I was on Ebay not to long ago and came across a 1979 Hurst/Olds Cutlass and it had a 160 MPH speedometer that looked stock. My question is did they ever come with that high of a speedo stock? And if so how hard is it to get? And were would be a good place to start? I ask cause I am kind of building my own style W-30 with my 79, and it is just cool. Thanks

 

160 kilometers per hour = 100 miles per hour.

Did it actually say "MPH"?

- Eric

 

Yeah it was the first thing that caught my eye. I looked it over really good.

 

I kinda doubt it, wasn't there some kind of law back then that all speedos could only go upto 85? To prevent speeding?

In stock fourm, they are very few cars today that could go 160 MPH

 

I don't know of any Oldsmobile with a 160 MPH speeometer (other than maybe the Areotech which would exceed that). In 79 the factory speedo would say 145 K/hr with 85 MPH less bold (the other way around in the US).

The last year for a fully MPH speedometer was 1976. It went to 120 although "110" was visable and 120 was indicated. No k/hr speedo's in Canada for Oldsmobile. In 77 it was 85 MPH and 145 k/hr.

Now, if someone got one of those, and painted out the k/hr and the mph speeds, perhaps it could look like a factory 145 MPH speedo. Get someone who's really good with paint or stick in speeds up to 160 and you'd have a factory looking 160 \mph speedo.

 

My 77' Delta 88 Pace Car originally came with an 85 mph speedometer from the factory. But with the help of a graphic lettering kit, goes to 140 mph now. Worked with a local speedometer shop when doing this, and they recalibrated it for me. My late model C6 Corvette ZO6 speedometer reads to 200 mph, and can actually happen, just not with me driving it. Had it to 150 a couple times on the track, and believe me, you're not wanting to do that in a 79' Cutlass.

 

I have seen a 160 MPH speedo in an early Firebird. pretty sure it was factory original. Should be adaptable to the Olds dash. Early Toronados went to 140 then rolled past 0 again if need be.

 

I had a '79 Z28 and that had a 130 mph speedo stock.

 

police cars

 

Thy usually say "Certified" on them.

- Eric

 

It is not factory like all of you have stated, but it sure is cool looking. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/214475...cutlass-calais

 

As mentioned, you could DIY yours like I did, or maybe have a place like "speedometerrepairguy.com" do it for you. For modified cars like ours, pretty good idea having some idea how fast we're really going.

 

At least twenty years ago I found a 66 Vista in a scrap yard that had a speedometer that said 120 MPH Certified . Have kicked myself many times for not grabbing it.

 

I think I am going to go with a Dakota digital set up, I have so much into it why stop at the gauges

 

I wouldn't do a digital dash, as that was really just something of a passing fad in the 80's. My 87' Toronado had it, and just looked like a blank nothing, when the car wasn't running. Some cars like my Corvette have a digital odometer that doubles as other things, such as trip, fuel milage, tire pressure, ext. Also a digital heads up display on the windshield thats pretty cool. Had a digital Compu-Cruise unit(sorry already gave it away) with keyboard, that gave speed, fuel milage, outdoor temp, ext. This was an extra you add to the existing cluster. Haven't made these in years, but maybe you can find a used one. Heard these were quite popular with the RV crowd.

 

Eventually I'm going to have this done.

 

This is what I want to run in my car with all of the add on extras you can get. http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod/prd485.htm

 

Guess if that's really you want to do, but looks kind of home made to me. As mentioned, I had cars with digital dashes, and don't miss them one little bit. I do find it a bit strange, that first you were talking a 160 mph analog speedometer, mostly as a show piece, and now a gauge cluster that is totally dark, until powering up the car.

 

Those digital dashes remind me of the first digital watches in the '70s, except there's more open real estate.

 

I think there is no more expensive way to make a car look cheap than with those digital gauge kits.

- Eric

 

Another thing to consider if you're really wanting to change the whole gauge cluster. I've seen where some guys make a whole new panel with Autometer(or other brand) analog gauges, looking more like a modern race car panel. One of the recent weekend Powerblock TV show doing this to a Mazda race truck they were building. Pick up a Summit Racing catalog, or check some gauge sites, as make just about any kind of gauge, in different sizes.

 

That's Angelo Valenti, he's done a lot of good stuff for the H/O community. Contact him through his web site, and I'm sure he will be more than willing to give you the details.