chazman

iTrader: (4)

I seem to remember them all having the dual needle MPH/KPH speedo. But I've seen an '83 Z/28 with a single needle 140 mph speedo, and the owner says it's original.

Anyone have any info on that?

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Not original OE in an 83. The OE 140 didn't appear until 86, IIRC. There was, however, an after market version that had the Z28 Logo (I'm not sure of the year that they were introduced or were taken from the market). The trip reset wasn't at the bottom, but in the upper left.

JamesC

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Yup, that's the one. He seems to have documentation that it was maybe dealer installed when new.

scottmoyer

It was a dealer over the counter part. Buy the car, go to the parts department and start modding. This was available to buyers during the 70s and early 80s.

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

I have one of the service option 140mph speedometers available from the dealer in my '83.As Scott mentioned the trip odometer/reset is in the upper left as in the dual needle version.It was available '82 to at least '84 from the dealer.And now there is an aftermarket version that has the trip reset in the '85 up location.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

Like the other guys have said, it definitely didn't come from the factory with the 140 mph speedo. A dealer might've installed it, though.

My '83 Z28 HO, which I installed that speedo, was stolen in 1986 and never recovered. Strangely, though, my '82 Z28, which was nearly identical to my '83, was totalled in '83/'84 by the owner I sold it to, yet records of the '82's VIN show that it resurfaced in 1986/'87, which wouldn't have been long after my '83 disappeared. And the reason I find this particular topic thread interesting is because my '82's VIN was found in your area, chazman... CHICAGO!

I'd like to hear more about this car, chazman. How long as the "owner" owned the car? Any idea? Maybe you could even post a pic of the car, the speedo and the VIN? I know it's a shot in the dark, but this is the closest I've come to finding my car. So heck, maybe I installed that speedo, lol!

But again, regardless of any documentation he has, that speedo did not come in the car from the factory.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

It's a car I'm considering purchasing. It's a white with blue interior LU5, and AFAIK, it's been in the midwest all of it's life.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

The part about it being in the midwest all its life would fit. I lived in Indy when I ordered and owned my car(and my '82). But both of mine were black... though likely would've been repainted, if not parted-out.

But I doubt they'd have swapped out the L69/5-speed, though, so it's probably not mine. But I mean, really, just how many of those older cars are out there with that speedo, right? And of those, how many would happen to be in an area that I suspect my car might be... or might've once been? So hey, I had to take a shot, lol.

Thanks for the reply, and if you buy it, enjoy it. But still, just for grins... get those pix. It might be worth looking into. And if he runs, then let me know, lol!

Kevin84Z28

iTrader: (3)

I put one of those speedometers in my 84. I always assumed it was a part made for the 82 pace car. Mine came factory sealed NOS. What I'd like to find for it is the little button that goes on the odometer reset. Mine did not come with one.

okfoz

The button might be the same as the Firebird ones... Pretty common in the junkyards...

If not the same it would probably work.

John

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

The ***** should interchange. Mine did. I didn't go out looking for one to put on it, and I didn't leave it without one. But you'll see when you try to remove the current speedo.

The hole in the cluster's clear plastic lense isn't large enough for the **** to fit thru it. So you'll have to remove the **** to get the lense off so you can get the old speedo out. The ***** screw on/off the shaft. In the posted pic, you can see the threads on the end of the shaft.

True, the shaft spins around, making it seem like the **** is one with the shaft, or that the **** won't come off. So to unscrew the ****, you'll have to pinch the shaft tightly with a couple of fingers or a small tool of some kind.

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

The **** does screw off and there is a set/retainer screw in the center.As LAFireboyd mentioned they do interchange so if you're missing yours look for another '82-'84 F-Body to get one from (other GM carlines may also use the same)

69-er

I think you are right about the pace car being equipped with that speedo. I ordered my 83 H.O. from the factory and soon after I read somewhere that they were on the pace cars, so I ordered one. Come to think of it, I think it was the actual pace cars had these speedometers.

