How do I reset my new odometer?

[Jimmie]

I am going to get a better looking odometer for my 1950 Champion. The one in it is yellowed and flaking off. I plan to get one from our local used parts outlet. What later brand of car would most likely have one that would fit on my 1950 Champion?


Also, I plan to reset it to all zeros. (No, it is not illegal for an antique car in Indiana.) I have been told that there is a simple way to change one to all zeros but, I have been trying to do it on the one that I have taken out of the car and cannot figure how it is done.

Thank you to anyone who can help me with either of these two questions.

Jimmie
Orleans, Indiana


1950 CHAMPION -ORANGE COUNTY, INDIANA

[JDP]

quote:Originally posted by Jimmie


I am going to get a better looking odometer for my 1950 Champion. The one in it is yellowed and flaking off. I plan to get one from our local used parts outlet. What later brand of car would most likely have one that would fit on my 1950 Champion?


Also, I plan to reset it to all zeros. (No, it is not illegal for an antique car in Indiana.) I have been told that there is a simple way to change one to all zeros but, I have been trying to do it on the one that I have taken out of the car and cannot figure how it is done.

Thank you to anyone who can help me with either of these two questions.

Jimmie
Orleans, Indiana


1950 CHAMPION -ORANGE COUNTY, INDIANA

It's unlikely that you'll find one to interchange from a brand X. Once you take the odometer wheel out, you can set it back. BTW, I assume you are setting it back to zero for a restoration and will have to note on the title that, that mileage is incorrect.

JDP/Maryland

[Son O Lark]

Indiana doesn't seem to care what the mileage was on an older car. When I went to register my car for the first time, the woman stated "It's too old to worry about." I thought it was odd but, Oh Well.

[BobPalma]

Federal Odometer Law permits mileage to be declared EXEMPT, as opposed to an actual numeric figure, for a vehicle at least ten model years old.

However, if proper documentation is in place, Indiana and some other states will permit you to have the actual numeric figure recorded with the title brand Odometer-Actual placed on the title.

The procedure and requirements vary from state to state after a vehicle is ten years old, but Federal Law determines the procedure for the first ten years. BP

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by Son O Lark

Indiana doesn't seem to care what the mileage was on an older car. When I went to register my car for the first time, the woman stated "It's too old to worry about." I thought it was odd but, Oh Well.

Most new cars are expected to go in excess of 250,000 miles today. It was only in the past 25 or so years, the automakers (except Volvo) added a sixth figure so it doesn't go back to 'zero' at 100,000 miles. I really wish my '65 Commander had a sixth digit on the odometer. It showed 67,000 on it when I bought it, and since that time, I've made it show that same figure again and then some.[8D] Unfortunately, I never did know the history of it prior to my ownership of it, so I can't say for sure if that original 67,000 was 'genuine'.

Craig

[Skip Lackie]

As JDP noted, there's probably no listing of what car models had an odometer that will interchange with yours. That said, most speedometers were made by Stewart-Warner or a few other companies. While the size and appearance of their speedos varied from car to car, the movement itself was often the same. The odometer wheel of many speedos just snapped in place and was held by a wire spring made out of material like a paper clip.

You might try calling one of the companies that specialize in rebuilding old speedos and other instruments and ask them if they have a new odometer wheel for your speedometer. If not, maybe they can tell you what other cars had the same design odometer wheel. Most of these companies advertise every month in Hemmings.

Skip Lackie
Washington DC

[barnlark]

There have to be many speedos still around for your car. Try Tom Karkiewicz in South Bend. I think he had some in May. It's not tough to get the accurate mileage on the odometer if you have a good idea what it is. I feel it's not fair to anyone who gets your car in the future to have it set to zero now, even if it's completely restored, but to each his own. It's your car, but I think most folks frown on rolling back the mileage, regardless of what one person at the BMV, or DMV says. I replaced mine with a nos version (that came at all zeroes) and set it to the proper mileage from my old one. My car hadn't moved since 1970 and came with the original title and registration stamps.

