Need some help on a speedometer cable for 1970 Corvette. Several months ago, the plastic tip on my speedometer cable broke off (at the speedometer head). I since bought a replacement cable from NAPA that I have to cut to the correct size and press fit a metal tip in place. Would someone with an original cable measure the distance from the end-to-end of the plastic tip so I can correctly modify the new cable? Thanks.
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Re: Speedometer Cable
Tony,
I believe there are different length speedometer cables depending on transmission type. You might want to post the type of transmission your car has to narrow the search.
A quick look in my parts book shows dimensions listed, but the section only goes to 1967 - very strange for a book dated 12-83. We will need Joe to sort this one out, I clearly am either looking in the wrong place or overlooking the obvious or both.
Terry
Terry -
Re: Speedometer Cable
Terry and all,
My 1970 has an M-21 4-spd mated to the LS-5. I have the original speedometer cable (less the end of the plastic tip which broke off in the speedometer head) for comparison and aid in cutting the new cable. So, while I have a very close approximation to the length of the cable, I cannot make out exactly how long the cable should be when I include the length of tip that is broken off and lost. I guess I assumed that all the original cables' plastic tips that mate to the speedometer head are the same regardless of the total length of the cable which may differ for each tranny type. Hope this clears up what I was looking for. The approximate length of the tip I am refering to is on the order of one inch. A measure of an original plastic end piece from base to tip (in millimeters or appropriate English units) is what I am looking for. Thanks, Terry, for asking for clarification.
TonyTonyComment
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Re: Sorry Tony, I read your post too quickly.
Sorry I was not thorough enough and failed to carefully read your post.
Terry
TerryComment
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Re: Speedometer Cable
Terry and Tony-----
Unfortunately, 1969 was the last model year that Chevrolet ever catalogued a "custom fit" speedometer cable WITHOUT CASING for a Corvette. After that time, only 2 different lengths were available to SERVICE all Corvette(and other) applications. You then, of course, cut the cable to fit and staked on the cable end for the speedomter end.
However, I believe that the 69 and 70 cable length was the same. So, if that's actually the way it is, the inner cable length should be 67-7/16". Measure your old cable and see if it's very close to this dimension(with the broken off tip). If so, the 67-7/16" total length is probably correct. Otherwise, I don't know what to tell you. Let me know what you find out; I'll be interested.
I might add here that Corvette speedometer cable lengths are one of the great mysteries of the Corvette parts world. Every Corvette GM parts catalog for many years has been "vague" as to which cable fit which application. It's as if GM didn't, itself, know. Very strange, indeed.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Approx Speedometer Cablen Length for 1970
Joe,
I measured my original speedometer cable length (bare in mind that the plastic tip that fits into the speedometer head has a broken tip). The length was almost exactly 72 inches. Again, my specifics to my car are M-21 LS-5.
If anyone has the dimensions (length from base to tip) for the original plastic tip that inserts into the speedometer head, then I can narrow down the exact dimension for my speedometer cable and correctly size the replacement cable. Any help is appreciated.
TonyTonyComment
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