dash (don't buy one where the adjustment is on the back of the speedometer, less common today, but good to be aware of).

If you decide on a speedometer that doesn't offer GPS drive, and decide you want that, there is at least one company out there that offers a GPS drive unit.

Good luck. ):


IaTR6
Dennis Costello
Central Iowa
(191 posts)

Registered:
12/29/2007 02:53PM

Main British Car:
'73 TR 6 '97 Explorer 5.0

Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: IaTR6
Date: September 27, 2015 06:42PM

Thanks for the information everyone, just what I needed! I am going to electronic for both gauges, and will consider a GPS speedo if the VSS turns out to be too much trouble. I need to roll under the car and look at space that is available for the VSS without hitting the transmission tunnel. If there is just a small interference, I can fab. a cover for the protrusion, otherwise, GPS it is!
Thanks again!
Dennis


Charles
Charles Long
McDonald, TN
(177 posts)

Registered:
09/15/2013 08:54AM

Main British Car:
1966 MGB V6 1994 Camaro 3.4L 60V6

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: Charles
Date: September 27, 2015 09:57PM

Dennis, I have 3.4L V6 with T5 from a Camaro. I went with VDO gauges then I find that the tach. does not work. I scope and measure, then talk with VDO support. I am told VDO tach signal needs to ride on 4 plus volt base, I have less than 0.05 volt base. Point I am making is "get the facts, just the facts".



Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4576 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: Moderator
Date: September 28, 2015 12:54AM

After over twenty years of service, my VDO digital speedometer died yesterday with a puff of acrid smoke. I've just ordered an Auto Meter (part# 2489) to replace it. I liked the VDO's motorized odometer better than the modern LCD, but otherwise the Auto Meter's styling will match my car better.


BWA


(344 posts)

Registered:
04/13/2010 08:13PM

Main British Car:


Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: BWA
Date: September 28, 2015 03:05PM

I sent my TR6 speedometer and tachometer to Red Line Gauges in California and they put VDO internals in the tachometer and Autometer internals in the speedometer.
I liked what they did as these gauges look close to stock.


BWA


(344 posts)

Registered:
04/13/2010 08:13PM

Main British Car:


Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: BWA
Date: September 28, 2015 03:12PM

OOPS !! I hit the wrong button as I wanted to post some photos.

001.JPG
002.JPG

I tried using an MSD tach interface but it did not work so I went to Dakota Digital and they have a unit that works very well. The Dakota Digital unit gets its input from the OBD II diagnostic plug. This Dakota digital unit will work with a 4, 6 or 8 cylinder engine that has an OBDII operating system.

Cheers
Byron


pspeaks
Paul Speaks
Dallas, Texas
(698 posts)

Registered:
07/20/2009 06:40PM

Main British Car:
1972 MGB-GT 1979 Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: pspeaks
Date: September 30, 2015 11:33AM

Better gauges out there I'm sure, but the only electronic speedometer I tried was a "Shark" from Dolphin. I had a bit of an issue with electronic interference from who knows where, the speedometer read 5 mph at idle and with the least throttle input read a constant 140, this with the car setting still. Before I got it figured out I fell in love with GPS.

Paul


primaz
Alan P
Northern California
(15 posts)

Registered:
05/26/2014 10:43PM

Main British Car:
1965 Jaguar 3.8S LS V8 5.3 liter aluminum block/heads

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: primaz
Date: October 07, 2015 10:40PM

If you are putting a modern V8 into an old car like I did in my Jaguar 3.8s with a modern LS1 V8 you can use this device to retain the old school gauges with the modern engine that assumes a digital gauge.

[www.dakotadigital.com]


This takes the electronic and turns it into a rotating cable like the factory gauges.


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: October 08, 2015 09:29AM

Looks like a nice bit of kit but at $300 a bit spendy.

Jim


primaz
Alan P
Northern California
(15 posts)

Registered:
05/26/2014 10:43PM

Main British Car:
1965 Jaguar 3.8S LS V8 5.3 liter aluminum block/heads

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: primaz
Date: October 08, 2015 11:09PM

Jim,

I searched pretty extensively and this was the only thing that I could find to keep your classic gauges yet interface with a modern electric engine/etc. For my Jaguar I wanted to keep that classic stock look. Yes it is a little pricey but before that was available another company said they would create a similar device but actually anticipated the price to be more like $600 so for $299 it is better than putting non classic gauges IMO I did add LED bulbs to the stock gauges and added a blue LED that is manually controlled for an interior light.

IMG_0870.jpg
DSC02913.jpg
DSC04810.jpg
DSC04809.jpg


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6468 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: October 09, 2015 03:59PM

Some engine controllers (MS-II for instance) have auxiliary outputs that you can define for PWM and use to drive a small DC motor. In a few cases a stepper drive is also a possibility.

Jim



MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: October 14, 2015 11:34AM

Alan,

What is the diameter of those gauges & where did you get them?


primaz
Alan P
Northern California
(15 posts)

Registered:
05/26/2014 10:43PM

Main British Car:
1965 Jaguar 3.8S LS V8 5.3 liter aluminum block/heads

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: primaz
Date: October 18, 2015 08:38AM

Carl,

My gauges are all stock. What I did was to replace the Jag bulbs to LED bulbs. What I also did was install a blue LED strip under the wood upper part of the dash that is tied to the interior lamp toggle switch.

I added that Dakoda digital box that converts the modern LS engine output back to old school rotating cable input so that I can keep all the gauges stock.


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4511 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: October 20, 2015 11:25AM

Stock Jag gauges, okay. Now, I am curious if they are the same diameter as the '77-'80 MGB gauges.


maxwedge5281
larry ingram
south carolina
(52 posts)

Registered:
09/23/2014 05:59AM

Main British Car:
59 bn6 zz4 sbc 200 4R aod, 59bn6 302 ford, tremec

Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: maxwedge5281
Date: December 06, 2015 08:27PM

i used speedhut gauges in my v8 healey. mi especially like the combo gps speedometer with gas gauge inset. the fuel level is programmable to match up with the fuel sender in the tank. there are lots of combination colors, dials, fonts, bezels, backlighting, etc.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/06/2015 08:31PM by maxwedge5281.


ToyBug
Dan Wilson
Colorado Springs
(14 posts)

Registered:
06/01/2010 10:09PM

Main British Car:
1959 Bugeye Sprite, 50's MG Special Toyota 2-TC 1600cc, MGB 1800

Re: tachometer/speedometer opinion
Posted by: ToyBug
Date: December 11, 2015 10:27PM

Has anyone installed a gps driven speedo AND nav system? On my MG Special (see Project Journals), I figure the easeist way out is a gps driven speedo, and wonder if once you have the gps antenna/sending unit, is there a nav system that is intended to be installed in dash, and not stuck on with suction cups (they do suck, however if they were meant to stick, they would be called stiction cups), or velcro, duct tape, etc. What about sourcing a nav system from a wrecking yard? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Dan Wilson
Colorado Springs
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