speedometer restoration

[bmh]

Anyone know who's doing nice quality restorations on 48-52 speedometers? I've seen some really correct ones and some not.
Thanks, Brian

[HD48FL]

Re: speedometer restoration

Originally posted by bmh
Anyone know who's doing nice quality restorations on 48-52 speedometers? I've seen some really correct ones and some not.
Thanks, Brian

Email sent to you!

[cdndewey]

Perry Ruiter up here on Vancouver Island. He just did one for my buddy's 49 and it looks great. He's an AMCA member so you'll have no trouble finding him

[bmh]

Thanks much guys
Brian

[Perry Ruiter]

I'm not actively soliciting work, as the locals seem to keep me perennially behind. However, I was planning on putting together a complete 48-52 dash assembly to sell on eBay. I have a very nice original lower speedo face, set of very nice original odometers, NOS needle, etc.. A good original dash base, chrome cover and ignition switch. This will be ready to bolt on and upgrade an original paint bike or nice enough for a restored one. If that interests anyone email me. The speedo is not assembled so I can set the odometer at any value desired.

Now, regardless who you have restore your speedo, get a recommendation from someone who actually rides their bike. There are lots of cosmetically decent speedos that don't work worth a bean. I've had to fix probably half a dozen "restored" speedos in the last couple years that were not even close on either the speed indication or the mileage recording. I'd like to think it's ignorance on the part of the person that originally restored them, but it's probably malice. So y'all can see what I'm talking about, I'll attach a montage showing the same speedo before and after.

You've got to wonder about some buyers too tho. A couple weeks ago a Corbin sold on eBay for $1300. In the description the seller said "I ran this hard on the drill press for two hours and it worked fine.". How the h-e-double hockey sticks do you calibrate a speedo using a drill press? If that was what I was using I sure wouldn't brag about it in my listing. If I was a buyer I'd run (not walk) away but instead someone cheerfully forked over their hard earned cash.

Anyway, here's the before picture. Speedo as received on the left. Calibration machine master on the right (which is checked periodically with a strobe tachometer). The only reason the speedo stopped at 130 when it should have read 60 was it had hit a hard stop internally and couldn't go any faster. It wanted to. This is typical of what some people fob off as a restored speedo ... Perry

[Perry Ruiter]

And here's the after of the same speedo. Not every speedo tunes up as nicely as this. As I recall I installed a matched NOS hairspring so that helps. Keep in mind, especially on a big twin, a speedo is, at the best of times, an approximation since the same calibration is used on a bike with 18 inch wheels and a 21 or 22 tooth tranny sprocket ('cause it's pulling a sidecar) as is used on a bike with 16 inch wheels, low profile tires and a 24 or 25 tooth tranny sprocket ('cause it's a solo bike). 45s fair better in this department since their speedo drive is off the rear wheel and hence the tranny sprocket is taken out of the equation ... Perry

[VPH-D]

I've had several speedometers rebuilt by John Bordas in Denver, with good results. 303-988-8828
VPH-D

[rbenash]

Palo Alto Speedo in California did the one on my '65 a few years ago. Very nice work and well calibrated. They have been doing speedo work for a very very long time.

Ray

[Carl N. Olsen]

I use Janos at the Speedo Shop in Canada. The last time I got a box from UPS from him I said to the driver " alright my speedos are finally here" he gave me a wierd look, so I said " not that kind of speedos, speedometers for bikes"
Carl

[bmh]

Thanks again to all. I've often wondered about the restored ones I see for sale here and there. And Perry , if you had a price in mind for the dash assembly, maybe we could save some time and trouble. I don't currently have one for my 51, and was actually going to contact some of these folks too see if they had one to sell. For something I,m not gonna personally tear apart and restore myself I figuire I'd be farther ahead getting one already done.
Brian

[rbenash]

BMH - you'll be happy with Perry's work. I saw some samples of his rebuilt dash bases a few years ago at Oley.

[hogluvr]

Perry,

You obviously do excellent work. Just out of curiosity, I've always wondered how you guys "opened 'em up" to restore them. It looks like everything is sealed up, could never figure out how to get inside of one without physically messing everything up, is this a "trade secret" ??

Mike

[Perry Ruiter]

Brian - I already had an expression of interest in the dash assembly. I just sent photos tonight. If the person decides against it, I'll contact you.

Mike - I don't think it's a secret - like any specialized area of service, be it motor or tranny building, etc. speedo servicing also has it's special tools. I'm a bit of a toolaholic. If there's a special tool to do a job, even if it does it only imperceptibly better, I like to have it. Of course some things are impossible to do without the proper tool. I've spent literally several thousand dollars just on speedo tools. Considering I only work on maybe 8 or 10 speedos a year it'll be a while yet before I'm out of the hole. There's still more speedo tools I'd like to have. I've missed out on a few by not being aggressive enough.

Anyway, bezel removing doesn't need a special tool. For years I just used an old screwdriver with the tip bent. Finally I was able to get my hands on a real tool. It works really slick on panhead/shovelhead bezels. Work your way around the bezel with it and you'd never know it had been rolled on. The shape of knucklehead bezels is just different enough, that it doesn't work as well there and I usually still resort to the bent screwdriver for them. The catalogue caption is from 1939 ... Perry

[Perry Ruiter]

And here's how you put them back on (not by chucking your speedo head up in a lathe!) ... Perry

[rbenash]

Perry - too cool. I'm the same way with tools ;-)

On my pan which had the original speedo that was not working I could see that the bezel had been previously removed by someone who did not have a clue. I know it was not my father, because he was a serious specialist. I remember pointing to the hogged up bezel and winking at him and he would shake his head. "Must have been Smitty, looks like his work". Smitty was the 3rd owner.

Palo Alto speedo fixed everything and did a beatuiful job. I had them keep the same face, number wheels and needle to keep it looking original and aged.

Thanks for the education on how it's supposed to be done and the tools to properly perform the work.