Re: Speedo / Cable / Pickup (longish)

[Jan van de Wouw <jvdwouw@xxxx>]

Since there's a lot of speedo talk going on now, I'm replying
to several posts concerning the speedo all at once...

On Fri, 13 Jun 2003 03:21:48 -0000, David Teitelbaum wrote:

> My idea for eliminating the angle drive would be to remove the angle
> drive and have a photo-optic transducer in it's place driven by the
> square shaft that used to turn the angle drive.

Then on Fri, 13 Jun 2003 15:03:19 -0000, Dave Swingle wrote:

> Honestly it would be easier to put a transducer on one of
> the inner CV joints (like many aftermarket cruise controls).

After having LOTS of trouble with my Angle Drive last year and
spending over $500,- on parts and repairs I decided I wanted some sort
of backup system in my car, especially since last time it broke down
I had just 3 days to get it fixed before my annual inspection.
With these inspections A speedo is mandatory, but it is NOT stated
that it has to be an original one...

After seeing a custom setup on another DeLorean AND seeing similar
setups on other classics I decided to mount a BiCycle Computer...
The higher spec ones have a range of up to 300kmh and feature handy
things like a programmable odometer, kmh/mph switching, Maximum speed,
Average Speed, tripmeter, triptimer and a 24/12h clock.
You can program the wheel circumference in millimeters, so after
proper setup these little gadgets are quite acurate...

I decided to go for a Sigma Sports BC800 with all of the mentioned
features on it. The wiring was lengthened by about 9 feet and we made
some custom brackets for fitting the computer and it's magnetic pickup.

I've put some pics on-line here:
<http://members.home.nl/delorean/bc800/Pickup.JPG>
<http://members.home.nl/delorean/bc800/Computer.JPG>
And before I get responses that I should fix my drive shaft seals;
I know they're a bit leaky and I WILL fix them soon, but untill I have
time to do so I'm just keeping an eye on the tranny oil level...

The system works like a charm, only downsides are lack of illumination,
but I'm allready working on that. The other downside is that it does NOT
count backwards and is on a different wheel than the original speedo.
Because of that I will eventually have different ODO-readings when I've
reversed a lot and/of have taken a lot of corners one way (difference in
inner- and outer side in a bend; speedo is on LF wheel, computer on RR...
One VERY POSITIVE thing for me is that I now have an accurate reading
in KMH too, fo both speedo and odo, so I've calculated my miles on the
car's original odo and set them into the Bike Computer in kilometers.
So, I'm a happy customer and my inspector said he'll approve my car
with this thing in place in case the original speedo busts again...


On Thu, 12 Jun 2003 23:48:47 -0700, John Hervey wrote:

> Why can't the small cable be made from a flexable solid material.
> Why does it have to be like the bicycle cable with squared and
> soldered ends.Surley it doesn't have to move over an 1/8" or less.

After all my woes with my AD, one of the improvements was installation
of a COMPLETELY soldered cable in my AD, after fraying one and rounding
off a second cable... And I've put a bit of sheet-copper into the
drivecap on two sides of the square to make it fit better...
My speedo has been operational for over a year again now,
let's hope it keeps working. All I've done meanwhile is grease
it up twice a year and lubricate the lower speedo cable...

If anyone wants more specifics on my installation,
just email me privately on <delorean [at] home.nl>

JAN van de Wouw
Thinking Different... Using a Mac...
Living the Dream... Driving a DeLorean...

DMC-12 "Dagger" since Sep. 2000
100NX "Saphire" since Nov. 2002

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