WANTED Speedo gear 80 Fbody

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BudW

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It is not going to be easy to find a all plastic 38 tooth speedometer gear.
It might even be close to impossible.

You might want to convert to the older metal-plastic gear – for a 38 tooth gear used (and repop) are currently and widely available.

I much prefer working with the older speedometer gears/housing setups ('66-77ish for cars or '66-92ish for pickups/vans), for a lot easier to work with, easier to pull the transmission or speedo cable off/on, and so forth.

The only problem with it is you also need to convert to a older speedometer cable – which is a tad more work (but are also widely available).

Unrelated (somewhat) – I have had hundreds of Chrysler speedo gears in my hands over the decades. The highest tooth-count all-plastic gear I have seen, is a 32.
I'm sure they used some 38's (in the early F-bodies) – but I hadn't run across one, yet.

Note this is what I consider an all-plastic gear:
Speedo Gear set 23 Plastic.jpg

This has the 23 tooth gear.

the older plastic/metal gear, 38 tooth (all new parts):
Speedo Gear set 38 Long.jpg

New Mopar OEM Dodge Transmission 38 Tooth Speedometer Gear & 26-45 Housing Set | eBay

This is a 38 tooth short shaft - which you do not want (it is for 4*4 pickups)
Speedo Gear 38 Short.jpg


I hope this helps,
BudW
 

twesley

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Thanks for the info. I have a couple older style housings...and some gears. Can you tell me what cable needed to change over?
 

volare 77

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I used a cable for a 76 volare. 3593470 58 inches
 
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BudW

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There are a lot to say here – but only a little that applies.

When F's first came out, they used the old style speedometer gear housing – that I will refer to as “metal”. Mid-year, or closer to '77, they rolled out the new style, which I will refer to as “plastic” - but supply problems kept Chrysler from using plastic 100%. I have seen '78's and '79's with metal (but not a lot) – so it mainly depended on what supplies they had on hand.
(see post 2 for pictures)

In addition to the “metal” vs. “plastic, you also have:
Early vs. non-early F/M-body, which uses a different end at the speedometer head:
100_0486.JPG

Metal clip is top, plastic clip is bottom.
The "speedometer head" ends are the same – just the cable end is different. I “think” all '76-77 F/M's use the metal clip design (clip is on the plastic housing, as shown):
Early FM Speedo Clip a.jpg

Early FM Speedo Clip b.jpg


I “think” all other FMJ's used the cable end that has the clip on cable. If you can reach up behind the speedometer head, you can feel either the metal clip (which is pushed towards the head (or driver) to release the cable) or the plastic clip (which is squeezed at the end to release) – you can tell which design end you have by feel.

The next difference is if car has cruise control, or not. Cruise cars have two different cables whereas the others have one long cable.
Factory cables have a hex end at cruise servo and/or at metal housing, like this:
Speedo B.jpg


Aftermarket cables typically have a round “nut”. I've used lots of aftermarket cables and haven't had any issues, to date.

These are four common aftermarket cables, currently being sold today:
ATP Y-891.png

AYP-891 or Pioneer CA-3030 (what I think you already have)

ATP Y-879.png

AYP-879 or Pioneer CA-3024

ATP Y-802.png

AYP-802 or Pioneer CA-3002 (what you want - if you have cruise)

ATP Y-890.png

Pioneer CA-3014 or CA-3027 - which is 80". This is what you want if you don't have cruise.

The only ones I don't see made aftermarket is with the early F/M metal clip ends. I still see NOS versions out there – but not hard to convert the more popular plastic clip ends.

To answer your question, if you already have and plan on keeping cruise, you want cable AYP-802 or Pioneer CA-3002.
If you don't have (or want) cruise and you have the more popular plastic clip – then you want cable Pioneer CA-3014 or CA3027.
BudW
 

Mikes5thAve

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I've never had a problem with the plastic style speedo gear. I actually prefer them. But the biggest advantage to the rod style, especially since you already have the parts, is that they are far more easier to come by.
Having cruise makes the change from one to the other easier because everything is out and easy to get to vs having to snake it into the car and get up into the dash to change it.
And yes 78 and on use the plastic clip kind at the speedometer. Altho I wouldn't be surprised if there was either some overlap in 78 or all M bodies used that style? I wouldn't imagine them having a one year only speedo for 77 but you never know.
 
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