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Spitfire gps speedometer

gjz30075

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Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone is using a GPS device that drives your original speedometer? If so, is it something other than the one
sold by Classic Innovations? They are out of stock for about 8 months.

Thanks,
Greg Z
 

LarryK

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If you ever run a GPS speedometer,it will drive your radar detector crazy. All the new cars with GPS cruise and speedometers keep me busy looking around or I have to kill the detector.
 

dklawson

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If you ever run a GPS speedometer,it will drive your radar detector crazy. All the new cars with GPS cruise and speedometers keep me busy looking around or I have to kill the detector.

That's the first time I have heard about that. What new cars use GPS speedometers?

I suspect what you are experiencing is not due to GPS but the laser and radar sensors built into many new cars for lane departure, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Those false alerts are well documented.

Greg Z., I have never used the GPS to cable drive converters but I have researched them a bit for others. I am not familiar with the one you found. The brands I have read about were from Dakota Digital and Speedhut.
 
OP
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gjz30075

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Doug, the Speedhut converter only uses Chrysler, Ford and GM cables (to your oem speedo) and I measured the square end of a Ford cable and it's about .010 too small. Not sure
of the others. I believe the Dakota Digital only drives electronic speedos, but I need to do more research to be sure. I DO know that the one from Classic Innovations cable is made specifically for our speedos. In my case, for a Lotus Elan but same gauge. I know several Triumph guys in my area with this converter box and it works well, however, as I said,
out of stock for a long time, per the owner.

I'm a bit hesitant to buy the Speedhut one and try to adapt a cable, so I'm hoping someone is using some other brand (other than Classic Innovations) and making it work.
Thanks.
 

dklawson

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I was unaware anyone had an off the shelf setup that works directly with the Smiths cables. Thanks for the information.

It is my understanding that both the Dakota Digital and Speedhut speedometer drivers require a separate GPS pulse generator and a custom cable to work with Smiths speedometers. Any speedo shop should be able to make the custom cable for you.

I know that Dakota Digital and Speedhut say "Ford, GM, Chrysler only". However, what the units do is count input pulses and deliver a programmable output RPM to drive a speedometer. With a custom cable you will be able to adapt either unit to drive a Smiths speedometer. It is obviously more work for you to collect the separate pieces (GPS pulse generator, cable drive box, custom cable) but it has been done before.

See the thread linked below for confirmation and alternatives.
https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mg-engine-swaps-forum.40/retaining-original-mgb-speedo-and-tach.3886045/
 
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