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MG MGA - Kmh Speedometer?

Hi all,

Anyone have a lead on an MGA speedometer in kmh? Mine is actually MPH with a decal to make it appear to be kmh but I really need to update it if possible. Any ideas?

Thank you!

Tommy
Tom Baker

as a long shot I would try Lawrenz in Bavaria (details under lawrenz.de) but his site says he is closed for business at the moment. He has barns full of MGAs so may have what you need if he responds at all. as fas as I know he does speak english.
dominic clancy

Hi Tom,

Speedgraph Richfield in the UK, will convert your existing speedo to KPH.

Another alternative is to get a local engineering company to make a 1:1.6 ratio gearbox for the speedo drive cable (either end) The only drawback is the maximum indicated speed on the speedo is a bit low, if you like to go fast.
Paddy Reardon

See Ebay no. 271174968299................Mike
m.j. moore

I'll be interested to see what it goes for Mike. My car is fitted with a kph speedo at the moment - with blobs of Tippex where 30, 40 and 50 mph should be! I have an MPH one that needs cleaning, that I might fit instead. then I might sell the KPH one.
Cam Cunningham

I think I might be tempted to keep it Cam - I like the extra symmetry over the MPH gauge with the 100 due north. At first glance people may think you have a rocket motor under the bonnet!...........Mike
m.j. moore

You are right Mike - kids at shows think it can go 200mph!!
Cam Cunningham

Thanks guys, all good options. I'm watching the one on ebay, let's see how that plays out.
Tom Baker

Cam, let me know if you decide to sell it. I'm metric in Canada and wouldn't mind having a kph dial. Can swap you a clean mph gauge if you like.

If you think the kids like the 200 kph, you should hear them when the look in my home market Lambo with a speedo that tops at 300!
Bill Spohn

The one on Ebay No 271174968229 sold for GBP236.50!!!

I was interested as it is good for Australia kph, but ...... too rich for me!!

IBM
I B Morris

Another MGA gold item! GBP236 or so sold for.
Gary Lock

Looks like the kmh speedos are going for a considerable premium over the mph ones because the same guy sold a 1600 mph for £21 a fortnight ago! The kmh was a nice one though.

Four bidders over £200.

You're sitting on gold Cam!................Mike
m.j. moore

That was a silly price - didn't know that they were in such demand - Looks like I will have to watch out at shows - probably come back and find a hole in dash where the speedo was!!
Cam Cunningham

At that price might be worth buying a cheepo mph version (smiths or jaegar) and getting speedy cables or other instrument basher to fit a kph dial, then sell at a profit.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Glad I didn't bite. To my suprise, I actually have a Smiths kph guage in my posssion. Went to look at a possible second MGA here in Japan (too much work) and walked away with a loaded dash. I think it will need to be serviced as it (and everthing else on the dash) is full of silica dust from sandblasting.

I have an old MGB speedo that works and I may be able to replace just the face if I am not too ham fisted. This is simply for show, as long as it's there and the needle moves it will pass the inspection. Ten years on the road and they find this now.
Tom Baker

If anyone wants an early 1500 big figure KPH speedo I have one.

Having said that there were never many cars fitted with big figure instruments, the first 1400 or so I think, and the number of those with kph must have been very small.

I think I have a big figure rev counter too...

John.
John Prewer

Tom

You could probably fulfill their requirements by attaching a kph label to the face over the mph letters, and then you will not have to dismantle a working speedo
dominic clancy

Dominic,

That has gotten me by for 10 years. I made one on the computer and I must say, it was pretty convincing. Close font size and type. But if you look really close, I mean really close you can kind of see the edges of the decal. Once spotted, the car becomes "flagged" and you are then basically out of luck.
Tom Baker

11 months into production in April 1956, new style instruments introduced at car no. 14090. So there were 3989 1500's with the early style instruments.
Barney Gaylord

Thanks for that Barney, I had 1400 in my brain & didn't check Clausager.

I converted my early 1500 to right hand drive & fitted a brand new big figure gauge that Brown & Gammons found somewhere, I keep the kph one in the original box. Alas my 2 MGAs are now gone - I got five times what I paid for them but they would now be worth ten times the original outlay!

The rev counter was in the car when I got it but inoperable as the car was fitted with a 15S replacement engine that had a block casting with no hole for the manual drive, so I fitted an MGB electronic gauge.

It would seem that I have one of the the only big figure km speedos left... I better polish it and talk to Sotheby's!

John.
John Prewer

This thread was discussed between 17/03/2013 and 28/03/2013

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