81 speedometer ??
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,682
Likes: 3,135
From: Shamong, NJ
Within months of the 85 MPH speedometer coming out, the aftermarket was selling 140, 165 and 175 MPH replacement speedometers. If I remember correctly, initially they were GM speedo's that were refinished (silk screened), and could be bought outright or done exchange. Later they were available as either a new face, or as complete speedometers. Back in the the 90's, when we were parting a lot of cars, one of the first things to go when parting a 78 or 79, was the speedometer. There was always someone looking for a 78-79 140 MPH speedo to swap into their 80-82.
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Dead South
Within months of the 85 MPH speedometer coming out, the aftermarket was selling 140, 165 and 175 MPH replacement speedometers. If I remember correctly, initially they were GM speedo's that were refinished (silk screened), and could be bought outright or done exchange. Later they were available as either a new face, or as complete speedometers. Back in the the 90's, when we were parting a lot of cars, one of the first things to go when parting a 78 or 79, was the speedometer. There was always someone looking for a 78-79 140 MPH speedo to swap into their 80-82.
I'm just glad that I stumbled upon one (just as I am that I stumbled upon my Cragar "Black Magic" louvers!). Sporting an 85 mph speedo is like retaining the smog pump!!! (in my opinion, of course, subject to debate, I get keeping low-mile original survivors bone stock etc. etc.) That's why I upgraded my smog (air) pump to a much larger one that blows through the intake manifold rather than the exhaust pipe!!! This is how they should have been equipped in 1981!!!
