junk yard'n surprise

[Aspen500]

As of Sept 1st 1979 the NHTSA mandated speedometers to show a maximum of 85 mph and to highlight the 55.
After March 28th, 1982 the law went away and the speedo could show whatever the manufacturer wanted it to.
Now for the odd one. The original cluster in my '79 Aspen (ink stamped May 23, 1979) is 85 mph of course but the 55 is not highlighted (not circled or printed in orange, etc) and it doesn't have the KM/H scale, yet the law supposedly required the 55 to be highlighted. Every other speedo I've seen for a '78-'79 Aspen had the KM/H scale printed in light blue inside the MPH scale. With Mopar's, never say never I guess.

Now for a little speedometer irony. My '96 Dakota 3.9L has a 110 mph speedo but one time a few years ago I checked the top speed just for the heck of it. Gets to 80 fairly quick, then creeps up to 85 where the massive 175 hp and brick like aerodynamics makes a natural speed limiter, lol.

 

[BudW]

Yes, the 3.9L has a, err, is a governor/speed limiter.

 

[slant6billy]

Loved my 3.9 in my 95 2500 5 lug shorty van. It had the non overdrive tranny and out pull any 4.3 chevy any day. Don't know about rev or speed limiter, but I had it up to 100. Screaming without overdrive. Had to part ways due to over-rust on the underside.

 

[BudW]

My father-in-law had one in his 97? Dakota.
He always said he could out tow my truck. Also he is always towing his farm tractor and other items well beyond the towing capacity of his truck.

Being family, I didn’t want to get in an argument with him (it doesn’t help the ole love life).
I still own my ‘97 Dodge 2500 Diesel PU, so I don’t think so.

He has bad hearing, so I don’t think he knows it is a diesel.

 

[/6Volare]

Correct. Mine is 160 kmh (100 mph).

 

[Jack Meoff]

My 1980 Volare has a 140 km speedo and no highlights.

 

[Justwondering]

I bought a dodge dakota the last year they offered a carb instead of fuel injector. Was a great truck, but the turning radius sucked big time.
The first brand new vehicle I every owned, course it was all down hill after I found out the guy in the commercial didn't come with it. lol
--- Post updated ---
I bought a dodge dakota the last year they offered a carb instead of fuel injector. Was a great truck, but the turning radius sucked big time.
The first brand new vehicle I every owned, course it was all down hill after I found out the guy in the commercial didn't come with it. lol

 

[Aspen500]

My truck is actually speed limited to 112 mph but the aerodynamic drag and only 175 hp make a physical 85mph limit.

I drove an '87 Dakota 3.9L carb way back when and,,,,,,,,,,,,,,what a pooch. Took about 2 seconds to decide "NO" on buying it.

 

[slant6billy]

My truck is actually speed limited to 112 mph but the aerodynamic drag and only 175 hp make a physical 85mph limit.

I drove an '87 Dakota 3.9L carb way back when and,,,,,,,,,,,,,,what a pooch. Took about 2 seconds to decide "NO" on buying it.

Yeah, the 87 was a pig. Not much better than a slant 6 with a miss. The 92 was the better combo. My 95 in the van seemed to like the 3 speed non overdrive 904 style trans with the lower first gear. The rear was a one legger with a 3:23 gear. Had the F body had 173 hp in a V6 with the torque band (power band) my van had, it would had been a fun time ripping down the road. Slants were hard to kill, but my 3.9 survived my silly shit. I used it like other guys use their 5.9 cummins. I've towed stuff way too big for any V6. It drove to the dealer to be traded, but who knows if it drove away from there. I drove a 97 1500 ram long bed ext cab with a 5.9 Gas Magnum and my van had more grunt out of the hole. Sad, I liked the ext cab too. I may not own another 3.9 again since they are not in production any more and don't have the support network like a slant, RB, BB or small block, but I know what I want in a workhorse- It has to out perform my 3.9.