The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts speedometer for 6400

I have a 1953 model 6400 with a non working speedometer. I really don't want to take it out of the dash to have it repaired. This might seem like heresy, but is it possible to buy an aftermarket one and bolt it to the steering column or dash. I have spent a lot of time and money on this old truck and I probably should go the final mile and keep the interior original, but I'm just tired of fooling with it. At this point I just want to be done with it and get some pleasure out of driving it. Maybe later, I will get ambitious and have the original one repaired. Allen

Do you really need a speedometer to enjoy driving it? With a top speed of about 45 MPH, who cares how fast you are going? I say go ahead and drive it!

You have a mostly original 6400 right?
If so then you don't actually need a working spedometer, as you will almost never be going over the speed limit.
I drove my 52 3800 around the country without a working spedometer, never once wished it was working. I did have a little digital tachometer made by http://www.tinytach.com/ it was handy.
As far as inspection, just don't tell them it does not work, They have never checked to see if mine works during an inspection.

Grigg

I'd have to agree with the other guys. I'd rather have a non working speedo, than some add on funky looking aftermarket speedo, attached to the steering column. Have you checked to see if the speedometer cable is o.k.

BTW: If you have the two speed rear end and the adapter mounted behind the speedometer, you might be missing the 1" part of speedometer cable that runs from the rearend adapter to the actual speedometer. I was missing mine and I thouht the speedometer was broken. Turned out, I was just missing that 1" part of the speedometer cable.

If you do not have that 1" piece, you might find the speedometer works just fine once you put it in. Just a thought...

My 6400 has a column mounted speedometer in it. I assume because the stock speedo doesn't work, but since that truck is parked out back and not an active project I've never tried to figure out whats up with it.

So yet it can be done, and yes it does look hokey.

I'm not worried about breaking the speed limit, and I have Virginia Antique tags so I don't need an inspection. This might seem silly, but I was mostly worried about driving it too hard. I can't tell how fast I am going, it raises the devil no matter the speed, and it's been so long since I actually drove a truck of this era I can't tell what I'm doing. No matter when I take it out, I'm always holding traffic up, and I don't like to drive slower than necessary. On the other hand, I don't want to flog the poor old thing to death. The tac sounds like it might be the answer. As long as I don't over rev it, then I should be ok. Is it hard to hook up? Does anyone know what the red line on a 235 motor would be? Thanks Allen

another reply: I think I have all the parts. The odometer doesn't work, but I don't care about that. The needle bounces around. I have looked at the cable. It shows it's age, but it looks ok. The truck sat for 25 years before I bought it, and I thought maybe if I squirted some oil into the back of it, that might help, but I thought it might make things worse. The only experience I have with something like this is with a 57 buick I have. It had also not been moved for years when I bought it, and the spedo didn't want to move. I took it out, opened it up, oiled it put it back together,and reinstalled it. Now it registers way too much speed no matter how slow I am going, and bounces around all over the place. Someone told me you should never put oil on a spedo. Any comments? The only reason I'm trying to avoid having it repaired is those things are extremely difficult to get out of the dash. With the buick I actually had to take the top of the dash out of the car to get to it. The truck isn't quite that bad, but it's still a bear.
Thanks Again, Allen

The easiest and smallest tachometer to install is a little self contained unit from http://www.tinytach.com/ It simply gets one wire grounded, and one wire wraps around a plug wire a few times. Then double stick tape to the dash. Mine cost about $35 a few years ago.

I also have a 235, and while driving around the country (8,000 miles) I kept it around 2400 to 2500 rpm max.

Grigg