ATC Speedometer Restoration, Reproduction

[kb0nly]

Started a new project today! The restoration of my 84 200 Speedometer which i plan on putting on my 84 200ES, it came off a 200ES.

So far all i have done is disassembly and cleaning, repainting the speedo back/cup and sanding down and painting the mounting bracket, which should be chrome but mine was just rust, so i went with painting it black to blend it in to other parts on the trike. I took apart the gear head and cleaned out the old brown dirty rusty grease and re-greased and reassembled it.

But the best part?? A NEW face that is going to be put into production at http://webslingercycles.com/Images/Speedo/index.htm

I scanned my original and sent it to him, he then reproduced it and should be shipping me the first made Monday.

Here is a scan of my original..

149014

And here is what he sent me for approval..

149013

I can't wait to see it installed!!

[userj8670]

That looks awesome !

[HONDA_ATC_FREAK]

how did you get it apart with out tearing up the outer ring?

[kb0nly]

A LOT of time and patience. It sucks. You have to slowly and carefully work out the lip of the front ring, i used a variety of screwdrivers to slowly widen it out over and over until i could slide it off. Putting it back on won't be that easy either but i have some plans for that.

[kb0nly]

All restored/repaired, and reassembled. It wasn't an easy job but it looks nice! I installed the new face today and as you can see i also repainted the needle with a very light coat of white paint then orange for the needle tip. Freshened it up and won't fade as fast as the plastic, the last thing i want to do is take this apart again, it was an adventure.

Getting the front ring back on wasn't that bad, i got it back on then i put it face down and i slowly worked that lip back down around the edge with a wooden dowel, i put a ring of tape around the body of the speedometer so i wouldn't scratch the paint. After i got it as tight as i could with the wooden dowel i switched to a brass rod and went around a few more times pushing down on the lip tightening it up and smoothing it out. Note i did not repaint the front ring, i liked it as it was, showing some hand rubbing where someone reset the trip odometer over and over and wore the finish down, just gives it a refreshed but not totally new look and i like that. I used that rubbed spot to help locate the ring back to its original location, yes i know it doesn't really matter, but it helped me line everything up and work the ring back onto the body having a reference point, the body is NOT perfectly round and so after removing the ring you could see where i folded the lip back more in some places then others, so knowing how it came off helped put it back on.

149687

Finished.. Installed and connected both mechanically and electrically. Took it for a spin, its very close to the GPS on my phone, its maybe off a mph or two, which for its age is not too bad accuracy wise. The light works good even with the new face, it lights it up pretty well, i will try to get a shot in the dark to show that later. All i have left to do now is make a cable stay for the speedo cable. Thats the only part i didn't get with it.

149688

[rdlsz24]

Nice work, this is the first I have seen of a speedo restoration on here

Rob

[userj8670]

nice job buddy!

[kb0nly]

Thanks guys!

I have actually been through many speedos over the years, mainly on snowmobiles and old dirt bikes, this is my first ATC unit but not much different.

The only thing thats a bummer is the browned/faded number wheels but in my experience its not worth replacing them unless your doing it for a show piece that will not see light of day, because the sun will just fade them again in a couple years. Though some of the new plastic parts seem to last a bit longer, more UV resistant, its a super big pain to tear into the mechanism and replace them. I thought about resetting it to 0 miles as well, but for all i know my 84 has just as many miles on it, so it just fits the age. Besides how would it look to have an 84 with less than 100 miles on it? Just wouldn't smell right anyway. I did think it would be neat to set to zero so i know how many miles i put on this 84 but the trip odometer works great also and i will log the miles along with maintenance notes.

[wonderboy]

Hey kb0nly,

I'm hoping you can provide me one key piece of information to get this all the way apart:

How do you remove the trip meter reset shaft? I have everything apart, but the speedo mechanism is trapped in there. I tried gently prying, twisting, and pulling on the shaft, but it doesn't seem to want to budge.

Your new overlay looks super nice. I checked that website, but I didn't see it listed. How much did the overlay cost? Mine isn't bad, but if it wasn't too much, I'd think about ordering a fresh new one. Was the new overlay as thick as the original? Did it glow in all the same spots as the original?

