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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 | I know I should know this, and I did a search, but... What year did the Advance-Design speedometer change to 90 mph? Thanks!
Professional Novice
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 1,004 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 1,004 | i don't have the exact answer
1950 is 80 mph
1951 - don't know
1952 is 90 mph | | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 | 47-51 = 80 MPH
52 = 90 MPH
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 1,904 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2001 Posts: 1,904 | What RPM would be needed to push a '52 90 MPH if you have a typical rear end and tire size?
1948 3/4-Ton 5-Window Flatbed Chevrolet 34 Years. Now with a '61 261, 848 head, Rochester Monojet carb, SM420 4-speed, 4.10 rear, dual reservoir MC, Bendix up front, 235/85R16 tires, 12-volt w/alternator, electric wipers and a modern radio in the glove box.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,269 | What is your "typical" ratio rear end (4.11)? What is the "typical" rolling-diameter of your (rear) tires (30")? These "calculators" might help?Especially the one at the bottom of the page. 4.11 rear end (216.5 engine?) 30" rear-tire rolling diameter? 90 mph? 1:1 final gear ratio with transmission high gear? = 4143 RPMs - a very high long-term RPM in my world (you'd get maybe 10 mpg? I guess) You might be interested in this graph - if you have not seen it (and if it pertains to your truck)? | | | | | Joined: Mar 2021 Posts: 430 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2021 Posts: 430 | 90 mph with bump steering and slop most of these old truck have. better be one straight smooth road. or sitting on a restomod build. | | | | | Joined: Apr 2020 Posts: 14 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2020 Posts: 14 | According to the info page in the LMC truck catalog the max speed for a 51 is 80. I have a 51 3600 (according to the vin number in the LMC catalog) and my speedo goes to 90. Take your pick. | | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 | What RPM would be needed to push a '52 90 MPH if you have a typical rear end and tire size? The question is how steep a downhill would be needed.  I pegged the speedo (75 MPH) on my Model A once headed down a hill. It got real scary quick and I shut it down. 
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | | | | Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 436 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2010 Posts: 436 | I had my old '63 longbed fleetside up to 135mph "ONE TIME". It was screaming and had absolutely nothing left. I swore I would NEVER, EVER do it again. It was that scary.
Highway 70, heading east out of Denver CO. Long, Flat, and mostly straight. I had a buddy in a 1977 911SC clocking me. I had disconnected the speedo - it only went to 100.
Truck turned into an airfoil and lifted instead of squatting. It was riding at the top of the suspension. It got to about 105-110 pretty quick, but then took forever to creep up on the final top speed of 135mph. These old trucks are not designed to go that fast.
I had a '65 Corvette 327 in it, a TH400, and 3.73:1 gears in the back with 31" mud/snow tires. Calculated out around 5600rpm. Probably a bit more with the wheel slippage factored in. I only know it should never be done in one of these trucks. | | | | | Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums | | Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums Joined: May 2015 Posts: 10,997 | Truck turned into an airfoil and lifted instead of squatting. It was riding at the top of the suspension. That's the way the Model A Truck was as well. Basically floating. Even though it was a brick going thru the air, the front fenders acted like scoops and lifted the front end. I never tried that again, either. WAY too scary. That was back when I was young and stupid. 
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truckFollow this saga in Project JournalPhotos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together. | | |
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