Oval speed-o-meter

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SHELBY MESSER
Posts: 752
Joined: March 9th, 2009, 8:06 pm
Body Type: 75-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Sacramento, Ca.

Oval speed-o-meter

Post by SHELBY MESSER »

I'm back in Louisiana now, While I was in Sacramento I went to the Sacramento Swap Meet. I picked several things for a Model A-AA. Right now I'm with the oval speed-o-meter. I found one, oval I looked at it and ask how much, $5.00 the man said, after looking it over I bought it. Face plate and bezel and inners(lens and gaskets) were missing. Back at the apartment, I took it apart as for as I could with the tools I had on hand. I attached my drill where the cable attaches, it would turn but nothing else would turn. I took the top dial off and the magnet wheel was hard to turn (did not take that part apart). After I got home (Louisiana) thinking the gears inside were stripped, I took the speed-o-meter apart again. I made a tool to remove the drive gear. After inspecting the drive gear and the driven gear, they were in perfect shape, but nothing would turn to record the mileage. putting it back together like it was it still would not work,so I removed the drive gear and noticed that the nut holding the drive gear was binding before the drive gear and the driven were seated. With the tool I made I screwed the drive gear in about another 3/16" until the the drive gear bottomed out and bind driven gear and backed it off until no bind. I attached the drill again and everything worked. Ordered face plate, lens, gaskets, decal set and bezel. Put it back together and the trip stem assy. would not pull out or turn.
I removed the bezel and face plate. With just the face plate I placed it over the o-meter. The hole that the trip stem goes through was about 1/8" too far to the left. I used a dremel tool to off set the hole and checked, OK. Put it together again, Everything work fine this time!! Hope this may help some of you when you work on your O-meter!!! Great to be back home!!! Shelby, Louisiana.

The after and before of the speed-o-meter
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pyrodork
Posts: 166
Joined: February 21st, 2012, 4:10 am
Body Type: AA Stakebed
Model Year: 1930
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Oval speed-o-meter

Post by pyrodork »

let's see that tool you fabricated!

i've got two well-used gauge clusters in the mail. total spent on both, shipped, $125. seeing as just a speedo in complete, unknown condition on ebay can usually run $50+, plus shipping, i think i did well... but a $5 parts one is nothing to shake a stick at.

both have oval speedos (moving, looks good), ammeters (moving, looks good), and light housings (no covers). one has switch without key. not sure if it's got a cable, but i'm not counting on it. the bezels are rusty, but that's what i wanted. i'm super uber duper excited to get them!
Rumored to be an Early '30 AA...

"Pics or it didn't happen."



-- Scotty "It-Only-Sounds-Like-I-Know-What-I'm-Doing" Petersen, Esquire.
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vtwinsideways
Posts: 452
Joined: March 19th, 2010, 6:37 pm
Body Type: 82-A, 88-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Taylorville IL

Re: Oval speed-o-meter

Post by vtwinsideways »

Pyro, we gotta get you away from eBay and to some swap meets! There are some great ones in your home state. Luke
"I get all my exercise jumping to conclusions."
Luke in Illinois
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Brady
Posts: 361
Joined: October 21st, 2003, 1:38 pm
Body Type: None
Model Year: 1930
Location: Norwich, NY 13815

Re: Oval speed-o-meter

Post by Brady »

Pyro: Double what Luke said... You should use all available resources to locate the nearest Model A club to you. Read as much as you can on the forums and search for more. Don't throw anything away. Your project can use up lots of money, so do your best to spend it where it does the most good. Keep up the great interest and enjoy having the AA. Very best of luck, FB
SHELBY MESSER
Posts: 752
Joined: March 9th, 2009, 8:06 pm
Body Type: 75-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Sacramento, Ca.