Thanks!

[jeswinehart]

Very nice work indeed ! Now go buy all them low priced KPH speedos and convert.

Wonderboy, from my experience they pull straight off (very hard pull though)

[kb0nly]

The reset knob is a PITA!!! It was very very very hard to pull that trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotr ailpro off. I was just about to give up fearing it would break when it finally started to come off.

You would have to contact him direct on his website to request this speedo face, its kind of a special order item. I really don't know what he is charging for them, as i said i got the first one free for providing the template for him to reproduce them. Its the same thickness, and it does glow nicely like the original, although my original was so badly sun faded that the black was nearly gone and just the green plastic underneath was showing so my whole speedometer glowed and was unreadable with the light on.

[kb0nly]

I thought about converting some KPH units but with the time and labor involved they would be some expensive speedos when i was done!

[ps2fixer]

Looks really nice. How rare are these speedos? I have the very bottom part of one, I think it is frozen up too, wonder how hard it is to get it in usablable shape for someone to put on a restore.

[kb0nly]

The speedos are not that hard to find, the gear head and spacer and the cable on the other hand are not as easy. The gear head can be taken apart and cleaned up and greased, i had to tear down mine to get it working smooth.

[userj8670]

I think this is great! I am sure someone could make a few bucks converting the KPH ones into mph ones. I know for a fact i would buy one and then buy a atc faceplate - providing labor was not ridiculously expensive. Plus i think the chrome ring around the later model speedos would look neat on the black. I know someeone (i think 1deadpresident) did this or had it done at one point way back when

[jeswinehart]

Kb, I went and dug out the "speedo" box this morning and wanted to show a possible option instead of the crimped ring.
These are rings a buddy milled out and then I would drill and tap threads into. Although the rings are a micron smaller then the oem speedo cans, ain't nothing a dremel would not take care of in short order.
I used a custom flat rubber washer in between for a mighty good seal
(I water tested each of the tachs I made) These are the rings I used when I was building 2 stroke tachs by the way.
Also pictured is a Canadian KPH speedo with a touched up dial done by a local artist. This was on a buddys Bigred for 3 years or so and confirmed the mileage would indeed read in KPH but speed was spot on.
The other picture is of a speedo I had not seen before so I bought it cheap, well because I could. More of a dull matt finish on pain and of course don't say ATC on face plate.
If you want these rings to play around with pm me mailing info and they will be on their way Kb.
*none of the speedo's or tach(s) are for sale ~ please don't ask*

156784156785156786156787

[kb0nly]

Wow that is very cool! I would love to get a set of those rings to check them out and possibly rebuild another speedo with for a friend that found another one to refurbish for his 250. That would be a ton easier than rebending the ring. In your first photo is that a stock unbent ring on the left? Where did you ever find that??

[jeswinehart]

Great. Yes, it is a stock ring. It is one I removed from a speedo head that was tee-totally trashed
Like you have done with the small flat tip screw drivers, I too un-bent the clampped over ring and removed.
I have a small bench mount roll form device I bought for making the lip on the canisters I used for tach project that took near all the deformity of the ring. I will include in your package (the ring).
I still have the jig set up for the tapping the threads in the rings, along with everything else I used. I might just see if I can remember how to use the stuff again and drill + tap a couple for you.
I ain't got much going on in the evenings at the moment, taking a little more R+R from reproduction part making.

[kb0nly]

Thanks i appreciate it! I will get going on tearing into another speedometer this weekend, his is a lot more rusty so it will take some time to clean it up and repaint. Has a broken off odometer knob too, that will be a challenge.

[userj8670]

I def will be watching to see what you come up with kb. Would you be able to post pix as you go?

[kb0nly]

I can try to, its going to be a tough weekend schedule wise but i will try to get some pictures of the before and after and a few inbetween. Its going to be a lot more work then mine way, dissasemble, media blast to bare metal, refurbish and rebuild. This one might even get a new glass, a local shop that does stained glass said they can cut a circle out. I think the speed has a crack just along one edge of the glass that might be a problem after its taken apart.

