VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1932 SPEEDOMETER CABLE

I went on a club tour last saturday, About 100 miles and just before It ended, I heard this clunking noise and at first thought, Now what happened to the engine. As It turned out the speedometer cable broke. I took the cable out and I had another one from a 32 chevy. As It turned out both cables are from original 32 cars, But one of the cables Is two Inches longer then the other. The Question Is, Was there two different length speedometer cables for 32. Maybe the trucks took a longer cable. Both cables come from two different speedometers with has the curved glass, Not like the 31 which has flat glass.

Donald, I have seen this difference in the later cars too, I have 2 1951 Chevrolet Belair Hardtops and one had a cable 12 inches longer than the other, I am not they were both original equipment, (how would you be able to tell original from a replacement?)

I have heard a horrow story of a lady driving down the Interstate when the Speedo cable broke and thrashed her bare legs causeing some frightful injuries.

The replacement cables ,even though genuine, were often different lengths than the originals.That way they could use three or four cables to cover all years.

For 1932 there were two different lengths of inner speedometer cables used. One was 60 5/8" long and the other was 58 1/8" long.

The 60 5/8" cable was also used in 1923 and 1924, and the 58 1/8" cable was also used on the 1929-31 models. Both used different casings as well.

I'd rather be thrashed with the shorter one...

Thanks for the Information. The good cable that I have Is 58 and one eighth Inches long. The cable that broke was completely dry of any lubricant. One thing that I did not check when I put the speedometer In the car. Just lucky that I had another good one.

i've been real careful not to over-lubricate speedo cables after i lubed(excessivly) a midyear vette cable. rotational forces of the cable fed lubricant into the speedo head, requiring removal of the dash cluster, a real unpleasant task. mike

The inner cable should be lubricated with a light grease. There is a felt seal at the transmission end of the cable to prevent the transmission oil from "climbing" the inner cable and getting into the speedometer head.

I'm still trying to visualize an occurrence that would allow the inner cable to do damage to the driver's legs??????

"AC" made a specific light weight white grease to be used on speedometer cables. Other brands were available as well, like Stewart-Warner and their speedometer grease looked like Vaseline. I have some of both, and the special grease tends to "cling" to the speedometer cable thus providing it with the lubrication needed without working it's way up to the speedometer head.

Dawg: the AC speedometer cable lubricant was part # ST-640, came in an old lead 8 oz tube and as you said, it Clingsto the cable better than white petroleum jelly(vaseline). i treasure the 4 oz or so that's left in my tube that's gotta be 40 years old or more. mike

Ya, my tube is at least that old as well. It scares me every time that I squeeze the tube because I am afraid that it will pop and all of the "AC" speeolube will end up on my ceiling! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :(

Could the difference in lenght be for the freewheeling box and the non freewheeling box?

I have a nos 32 cable in my 34 master and it was about 2" too long, had to curl it a bit more under the dash, but works great

Chris