General Tech GPS Speedometer

Our '60 Bugeye is now amongst the living - and driving!!!

As part of the fixing up of the mistakes made in the previous restoration, we installed a T9 5-speed in our bug. Combine that with a Triumph 2/3/4 rear end and, surprise, the speedometer is anything but accurate. OK, I need to pull it and see if I can "adjust" it to read closer to reality, but for now it seems to be off a consistent 10 mph from 20 to 70 mph. And yes, our bug is very happy at 70 mph - seems to just get in a groove and is much more stable than I expected.

OK the long intro is my attempt to make the 500 words minimum. But you probably needed to know all this anyway.

So, speedo off. Lots of alternatives. Send it off to a specialist and have it redone to get the correct gearing for the tranny and diff. Or, well, there is the rather pricey option of installing a GPS unit that spins a speedo cable – which means locating a new unit under the bonnet and then routing a cable. And adjusting it so it will work.

Or, something I never thought of, you can go to Amazon, spend like $50, and have a rather nifty digital speedo that you can install where ever you want. Provided you can run a wire to it.

Here is a shot of the GPS installed in our bug:

Even better, it comes with a compass. For those moments when we are truly lost and have to rely on dead reckoning.

I was able to mount it using one of the screws used to mount the trim above the dashboard - granted, I had to machine a screw to fit the slot in the back of the digital speedo, but, with a clock shop full of micro machinery, that was easy.

Here is a link to the GPS speedo I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BG6VVXCW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And a link to a USB power supply to drive the speedo:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DFQKSQG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For under $50 you can know how fast you are going! So far the speedo has come up about as soon as I start moving – though yesterday, deep in the woods, it took it 4 or 5 miles to “find” itself.

And, hey, you can change colors on the speedo!

Darned, only 413 words – maybe the word count gods will let me get away with this – perhaps the pictures count for 50 words each?

Stephen

 

[mezy]

when you say t 9 gearbox, is that a ford type 9 box,
if it is you can change the plastic worm gear in the box, they are colour coded, eeasy job to just pop it out and change it.
Did this on my used to be MK1 escort many years ago.

 

[NutmegCT]

That is actually a pretty classy looking GPS speedometer. I've also used a smartphone with speedometer app to do the same thing.

By the way, if you ever need to clear out some space in your house ... please ship your entire clock shop to me! Great looking tools and work area.

Tom M.

 

[Basil]

Great that you have her one the road! Not surprised about the speedo inaccuracy, but looks like you found a suitable solution (probably more accurate than any mechanical speedo would ever be. I was surprised how affordable that GPS speedo is.

 

[SNClocks]

Great that you have her one the road! Not surprised about the speedo inaccuracy, but looks like you found a suitable solution (probably more accurate than any mechanical speedo would ever be. I was surprised how affordable that GPS speedo is.

Hey Boss - thanks for the kind words. Yup, whilst a little bouncy on rough roads, she is amazingly settled at 70 mph on a reasonably smooth highway. Like you, I was amazed at how inexpensive the little GPS speedo is. And that it works!

 

[SNClocks]

when you say t 9 gearbox, is that a ford type 9 box,
if it is you can change the plastic worm gear in the box, they are colour coded, eeasy job to just pop it out and change it.
Did this on my used to be MK1 escort many years ago.

Hey Mezy. Right - I now know there were apparently gears with 22 to 25 teeth on them. Of course, pulling the gear would be easier if the gearbox was not full of oil. For that matter, if there was a drain plug on the T9's, it would help. But, with your info, I've e-mailed Frontline (the folks who provide the boxes to Moss) to find out what gear is in there. Then, hopefully, I can find a better ratio. BTW - I think you mean the toothed gear, the worm gear is likely not all that easy to replace, but the toothed gear should be, as you say, easy.

Thank you for the info!

 

[Basil]

Hey Boss - thanks for the kind words. Yup, whilst a little bouncy on rough roads, she is amazingly settled at 70 mph on a reasonably smooth highway. Like you, I was amazed at how inexpensive the little GPS speedo is. And that it works!

Might have to pick one up for the mountain bike!

 

[SNClocks]

That is actually a pretty classy looking GPS speedometer. I've also used a smartphone with speedometer app to do the same thing.

By the way, if you ever need to clear out some space in your house ... please ship your entire clock shop to me! Great looking tools and work area.

Tom M.

Hey NutmegCT: Like you - we have been using my wife's cell phone - since I don't carry one. But, danged, for this little money, it is neat to be able to see what I am doing even when she is not in the car!

If bored, check out our gallery of photo's of tools and workshops Workshops and tools. Let's just say I did my best to buy all the tools I would need in retirement. Didn't quite make it, but flip side, there are lots of toys to work with.

 

[mezy]

Hey Mezy. Right - I now know there were apparently gears with 22 to 25 teeth on them. Of course, pulling the gear would be easier if the gearbox was not full of oil. For that matter, if there was a drain plug on the T9's, it would help. But, with your info, I've e-mailed Frontline (the folks who provide the boxes to Moss) to find out what gear is in there. Then, hopefully, I can find a better ratio. BTW - I think you mean the toothed gear, the worm gear is likely not all that easy to replace, but the toothed gear should be, as you say, easy.

Thank you for the info!

your right SN, it is the plastic toothed geer not the worm gear inside, been 20 years since ive had the MK1 Escort.