8 replies to this topic

[Tomf]

At the moment i am making a custom dash and i just wanted to check weather this spedo would work on my mini or will the spedo cable not connect to it.

Ebay link

[fikus01]

i have a similar one in mine, i dont think it will work with your current speedo cable, you'll probably need the same cable they used with a centre clock, it has a screw fitting both ends! i think they do a longer version of that too! check minispares website, also ask for pictures of the back of the speedo to make sure its a screw fixing?

[Tomf]

Thanks ill a k the seller for a pic of the back.

[minimanclive]

You'll need to change the speedo drive gears in your gearbox, or have the speedo recalibrated if you want it to give an accurate reading.

[mini13]

this link may be of use to you...

http://www.speedycab...calibration.htm

[Tomf]

Thanks in that link it says that for a smiths 100mm speedo it has a trigger/snap-on connector, and as the speedo on ebay is 100mm am i correct in thinking that this will be the same speedo cable as my 3 clock dash speedo conector?


As it just pushes on and has a trigger to lock it in place.

Then i would have to either change the drive gear or get it recalibrated!

If this is correct then i think i might have to place a bid at some point.

[dklawson]

The eBay speedo looks pretty old, older than Minis. The number to pay attention to on the auction listing is "1152", that's the turns/mile ratio. I don't know if there is/were Mini gearbox gears that will provide that number of turns/mile.

If you want a speedo similar to that, and one that has a trip odometer like that, look for one out of a 1960s through mid-1970s MGB. Those speedos typically are set up for 1280 turns/mile which will work with 10" Minis running a 3.44 final drive. (It may not match your car... you'll have to look up your current speedometer's turns/mile number). Most of the Smiths/Jaeger speedo from the 1960s through mid-1970s had threaded connections on the back. There were two threads in use, the more common one being M12x1. I believe the other less common thread was 5/8" coarse (11?). If you look for a gauge with the M12 thread on the back you'll be able to use an early Mini speedo cable to connect it.

There are also options other than opening up your gearbox to change the drive gears. Over here (and presumably where you are) a speedo calibration shop can make you a ratio-box. These go inline with the speedometer cable and provide change gears to adapt the car's turns/mile ratio to what your gauge needs. They used to cost around $80-100 plus the cost of a couple of new cables. The boxes are about the size of a pack of cigarettes.

[Tomf]

Ok thanks for that information. The reason i was looking at that speedo is because the dash i have got had been cut by the previous owner and it has a 100mm/4" hole cut for the speedo. and there is not much pace for make the hole larger to fit a bigger gauge.

[dklawson]

Well, I guess size does matter.

First look for the Turns/mile (TPM) number on the gauge that came with (and presumably works correctly) with your car. Once you know that number, look for donors from the scrap yard, swap meets, and/or eBay. I believe the early MG-Midget and A-H Sprites used 100mm speedos and tachs. Look for one that has a very close TPM number. I think the MGB gauges may have been larger but I don't remember. I'll ask a friend of mine who owns a couple and let you know. I believe the Triumph GT6 and Spitfire also used the 100mm gauges, however, I think most of the Triumph's had TPM numbers closer to 980.