[KGlowacky]

I am also wondering how to reset the number wheels. I changed mine out and could not reset it. I was trying to set it to my original mileage. Anyone know the procedure???

[warrlaw1]

I agree with BarnLark, although I did pick up an NOS unit on eBay with 0 miles showing. I will install it if the original doesn't work when I finally get my car on the road. Original reads 68,000, which is low mileage in my opinion. Although the car had been worked on before, I believe it's accurate. All else is original, even though it was run dry of oil, frozen, then hit. That's probably what kept it a low miler (lol).

[BobGlasscock]

I've been reading and waiting for the 'smart' answer and haven't seen it yet, so will offer my dumb answer. I have done this a couple of times, so it does work. Attach a variable speed electric drill to the speedometer cable and let it rip. You can go 100,000 miles in no time at all.

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[garyash]

I took apart the Veeder odometer in my M5 speedometer, stripped and repainted the drums, put on new numbers, and re-assembled it. I put mine back to the exact mileage it had before, just for fun, but you can make it anything you want.

Here's my web page on what I did:

http://www.studegarage.com/instruments.htm

[img=left]http://www.studegarage.com/images/indy/gary_indycar25_vvsm.jpg[/img=left] Gary Ash
Dartmouth, Mass.
'32 Indy car replica (in progress)
'48 M5
'65 Wagonaire Commander
'63 Wagonaire Standard
web site at http://www.studegarage.com

[Jimmie]

quote:Originally posted by Jimmie


I am going to get a better looking odometer for my 1950 Champion. The one in it is yellowed and flaking off. I plan to get one from our local used parts outlet. What later brand of car would most likely have one that would fit on my 1950 Champion?


Also, I plan to reset it to all zeros. (No, it is not illegal for an antique car in Indiana.) I have been told that there is a simple way to change one to all zeros but, I have been trying to do it on the one that I have taken out of the car and cannot figure how it is done.

Thank you to anyone who can help me with either of these two questions.

Jimmie
Orleans, Indiana


1950 CHAMPION -ORANGE COUNTY, INDIANA

Well, I found an odometer at the same place where I had my alternator changed over to 6 volts. About 25 miles from my house. The fellow's father wa known for rebuilding them. As to the mileage that I plan to put on it, I am still leaning toward all 00000.0 However, I can see the point in putting the 86,000 reading on it too[?]. I plan to put it all back together tonight so I will just have to decide then. Thanks to all who have offered suggestions.

Jimmie
Orleans, Indiana


1950 CHAMPION -ORANGE COUNTY, INDIANA

[jclary]

quote:Originally posted by BobGlasscock

I've been reading and waiting for the 'smart' answer and haven't seen it yet, so will offer my dumb answer. I have done this a couple of times, so it does work. Attach a variable speed electric drill to the speedometer cable and let it rip. You can go 100,000 miles in no time at all.

[:0]Wow! Bob, how many drills do you have with over 100,000 mile on them?

John Clary
Greer, SC

Life... is what happens as you are making plans.
SDC member since 1975

[Tom Bredehoft]

Two points, 1) I reset my odometer after I drove 250 miles without speedometer cable.

2) In Costa Rica (they do things differently there with cars) when an engine is rebuilt, the Odometer is reset to all zeros. I guess so they know when to expect it to wear out.

Bodies live forever, the Gov't buys them back after 20 years and strips them of usable parts, trim, etc. Well buys them back is not quite right, they give back the initial deposit you made as a tax when it was purchased new.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Avatar1.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe (since 1959)
'55 President (6H Y6) State Sedan
(Under Construction 617 hrs.)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[Retired]

See Norm's Antique Auto, Davenport, Iowa, ad in Antique Studebaker Review magazine. Your speedometer will be returned looking brand new.

Richard