speedO and steering column ?

[spdcrazy]

so now that my tranny swap is finaly done (15 months) i've got her back on the road! but without a speedO i don't feel comfortable. whats my options?

also, anyone have any pics of a bare steering column? i'm thinking of relocating the ignition Key to be hidden and removing the blinker handle in favor for some switches placed where the stock radio was. then i'd add a aftermarket wheel and paint the steering column black. what ya think?

 

[locovaca]

You could go hardcore, Multimeter reading the VSS line. 22.2 hz per mph

I did a Taurus Digital Cluster swap. No speedo cable needed, took all its info from the VSS. A little more exotic but if you don't have a speedo cable that might be a solution, or something similar (like one from a high end 80's Lincoln/Mercury)

 

[spdcrazy]

You could go hardcore, Multimeter reading the VSS line. 22.2 hz per mph

I did a Taurus Digital Cluster swap. No speedo cable needed, took all its info from the VSS. A little more exotic but if you don't have a speedo cable that might be a solution, or something similar (like one from a high end 80's Lincoln/Mercury)

um, can you drop that lingo down a few grades? you's got me all's confused...

i'm all about being unique, so if ya get a min, enlighten me on this VSS stuff you write bout!

 

[locovaca]

VSS = Vehicle Speed Sensor

You have two options for a speedometer:

1. Using a cable driven speedo, which is default for a truck of that age. But it sounds like you no longer have a cable.

2. Using a digital/electronic speedo which runs off of the VSS signal. Since Ford reuses the components in the same cars/trucks of the vintage, you simply need to find a digital cluster which takes the VSS signal that you already have.

This site talks about the Taurus cluster swap (into another Taurus), to give you the idea of the work needed. I didn't connect everything up, and in theory, you could get away with just ground, power, and VSS (but I never tried that).

My original thread is here: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52878

 

[spdcrazy]

wow. looks great! i wasn't thinking of going that hardcore but no reason not too either.