Re: Oval speed-o-meter

Post by SHELBY MESSER »

I'll have to look up the tool tomorrow, I had to figure for awhile but it was easy to make and did the job. I'll post a picture and explain how I made the tool. Don't think there are any of these tools on the market, could be wrong! Don' tear down any parts on these things until you are ready, have the time and a thick wallet. Most of this stuff for these truck can take plenty of time and a lots of doe, and a person can lose interest and walk away!!! Good luck and and enjoy!!!! Shelby, Louisiana.
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macswoods
Posts: 313
Joined: May 4th, 2009, 1:20 pm
Body Type: 82-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Wilhoit, Arizona

Re: Oval speed-o-meter

Post by macswoods »

Shelby; I agree with you about making your own tools and repairing the parts,or these projects can cost a bunch. I've had my 29 for 15 years and didn't have the time. Then started working on it, but almost talked my self out of restoring it. Was working on the rear springs and the cost of bushings got to me. So went to a plumbing supply store,got some brass nipples and made my own bushings. I take pride in repairing those original parts ! Swap meets are the best. Mac...... :twisted:
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pyrodork
Posts: 166
Joined: February 21st, 2012, 4:10 am
Body Type: AA Stakebed
Model Year: 1930
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Oval speed-o-meter

Post by pyrodork »

i'm on ebay almost constantly. :P there's not many resources for antique mopar parts, so i end up finding a lot of my specific stuff there. got used to it, i guess.

i do know there's little dearborn in my town... but they're always closed whenever i'm over there.

got my first cluster in the mail yesterday and i'm pretty disappointed in the speedo. ad was -very- much misrepresented and i paid way too much for what i got. other one is coming this week and it's supposed to be complete and working (and at half the price!).

i did rebuild the ammeter last night before i went to bed, so at least i've got that as an extra. can't get the screws for the speedo to budge yet.

i do like little projects around the house to keep me occupied. i've even finished a couple of them! if someone can tell me how to hook up the gravity water supply for a steel personal steamer box (sauna) from 1917, i'll be extremely grateful! :) there's nothing like it anywhere on the internet, if that helps. :P
Rumored to be an Early '30 AA...

"Pics or it didn't happen."



-- Scotty "It-Only-Sounds-Like-I-Know-What-I'm-Doing" Petersen, Esquire.
SHELBY MESSER
Posts: 752
Joined: March 9th, 2009, 8:06 pm
Body Type: 75-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Sacramento, Ca.

Re: Oval speed-o-meter

Post by SHELBY MESSER »

I looked for my tool today for half of the day, and never found it. If you still need a picture of one, I'll make another one and post a picture, with the measurements. If measurements and a drawing will help I can do that. it is simple to make,There is nothing in that area that will help by taking the drive gear out!!! Shelby, Louisiana.
User avatar
pyrodork
Posts: 166
Joined: February 21st, 2012, 4:10 am
Body Type: AA Stakebed
Model Year: 1930
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Oval speed-o-meter

Post by pyrodork »

the second cluster came in the mail today and i am impressed! gauges look fine, but need to clean the glass.

this time (oddly enough) the ammeter just would not disassemble. ended up breaking the glass on it accidentally. then one of the terminal posts was stripped and i couldn't get the nut off to remove it. a few hours and choice words later, i decided to cut the darn thing in half and hope i can either find another terminal bolt or use one from the one i fixed up last night... as well as the glass. i know ammeters are pretty cheap, but it's more about principle! also, on the cluster i got yesterday, the ammeter has a 20 amp range on either side (brass bezel, brass tension "gasket"), while the one i got today has a 30 amp range and says "made in usa" on it (steel bezel, paper gasket). i really like the 30 amp one better than the 20. it'll work to use either, i assume?

i think i'm giving up on yesterday's speedo for now. it's in horrible shape. today's speedo has all the numbers clean and intact ( except no red numbers on the trip meter) and moves freely. working on getting the bezel removed to clean the glass... and hopefully not break it. oh... what kind of tip should i put in my power drill to make sure the gauge is operational?

i can also mention that over the winter, i've restored the gauges on my 37 plymouth. up until the point of reassembling and cracking the darned etched glass for the speedo (that i spent hours repainting) in the process. gah. i'm not having good luck with glass lately. i should stay away from mirrors, i guess!

a description of the tool and its use is probably sufficient enough for me, but it'd be nice to have the info out there for anyone who may need it in the future.
Rumored to be an Early '30 AA...

"Pics or it didn't happen."



-- Scotty "It-Only-Sounds-Like-I-Know-What-I'm-Doing" Petersen, Esquire.
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