[userj8670]

Thats neat that they can do that. You could start buying used ATC speedos on ebay, refurbish them and flip them and probably make a few pennies in the process. I will be anxiously awaiting progress pics.

[wonderboy]

Hey John, do you happen to have a way to re-mold a trip-meter reset knob onto the metal shaft (after the original knob is broken/gone)? hint, hint...

[jeswinehart]

Hey John, do you happen to have a way to re-mold a trip-meter reset knob onto the metal shaft (after the original knob is broken/gone)? hint, hint...

Man, your just ,,, like "bad" :) I was just up in K'Zoo today picking up some supplies.
Darn it Frank, now that you posted that , we all have seen many used speedos missing the knob but gotta admit, ain't never seen a replacement knob available for them.
Perhaps put a set screw in them instead of glued on ? I can drill + tap some really small stuff.
156928

Yeah ! A new face plate from Kb, knob from me and some TLC from who ever could may this diamond in the rough (2nd. time listing) shine on.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261063191332?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

You need a "knob" Frank (lol) ???

[kb0nly]

I was thinking the same thing, if you have the knob that broke off a very small screw could be tapped into the shaft and the knob drilled out.

[wonderboy]

You need a "knob" Frank (lol) ???

Can't have a shaft without a knob...

So, I got the speedo without it, so I don't have anything to set-screw back on there... but now that you mention that idea, I bet I could find some generic knob and fix it on.

One important detail: the shaft that is supposed to have the knob on it is threaded onto the trip meter shaft with a LEFT HANDED THREAD (aka: backwards thread). Note: the shaft on the left is the trip meter shaft that the number dials rotate on, and the shaft on the right is the one that is supposed to have the knob on it...yes, I have it completely torn apart!
http://i1089.photobucket.com/albums/i356/frank-and-sara/_DSC1183.jpg

So now if I could find a speedo with a good reset knob for cheap, then I could coerce John (with large sums of money) to make a mold to redo all these trip meter shafts with broken knobs... :naughty:

[kb0nly]

The last one i worked on i got the knob to pull off the shaft, took it apart and pushed the knob back on when i put it back together. But mine didn't look like yours, there was no separation where the two pieces are threaded together and the shaft had splines on it, maybe they changed the design at some point.

[wonderboy]

The last one i worked on i got the knob to pull off the shaft, took it apart and pushed the knob back on when i put it back together. But mine didn't look like yours, there was no separation where the two pieces are threaded together and the shaft had splines on it, maybe they changed the design at some point.

So I'm confused, because on mine, without being able to pull off the outer part of the reset shaft, there was no way to get the main mechanism out of the housing. Between the trip meter shaft sticking out the side, and the speedo cable fitting on the bottom, the mechanism is trapped in the housing. On mine, I had to pull the entire trip meter free of the mechanism to be able to just barely wiggle the main mechanism out of the housing.

So on your style, were you just able pull off the plastic knob and get enough slop to pull the mechanism out?

Sounds like we definitely do have a slightly different style of speedo.

[kb0nly]

Yes correct, i took off the knob and pulled it up and worked it out, the shaft was just short enough to get it out, but i mean barely. Maybe its a later or earlier version, not sure. I have this other one to tear down yet, will see what style it is!

[jeswinehart]

157222 Well hey ~ looky here. Not made of unobtainioum any more :)
Ain't so sure you could ever have gotten just the knob anyway but you can now :drool:
KB, I will get a couple more poured and send off for your evaluation.
How about a freakishly HOT pink one for your buddy :naughty: ???

157221

My replacement knobber is the flat faced shiney one

[kb0nly]

LOL.... Or like Neon Green so he can find it even in the dark??

Naw, i think standard black is fine... Friggin sweet! Your truly a repro master.

[userj8670]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet

[kb0nly]

Just a quick update, been busy as a one legged man in an trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro kicking contest lately, but i will document the next speedo resto.

[kb0nly]

Put on the first repo'd knob here today, i didn't get a chance for a picture i will try to over the weekend as well as some pictures of the next speedo resto. The knob was PERFECT, nice fit and finish, you got a winner there!!!

[Davidkriss1222]

Do you have a new link I'm looking to purchase one but says there is a typo