I'm doing a 1959 Vette with a LS1 4L60e conversion. I plan to use either a FAST or BS3 ecu. I was wondering what you guys are doing about speedometers? Is there a way or a business that converts them to electronic, or some sort of adapter?

Thanks for any help you can give me. Dave.

 

Thats a tough one to call. I always recommend dakota digtal units that allow you to recalibrate the signals to match your factory gauge. Since the Vette is cable operated you will have a hard time trying to find it to work. You will more than likely need to buy a digital set of gauges. Maybe someone who has the same problem will chime in.

 

There are a couple of different ways around this. Some people will change the gauge to an electric one, but this does not sound acceptable to you. Another way that is probably more what you are looking for, is to use a convertor box. Theres a box called the abbott(sp?) cable-X that has an electric motor to convert the signal from the VSS to spin a mechanical speedo. The other way is to put the guts from an electric speedo behind the stock mechanical face.

 

This is what I would really like to do. I will switch to an electric gauge if I have to it's just that the opening in the dash for the speedo is kind of half round and I'm not sure about finding a gauge to fit the opening. I will look into that box though that sounds like the ticket. nyone have a website for them?

Thanks for the help!

 

Check here http://www.abbott-tach.com/cablex.htm

 

Classic instruments will convert your stock 59 corvette gauges to electronic for you, but they are pricey. http://www.classicinstruments.com

 

I used http://redlinegaugeworks.com/ for a VDO conversion for my 1957.

Here are the links to the pictures.
http://home.comcast.net/~pj.rodgers/...eedo_front.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~pj.rodgers/...peedo_back.jpg

 

i bought the modified tailshaft for the 4l60e that has both mechanical and vss outputs for about 400. i didn't like what i heard about the cable-x having slow and jerky output to your speedo especially at low speed

 

Looks good. Is that the stock gauge face or one that redline made to look like stock? What did that set you back?

 

I e-mailed them for the cost of doing my Vette gauges, have'nt heard back from them. Talked to Dakota Digital today and they make gauges that replace the ones in my Vette dash exactly. About 1000$ through Summit. Got a local guy who may be able to do better than that though. Kind of leaning toward this option since I could sell off my stock Vette gauges and offset some of the cost.
Thanks again, you guys have been a ton of help. Dave

 

what did modified tailshaft cost?

 

about 400 came with adapter and new dual speedo gear for the tailshaft

 

Somewhere less than $400. Redline Gaugeworks redid the lens and the faceplate including the center section. Should have left the bowtie off the Check Engine Light.

If you have them do it, check the speedo lens, got mine and it took me awhile to realize the 100, 110, and 120 were backwards for the Chevy, Fords flipped those numbers around. Told them and got a new one right away.

Used the programmed 4000 pulse per mile to get it to read right. First time I drove the car, speedo was have speed; used HPTuners to adjust the speedo count and had the speedo reading correctly but the computer saw the car doing 94 mph and the speedo showing 24 mph. Ooops,

Put the HPTuners to put the fudge factor back and reset the speedo pulse count.