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Speedometer cable for 1935 Lincoln K


Matt Harwood

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One of the things on my to-do list is get the speedometer working in this '35 Lincoln. Unfortunately, it looks like the speedometer cable is shot, so I'm going to start there. Someone has pulled it out of the back of the speedometer head and it's obviously frayed and unwound. I bought a generic replacement cable, and the head end looks right (square) but the drive end looks like it takes a T-shaped fitting on the end of the cable. There's nothing in there now and the original seems to be gone, so I don't have anything to which to compare. But it looks like a T-shape is right for the drive end. I don't need the outer housing, just the cable inside and I'd rather not have to tear it out since it appears to be anchored to the top of the transmission somehow.

 

Any idea where to get a replacement cable? I've looked around online but all I see are the usual square ends, including those with the fittings that you hammer on once you cut it to length. Any leads?

 

Thanks!

 

Speedo_Drive2.thumb.jpg.df215e1ea9a452bc2c3ce3d3167d0303.jpg

 

Speedo_Drive.thumb.jpg.8ec4b2d8fabb9d11a5345ce039da06db.jpg

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I can't help with the replacement cable. But before putting it in, ask the car why the cable spun like that?

 

It may be that the car was moving but the speedo works weren't. On of my cars is 5 years older than yours and the speedo body is die-cast. The zinc in the die-cast is oxidising and swelling, causing the body to tighten on the input shaft, locking it up. The result is a twisted or broken cable. My other car is 4 years younger and the same thing happened. So the problem is the speedo and the cable is a symptom.

 

Was the speedo reading a bit variably from time to time? This would arise from temporary lock-up and release of the input.

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Excellent points, gentlemen. I'll figure out how to test the speedometer to make sure it spins. It feels to me like the cable is binding inside the casing, but for the speedometer end to be torn up like that, Spinny might just be right. I'll pull the speedo and take it up to John Wolfe next week, he'll get it working for me quickly.

 

2 hours ago, pont35cpe said:

Matt, check with Texas Industrial Electric,  Ph# 210 654-4075 or look them up on line which shows all their fittings/cables/ housings/correctors.. email TIE@TexasIndustrialElectric.com   I had them make mine(`36 Buick)housing and all, my housing caused my cable damage.

 

Did Texas Industrial Electric need your old cable housing to make the new one or did they know what to do from books or patterns on hand? Getting that cable housing out of mine looks like a real nightmare, but I can easily slide a cable in there and make it work.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

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42 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

Excellent points, gentlemen. I'll figure out how to test the speedometer to make sure it spins. It feels to me like the cable is binding inside the casing, but for the speedometer end to be torn up like that, Spinny might just be right. I'll pull the speedo and take it up to John Wolfe next week, he'll get it working for me quickly.

 

 

Did Texas Industrial Electric need your old cable housing to make the new one or did they know what to do from books or patterns on hand? Getting that cable housing out of mine looks like a real nightmare, but I can easily slide a cable in there and make it work.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

Matt, Texas Industrial Electric was recommended to me by a fellow AACA member. I think they have the necessary info on hand, you`d just have to call and ask, you may have to have the length of your original cable. I put a Lloyd Young OD in my Buick and wanted to run my speedo off the OD instead of the transmission with a corrector..  I had to have the original type end(square drive female) to the speedo and the end to fit the OD(ford/willys)end that the speedo driven gear fits into, this end of the cable is square male and slips into the speedo driven gear, and was made to my requested length. The way my cable is made it can only be removed from the housing at the speedo end. Can you remove your inside cable? Attached is a picture of what they made for me.DSCN5323.thumb.JPG.5d025e450cdfbf3b61ed0314a934e3cf.JPG

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You can test the speedo by hand. Grind up a nail or something to push into the drive in the back, with the same square as on the cable. You should be able to turn it by finger, easily. If you can't, there is a problem (and that problem is not that of squeezing in around the gear lever etc. to reach the back of the speedo!).

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