I am scouring the earth looking for a front left dust cover with the speedometer gear for a 1969 Olds 98. any substitutions or aftermarket parts available?

 

You could purchase an aftermarket vehicle speed sensor with an aftermarket speedometer cluster. Of course, that would be pricey and require a few mods. Other than that you might be able to go to a later style transmission with the speedo in the tailshaft. I'm not sure if it would work with your speedometer cluster though.

 

I guess the easiest thing would be to convert the speedometer to work with the TH400 - or custom craft the cap, somehow - I had no idea they would be so unbelievably hard to resource

it would seem something so necessary would be made by someone

 

It shouldn't be that hard to find one. With exception of a few K30 (cruise control) cars, they were on every full-size Olds built from 1963-70.

Do you see why I won't let just anyone touch that dust cap on my Starfires? I made a state inspection station find and buy me an AC-Delco speedometer cable after one of their inspection monkeys pulled the LF wheel on the blue car to check brakes and managed to break the tip off the cable when he put it back on.

 

It shows "cable drive cap" in the parts catalog part #392035.

That number at Obsolete Chevy shows "Cap, Grease W/speedo Cable Fitting" but no price?

Not sure if it's even the same or if it helps you without the gear deal.

Just my two cent worth.

http://www.obschevy.com/pages/Catalogs.html

 

Thanks - Bluevista - that has to be it