Hi

My speedometer is frozen and im not shure what to do about it.  What fails?  Should i spray something in the back of it and try to work it free or will that damage it more?  If i pull the dash out and take the speedometer apart is it something i can fix?  Do they sell replacement parts or replacement speedometers anywhere?  Any help is greatly appreciated.  The car is a 1959 Ford Galaxie.

Thanks-Greg

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in the search bar type (what your searching for) site:craigslist.org    example:   yblock intake site:craigslist.org      1956 victoria site:craigslist.org 

Don't think you can get parts for them. Might do a Web Search for a Speedometer repair shop. here's one in CA http://www.speedometershop.com/.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

It may just need a good cleaning.Take it out and have a look.Its not the cable thats broken or seized up?

  

I replaced the broken cable with one from auto zone.  When i installed it the crush on end piece broke off when i drove the car.  Thats how i found out that the speedometer was frozen.  I don't want to send it out to be fixed, i was hoping i could fix it myself.  But what do i do for replacement parts.  Its as if your being forced to pay someone else to fix your speedometer only because they have the parts and you dont.

Greg

Check out EBAY and Craigslist they are up there all the time. Chuck

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-Ford-speedometer-Works-freely-good-used-condition-driver-quality-56-/380393113871?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item589132490f

I don't think you want the one listed for $500! Wow! Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

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Manchester, New Hampshire

If you are not using the car right now my suggestion still is take it out and see what is actually wrong with it.If its similar to my 56 speedo head there is not a mechanical connection between the input and the needle.It is a spinning magnet that applies magnetic force to the part that makes the needle read the speed depending on how fast the input turns.Does anyone else know if thats the same setup as the 59?I just had a look at a 59 speedo head on Ebay.It appears to be the same as my  56.If the input is seized you should be able to free it up wth some WD-40 and then a LITTLE machine oil(very light).

  

While I wouldn't necessarily recommend this, I tried turning mine with a small screwdriver and it broke loose easily. Checked it by spinning it with a drill and modified allen wrench. It turned out that the speedo gear was completely worn out and the cable had been still so long that dust and whatever had only slightly jammed the head unit.



Don

Don, i tried that idea with an allen wrench.  It wouldnt budge with moderate force, and i didnt want to turn it any harder and risk breaking anything, or stripping the input shaft.  I will admit that if i would have used more force it may have worked.

So today i bit the bullet and pulled out the gauge assembly.  The hardest part was getting two tiny nuts that hold the assembly to the bottom of the dash.  I took the speedometer apart and sprayed it with remington gun oil.  That loosened everything up and the speedometer seems to work as it should.  The gears turning the odometer were a little warn and i would like to have replaced them.  I got everything back together and will install tomorrow.

Greg

Good to know it was not a broken speedo part.Just needed to be freed up.Just try and soak up any excess oil as it will pickup dust etc.I let mine sit overnite positioned so any excess oil would drip back out.

  

I installed the instrument cluster in the dash and everything worked.  I crawed under the dash to fix a broken wire that runs to my temperature gauge (mechanical).  Two things happened, i arced the amp gauge with the shop light, and 2nd i reattached the light wire to the gauge.  After that the car lost all power.  No clock, no dome light.  I disconnected the temperature gauge light wire and crawed out.  No lights, no break lights, nothing.  No power what so ever to anything.  I checked and rechecked every wire and every fuse, i jumped the battery to the solenoid and the car turns over.  Out of frustration i banged on the dash and to my surprise everything came back to life.  That lasted about 1 minute and then it died. 

The only other thing i touched was the light switch.  I was turning it to light up the gauge lights.  If the switch has failed would it give these symptoms?  Im thinking it may be a loose ground wire or connection (but what one).  Anyone with any ideas.

Thanks-Greg