It’s Just A Pickup

[chevytruckluver]

any updates Bruce?

[Bruce88]

Originally Posted by chevytruckluver

any updates Bruce?

Not really Trey unless you want to see some pictures of my yard (smile). Been mainly doing spring yard cleanup and those outside jobs around the house after coming out of winter.

Did find some time to run a few of the wires under the dash but not done with them yet.

There is one little thing, I didn’t like how the stock speedometer cable was routed it seemed to me that it needed to be a little bit longer. Was unable to find a speedometer cable the desired length so I plan on using a Lokar (SP-1500U) U-Cut-To-Fit speedometer cable kit. I found a problem with the Lokar instructions and sent them an e-mail with a possible correction to the instructions. (Hear is the e-mail and pictures posted below)

A possible problem that might exist for some with your U-Cut-To Fit GM & Chrysler Speedometer Cable Kit Installation Instructions.

I understand that this kit is a universal kit for GM & Chrysler speedometers with a 5/8 – 18 threaded ends and a transmission with a 7/8 – 18 threaded ends. But not all speedometers with a 5/8 – 18 threaded ends have the same end configuration.

I’m installing the Lokar SP-1500U speedometer cable kit on a stock 1972 Chevy C10 truck speedometer with a 5/8 – 18 threaded end. The Speedo cable tip does not sit flush with the Speedo end fitting. If I fallow your instruction (step 4) and mark the inner cable at the end of the fitting and not subtract the additional end that sticks out past this surface the cable will be binding inside the outer cable, if I could get it on (see attached picture).

I plan on subtracting .321 from the mark made per step 4 and cutting the inner cable there (not flush with the end). Per my calculations this should give me 1/16 to 1/8 inch free play to move back and forth and prevent any binding condition.

Not all speedometers are made the same and the .321 dimension above is just on my installation, other cars and trucks may have different dimensions. But if there is an area that extends out past where the surface that the Speedo end fitting will sit it needs to be taken into consideration before cutting and crimping the inner cable.

Possibly a note on step 4 that this condition might exist and needs to be checked and calculated into where to cut the inner cable. After the cable is cut and crimped it’s too late.

Hope you find this information a benefit to installing your speedometer cable kit for others.

Bruce



I should be able to post some updates on the build within a week or two. Hope this tidbit of information wets your appetite (smile)

Enjoy your build

[Bruce88]

Bending and twisting
Then looking for a comfortable position to see and do the work

All the wiring and parts are installed under the dash except the speedometer cable.
Glad to be out from under the dash and the wiring around the fuse block might not
look the best but it’s functional. I think that I just about maxed out the stock fuse
block with the added circuits and rerouting of some of the wires. I did put some
small labels on the added wires down at the fuse block to help identify the new
circuits. This should help in the future in remembering where all the wires run if I
ever have to figure out a problem (Hope not, but you never know) (smile).

Possibly a let down on documenting this post with all the new parts used. There
are plenty of small parts like little rubber bumpers, fire wall insulation, air ducks
and so on that where used. More than I feel like listing.

For those interested in the added wires and rerouting of some you need to look back
thru this build thread and you can see the wiring drawings that I made to help me
figure out how I was going to do it.

There’s so much going on behind this basic looking dash and the pictures probably
don’t show all the work that went into it, but hears some pictures I hope you find of
interest.







There’s plenty of wiring to do outside the dash area all the wires and lines added are
just run thru the firewall and still need to be hooked up. Onto the speedometer cable,
floor shifter, and floor covering. I better get to work (smile).

Enjoy your build

[DesertCat]

Hey Bruce, nice build and excellent documentation!

What length did you end up with for your speedo cable?

[Bruce88]

Originally Posted by DesertCat

Hey Bruce, nice build and excellent documentation!

What length did you end up with for your speedo cable?

Hi DesertCat

I haven’t installed or cut the speedo cable at this time but when I do I will post the length I ended up with.

I did contact Lokar concerning cutting the cable (see post #536) and their response from the tech department was that they had never run into the problem noted and was sending the information to their research and development department to take a look at it.

I think that my approach that I will use as stated in post #536 will work and plan on using it when I cut the cable.

Hopefully I will have that information for you in a week or two. I’m just slow some times, OK a lot of times (smile), and there’s some small little problems that have cropped up that I’m taking a look at (not associated with the speedo cable), that I like to take care of at the time they crop up. Sometimes in a build minor tweaking of a plan as you put it together is needed for my self satisfaction with the end results.

Enjoy your build
Bruce

[67cheby]

if you arent writing "HOW TO" manuals for a living i think you are missing your calling ....SUPER NICE WORK as always

[Riveted1]

I agree with 67cheby! Reading your thread is like going to school to learn how to rebuild these trucks! Thanks and keep up the awesome work!

[Bruce88]

Not necessarily speeding along with the build (smile)
But hears the info on one small part, the speedo cable

Breaking out the tape measure, the stock speedo cable that came with my truck measured out at 63 inches with a 7/8 – 18 threaded end on the transmission end and a 5/8 – 18 threaded end on the speedometer end.

I looked at how the stock cable was routed from the factory and the stock 63 inch cable could be used even with the 700R4 trans that I’m using. But I didn’t like the shaper bend that is needed at the fire wall grommet, this area is normally a sharper bend on the stock installation than the rest of the run. I’m of the opinion that the speedo cable should have a consistent curve/bend to the run, with this thought in mind I would need a little longer speedo cable.

Then the disappointment at finding one that fit my needs set in. After going around to a number of different parts stores in my area (no I’m not going to list them), I found that a number of different length speedo cables where listed for our trucks (this can be found on the web stores too). Things I didn’t like about the cables that I looked at, I found that some didn’t measure out in length as what was on the box or per part number specks, some shorter and some longer by inches and even feet. All the cables looked to be a cheaper version than the stock cable, smaller outside DIA and made outside of the US and none of them came with the fire wall grommet install on them. Maybe my standards/expectations are to high and the cables, if I could find the right length would work just fine, but didn’t find one that was close. With this experience I didn’t want to order one over the web, not knowing what I would be receiving, maybe some of the same problems.

Decided to go with a Lokar SP-1500U U-Cut-To-Fit Speedometer Cable. This cable has a high cost about $70 but is of very high quality exceeding a stock factory cable and I can get the exact length that I want by cutting it to that length. See previous posts #536 & #547 concerning the minor problems I ran into regarding cutting this cable.

One of the problems that I’ve run into in the past concerning installing a new speedometer cable is finding or installing a fire wall grommet on the assembled cable, getting the grommet over the cable end fitting. A trick that I’ve used before and works for me is to use a electrical grommet and a short length of tube. (See below picture)



Hear are some pictures of the cable installation. Normally the speedo cable is held in place by two clamps, one on the cab body and one on the frame. Decided not to use the attach point on the cab body because it held the cable to close to the body causing a sharper bend in the cable at the fire wall grommet. I might add a small bracket and clamp to the brake booster brace for added support. You might not find this brace on all of our trucks. As to what length of speedometer cable did I ended up with, it is 66 ½ inches long.





As I hang my head down in shame (smile) Ill be pulling the instrument panel and painting the speedometer needle. Thanks guys for seeing that detail I should have done when I cleaned up and rebuilt the instrument panel such a long time ago. Keep an eye on me and make sure I don’t miss anything.

Enjoy your build