I still have the car with 220,000 miles. Looks much better than the split needle type.

Larry

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

The actual Pace cars used at Indy did use the 140 mph speedometers but they couldn't be used in the replicas becuase of the Federal mandate for 85 mph speedometers.You have to be careful if you buy one to make sure which version you are buying.As mentioned before the original,and repro originals,have the trip reset in the upper left.This requires the clear lens for the '82-'84 cars.The newer style repros have the trip reset in the lower center as the '85 up cars and uses the appropriate lens.

DSM

iTrader: (1)

Actually, the trip reset on the 84s is on the lower center like 85-up.


I've got the 82-83 style 140 mph speedo in my 84 Z28. I couldn't find the correct clear lens in decent shape, so I found one from a car w/out a trip-odometer and drilled the hole to fit the 140 speedo.

69-er

What car did you find the lens in? I thought all F-Bodies had trip odometers.

Larry

DSM

iTrader: (1)

it was an 86 or 87 base model Camaro - the cluster was just idiot lights, speedo and a gas gauge. Similar to this one:

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Anyways...

I ended up buying the '83 Z/28 with the speedo in question a couple of weeks ago. The needle on the speedo futters up and down. I'm thinking that I should clean and lube the cable. Any other ideas?

Kevin84Z28

iTrader: (3)

First, make sure the cable is screwed all the way into the transmission. Sometimes they work themselves loose.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

At the risk of sounding dumb (won't be the first time ), where exactly would I check for that?

okfoz

I want to think that in 1982 & 1983 the Cruise control was different than 84 & up. The reason I bring this up is in 1982 & 1983 the Speedometer cable went from the Transmission into a Cruise module, and from the Cruise module to the Speedometer. Starting in 1984 they went to electronic cruise and the pickup was in the IP. If your speedometer is bobbing up and down then it is more than likely a burr on the cable or you need to lubricate the cable. My dad had a Van that would bob up and down at slower speeds, it was not so obvious above 30Mph. I think ultimately he had to replace the cable.

John

69-er

It connects to the tailshaft on the driver's side. Pliers will tighten the fitting easier if the fitting is greasy.

I also found that if the connection at the speedometer is pushed in too far on the speedo, it can cause needle fluctuations and noise.

Pulling the inner cable out of the casing from the transmission end to lube is the easiest thing to do. If that doesn't work, a new cable assembly is probably the fix. I've lubed mine with bearing grease in the past. Anybody know if that's the best type to use?

Larry
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You're right on the year when the electronic cruise was available. I believe that's when you could tap-up and tap-down the speed and accelerate using the resume switch too.

Larry

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

I use Napa's Syl-Glide (sp), a product recommended for speedo cables.

JamesC

okfoz

I had an 83 Riviera, and I want to think that I could tap it up or down as well. BUt it never worked quite right... Of course on that particular car if I hit a bump at 65Mph I would never know if I would be going 66 Mph or 64 Mph after the jolt... Those older style cruises were not the best design when they began to wear out... I found myself on many occasion going 70Mph after setting it at 65Mph... Every now and then it would stay where I put it and it worked like a champ, it always ticked me off when I came up on some Drag racing Semi Trucks...

JOhn

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

Found one of those Z28 speedos in the junkyard back in the day. Put it in my 84 Z28 as the stock dual needle ate itself haha

coolram62

iTrader: (2)

Aaron7 what a nice find and if only one could be so lucky today.I feel lucky in finding mine still with it's original box and barely used.

Do as JamesC suggested and use the proper lube for speedo cables.

Okfoz you're correct on the '82-'83 cruise unit being different.They work off of vacuum to hold the speed you set.Over time the unti itself becomes erractic and there's not much service/calibration to be done to them.The diaphram that actually holds the throttle can be cleaned and adjusted which does help.And the stalk switch connector for '82-'83 cars is different for cruise eupped cars