Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Hi All,
A while back I sent my original 1600 67.5 gauges to Jon Frampton for the full rebuild. They are absolutely amazing.

BUT, because of a (possibly misguided) sense of sentimentality to the originality of the car - I asked him NOT to reset the odometer.

Fast forward to more recently when I stumbled on some really nice (NOS?) gauges that I just couldn't pass up.

I'm going to run those, and am now getting ready to sell my original Speedo and Tach (redone by Jon). But I'm pretty sure potential buyers won't want my 86k+ odometer reading.

I talked to Jon, and he can reset it for me, but with the added cost of doing that and shipping, etc., I'll be lucky to break even.

So... my question: Is there a way to reset the odometer on my own? Drill? Hamster? Magic potion?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thank you,
Peter

Well, it's really quite simple Peter. Send the NICE NEW RESTORED gauges to me, I will install them in my car, and then I will return them in 14,000 miles when the clock shows zero miles. It might take a few years, but I can assure you this is the safest way to do it. Jeff

YIkes arama redmeat....maybe deadmeat

Florida Roadster wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:16 pm Well, it's really quite simple Peter. Send the NICE NEW RESTORED gauges to me, I will install them in my car, and then I will return them in 14,000 miles when the clock shows zero miles. It might take a few years, but I can assure you this is the safest way to do it. Jeff

Ha! I was actually about to PM you, because I think you've done such a great job restoring YOUR gauges! I'm considering removing the bezels myself like you did, but then what? Toothpick and manually push the numbers around?

But... I am more than a little twitchy about doing that.

hmmm

If you can get into the guts of the odometer you can carefully pry one of the end gears away from the others just enough to free the others to turn freely. I vaguely remember many many years ago doing so when I swapped out speedometers on my Datsun. Hmmm, or was it the BMW? Funny though, I was doing just the opposite, I was trying to match the existing mileage!
When I took auto mechanics in high school the teacher was also the drivers Ed instructor. He was furnished an early Pontiac firebird by one of the local dealers for the drivers Ed class. One day during class he had the firebird sitting on jack stands with a tiny electric motor hooked up to the transmission end of the speedometer cable turning it in reverse and winding back the mileage. He made no effort to conceal what he was doing! He also taught us how to hot wire a car, which I put to good use one day when I was 70 miles from home and lost my keys. I miss those days!!

iloveredmeat wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 7:33 pm

Florida Roadster wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:16 pm Well, it's really quite simple Peter. Send the NICE NEW RESTORED gauges to me, I will install them in my car, and then I will return them in 14,000 miles when the clock shows zero miles. It might take a few years, but I can assure you this is the safest way to do it. Jeff

Ha! I was actually about to PM you, because I think you've done such a great job restoring YOUR gauges! I'm considering removing the bezels myself like you did, but then what? Toothpick and manually push the numbers around?

But... I am more than a little twitchy about doing that.

hmmm

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. I would not recommend that. It was a lot of work and you would not want to screw up the Jon Frampton masterpieces. Potential buyers need to overlook what the mileage reads. It's a classic car and actual mileage usually never matches the odometer. Furthermore, the mechanicals inside the gauges are rather fragile and you wouldn't want to damage anything, especially after what you paid for them. 2 cents.

Put Jon's in and sell the NOS one.

I tried fiddling with my speedo and totally screwed it up.

Not worth the possibiity of messing up a Frampton gauge.



My 2c

Thanks everyone!

This is clearly waaaay out of my league, and the last thing I want to do is mess anything up.

So, unless anyone is interested in a set of Jon Frampton 67.5 1600, 86k odometer, Speedo + Tach... I'll be sending it up to Jon to zero out and putting up for sale.

Thanks again,
Peter

iloveredmeat wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:39 pm Thanks everyone!

This is clearly waaaay out of my league, and the last thing I want to do is mess anything up.

So, unless anyone is interested in a set of Jon Frampton 67.5 1600, 86k odometer, Speedo + Tach... I'll be sending it up to Jon to zero out and putting up for sale.

Thanks again,
Peter

Since you have the original gauge showing the original milage (has it turned over?) You may want to put a unique mark on the back side of the gauge and then video / take pictures documenting it's the same Odo and the orig. milage before having Jon reset it. This just in case you go to sell the car and the prospective new owner asks about the original mileage. Maybe ask Jon to write down the milage on the invoice as well. Just a thought, maybe not a good one

I wouldn’t reset it yet, as the buyer might want his miles on it. Find a buyer, see if they want it a zero or?

DAC21 wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 1:02 pm

iloveredmeat wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:39 pm Thanks everyone!

This is clearly waaaay out of my league, and the last thing I want to do is mess anything up.

So, unless anyone is interested in a set of Jon Frampton 67.5 1600, 86k odometer, Speedo + Tach... I'll be sending it up to Jon to zero out and putting up for sale.

Thanks again,
Peter

Since you have the original gauge showing the original milage (has it turned over?) You may want to put a unique mark on the back side of the gauge and then video / take pictures documenting it's the same Odo and the orig. milage before having Jon reset it. This just in case you go to sell the car and the prospective new owner asks about the original mileage. Maybe ask Jon to write down the milage on the invoice as well. Just a thought, maybe not a good one

datsun1500 wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 2:44 pm I wouldn’t reset it yet, as the buyer might want his miles on it. Find a buyer, see if they want it a zero or?

Regarding mileage, since I've already had a full stroker rebuild, etc. I'm not sure it will be of interest, but I think those are both excellent ideas, and I will do both.
Thanks!

iloveredmeat wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 3:46 pm

DAC21 wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 1:02 pm

iloveredmeat wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 12:39 pm Thanks everyone!

This is clearly waaaay out of my league, and the last thing I want to do is mess anything up.

So, unless anyone is interested in a set of Jon Frampton 67.5 1600, 86k odometer, Speedo + Tach... I'll be sending it up to Jon to zero out and putting up for sale.

Thanks again,
Peter

Since you have the original gauge showing the original milage (has it turned over?) You may want to put a unique mark on the back side of the gauge and then video / take pictures documenting it's the same Odo and the orig. milage before having Jon reset it. This just in case you go to sell the car and the prospective new owner asks about the original mileage. Maybe ask Jon to write down the milage on the invoice as well. Just a thought, maybe not a good one

datsun1500 wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 2:44 pm I wouldn’t reset it yet, as the buyer might want his miles on it. Find a buyer, see if they want it a zero or?

Regarding mileage, since I've already had a full stroker rebuild, etc. I'm not sure it will be of interest, but I think those are both excellent ideas, and I will do both.
Thanks!

Legally he would still be in trouble. regaurding the 1st paragraph it's very involved

My understanding is that legally when you have an odometer repaired you have two options, leave the mileage or reset to zero. Turning it back with the intent to defraud is what is against the law. In Nevada once a car is a certain age the odometer stops becoming an issue legally. So many are past their limit, rolled over, or broken that they just don't bother with it. Now if you set it to zero and claim it is a new NOS car with no miles you would have an issue.

I've addressed it here in the past it became a federal offense there's paper work , must be a certified tech ( you cannot get that ) at a dealership ( dealerships can only swap out for a new speedo that's set to old ones miles. not tamper with say a used one ,that has to go thru a speedo only service center) tech fills out that he replaced it service manager signs he witnessed part of the swap , GM also signs off, that is sent to state inspector he goes over it files it ...the problem is down the road the last buyer cons someone to.think its a lower milage car there halve been cases where a car sold lower miles than it had they drove for 4-5years found out it real age/ miles the previous owner made to buy it back for the sale price 4 years ago and many miles