57 Ford speedometer trivia

[djfordmanjack]

Here is something from my 57 parts collection, that probably hardly any of our members here have seen before.
I got this from a friend 20 years ago and it came from a local wrecking yard that had been in business since the 1940s.

What do you guys spot wrong in the pics?

[KYBlueOval]

Looks like a Kilometer speedometer to me.

[hiball3985]

Yep, kilometers. I was told some Canadian cars were equipped, don't know if that's true or not.

[djfordmanjack]

J&J  are right !! this is a kilometers speedo. would be nice to use this on a Bonneville 57 streamliner, but in mph !
(kmph =mph x1.6)
I am not sure about Canada, as they would have had Imperial miles (mph) back in '57 ?! Maybe some Canadian guys can put some light on that.
As far as I know, in the 1960s the export ( euro destination) Ford cars were built in Canada mostly. I have owned two and they had kmh speedos. I don't know where this 57 kmh speedometer was built. print marks on the back look like typical US made stamps and it is dated Jan 57.

[hiball3985]

OH yes! I remember Imperial gallons of gas and Imperial quarts of oil the last time I was in Canada, 1971 or 72..

[Ecode70D]

  Guenter
        That's absolutely beautiful .    I'm the first to admit that I never knew that something like that ever existed.  The best part is there is nothing on it that has even the hint of kilometers.  I had no idea that you ever had such a beautiful piece.
         Just think how that would look on a so called HI PO 57 race car..
Jay 
         
     

[djfordmanjack]

Jay, yes, look how odd the center position of the high beam light is. If you are used to the very centered position at 65mph, it strikes you how the check light is shifted off center to the 120kmh mark. that's because 60 mph is not exactly 100kmh but rather 96kmh.

[djfordmanjack]

on another note, this must have been disturbing in 1957. of course the factory car would not be able to hit 220 but 160+kmh ( 100mph) would be easily in reach for any 292 or 312 with tall rearend on the Autobahn. that was nearly unheard of in Europe at that time, except for maybe a Mercedes Kompressor type 300SL. Most cars were barely doing over 100kmh ( 63 mph). maybe 70 mph.

Here's a story
One of my former co workers grew up in the late 50s and had quite wealthy parents. as a teenager he was interested in Elvis and the like and first thing you know, he bought a V8 57 Ford ( in Austria, in 1959!) from a GI (probably from Germany). He told me he had a good time that summer as he had the fastest and fanciest car in town. That is - until he broke the (Auto) transmission. It was unthinkable back then for a European teenager to order parts from overseas, let alone having something like a credit card, mail order or whatnot. that's why many of these cars were dumped at junkyards pretty soon over here.
I know of another family that had a brandnew Country Sedan. they were in the movie business. I still have a hubcap and OD cable from that very car. American cars were like the ultimate thing to have over here. They were rare and sought after, highly praised and priced.

[rmk57]

Yep, kilometers. I was told some Canadian cars were equipped, don't know if that's true or not.

  Canada made the change from miles to kilometers in 1977. They used to hand out these small decals to stick on your speedometer to help you along with the conversion. Since then they slowly introduced weight, temperature, volume and the rest. Funny enough when you go to the supermarket today sirloin steak is still around $11 a pound?

[59meteor]

Like Randy said, Canada switched to the Metric system around 76/77. I graduated from High School the year before, and we never really got much information about going metric in school, (or at least I was not paying much attention!). So although I don`t have much trouble with vehicle speed and weather temperature, I still have issues with weights, and length measurements. As Randy also mentioned, many items in the supermarkets are listed by the pound, with kilograms shown in fine print below, and at the dragstrip, we still have the speeds listed in MPHs. I am sure the fact I live only 1/2 hour from the US border, and frequently travel to the USA, has delayed my need to know more about the Metric system.

[djfordmanjack]

very interesting, thx guys. So I think it is safe to say that neither 1957 Fords nor Meteors were delivered with kilometer speedos in Canada.

[Ecode70D]

[quote l, (or at least I was not paying much attention!).
[/quote]

     
59 Meteor
   You are not the only one that was not paying attention in school. HAHA

[Wirenut]

I bought a donor car that was from Mexico with a Mexico vin # but it came with a MPH speedo. It did not have the motor or drive train, the only reason I knew it was from Mexico was the stamping on the Vin plate. Everything I pulled off of the car was identical to 2 other cars I had that were made in the USA.  In disassembly nothing was stamped different from the others, I was never sure if the car was made in the USA and shipped to Mexico with a Mexico vin or of it was made there. I hung on to the Vin plate since it was different.. I think the Kilometer one is pretty cool, great man cave wall art. Do you plan swapping it out with the MPH on the wagon?

[djfordmanjack]

no, I have no plans on replacing the mph speedo in the 4dr wagon. this is a very original car and speedo/odo most probably og to car as well. it is legal here to have a mph speedo in an imported car. Usually they will have you make small markings or stick on kmh numbers. but i am pretty much used to mph and have no problem in reading it correctly to local speed limits.
I want to keep the kmh speedo for my Del Rio, which is probably going to be more of a custom project and not so much dedicated to originality.

[Jeff Norwell]

Yep, kilometers. I was told some Canadian cars were equipped, don't know if that's true or not.

Nope........ Metric did not come into play here until the 70's....