The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk '41 Speedometer

Tonight I was out for the first ride of the year (it is Michigan and we are supposed to have snow now) Anyway I was looking at the speedometer in my 3/4 ton and noticed it has a red line starting at 50 MPH. I'm wondering if this is unique to 3/4's or if the half tons are also red lined at 50 ??

My '40 half-ton has the red line also. I figure it is there to show you the speeds you cannot possibly reach!

Is this a red line on the actual face of the speedometer?

I would assume it is there to mark the typical speed limit of the time. Most of the newer vehicles, (post-60ish, (is that really new to me?)) have the speedometer marked at 60 mph with some sort of differentiated color.

Jeff

I have what is probably the original speedometer. It has a thin red line(now faded pink) beginning at 50 MPH and wrapping around the outside of the numbers all the way to the last number 100 MPH. I was wondering if it started at 50 only on the ¾ tons because they came with a 4.56 rear gear and wanted to know if the half tons with their 4.11 had the same red line. But heck it could mean “ No texting above this speed”

So the red line is actually on the glass plate in front of the speedometer.

My GMC does not have that line, but Chevrolet may have.

Jeff

Mine is a '46 half ton, but yes, it has the same as yours.

Gauges

"So the red line is actually on the glass plate in front of the speedometer."

The red line is on the speedometer not the glass.
Harold

The speedo on my dad's '46 1/2 ton does the same.

maybe that red line is when the after burner kicks in??

I think it's a warning telling you that you don't have enough brakes to haul it down from that speed.

Thanks guys it sounds like the half ton's have the same red line. Just more triva to store away.

I have to believe the brakes were designed to stop these trucks when loaded to capicity and I never carry much so I'm not worried about exceeding 50 MPH