Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I'm thinking of taking out the noisy broken speedometer and broken clock out of my 50 and putting in matching new american nickel series from classic instruments tach and speedo. I'm sure the tach will be no issue, but has anyone hooked up an aftermarket speedo to an ultramatic? I guess there's ford style and chevy (Which the salesman says is ford or everything else) They're electric programable (drive down the road and follow directions and set switches on the back of the speedo) so the correct speed isn't a problem, just wondering how it will work out connecting the cable.

Thanks!

I'd go with the mechanical version, the original cable should match the new speedometer, as 90% of all the older speedometers use the same type of thread on the back.

Thanks for the bit of info, that's what i was wondering about. I believe the electrical version has a mechanical drive on the back of the gauge, but has switches to modify what that rpm actually shows on the speedo face. Kind of like recalibration on the gauge itself.

That project is getting pushed back while i do the 327 swap and ultramatic freshen up this winter, and just got a 71 pontiac to work on too, so some of the details on different cars are getting pushed to the side for the moment.

Oh, and then I'm getting married in September. That's a chunk of car money gone :(

All the electrical versions I've seen use a speed sensor on the trans that has wires to the speedo.

Dakota digital makes a mechanical to electrical converter

Link?

Quote:

dakotadigital.com

Their site seems to be down for the moment.
I have one of their speedo calibrator units for my DD with a electric speedo - works great.

Excellent...As long as there are options, when the time comes i know i won't be stuck with gauges and no way to adapt them. Might take some minor ingenuity, but what doesn't?

Thanks for the info!