A Corvette speedometer is more than just something that says how fast you’re going. It’s a measurement of what your Corvette can be. Muscle cars and classic cars like Corvettes are often discussed in terms of the top speed. In many ways, that’s what these vehicles are best known for. A speedometer is an important part of your Corvette for a variety of reasons: aesthetics, quality and even safety. As many of these parts have been around for decades, so many Corvette owners tell us how their speedometers have started to break down. That’s where we come in. In this blog, we’ll cover our Corvette speedometer repair and how we can help you and your speedometer in many ways.
The Necessity of Corvette Speedometer Repair
There are so many different ways that a speedometer can stop working. Sometimes, the pointer just starts jumping all over the place. Other times, you’ll hear a loud squeal, as if the speedometer is announcing that it’s done working. Of course, many times a speedometer will just stop working period. That’s when you should contact us, so that we can repair your speedometer to the high level of quality that you expect.
The truth is, even if the original speedometer that was inside your Corvette is working properly, you probably need your speedometer repaired or even a new speedometer anyway. After all, these parts have been around for more than half a century in many cases. When these parts were constructed, they used lubrication. Over the course of the last several decades, that lubrication has dried up, deteriorated, or even turned into a substance that’s best described as “wax like.”
Speedometer Repair Experience
At Corvette Specialties of MD West, we’ve repaired thousands of speedometers. That’s not an exaggeration or a number we just pulled out of somewhere. Our records have shown us that we’ve literally rebuilt or otherwise repaired thousands of speedometers. Our body of work speaks for itself, in large part because it’s still on the road. You can see our speedometers on Corvettes all across the world, on the road, in garages and on podiums. Our speedometers work.
Typical Repairs
While Corvette speedometers were all manufactured to be the same, after fifty years, they all sort of aren’t. By now, they’ve been used and worn down in ways that make them unique. So, while many Corvette speedometers share certain problems, each repair job is completely unique and different. That’s where our experience comes in. When we see your speedometer, we can use our past success to inform us of how to rebuild your speedometer.
For example, one problem that we see quite a bit in Corvette speedometers are magnets that have become too worn to function properly. The magnet is critical to the speedometer, as drives the gears inside the speedometer. To make sure that the magnet works properly, we have proper replacements. Also required are special tools and calibration equipment to properly repair the unit. This allows us to make your speedometer as good as it has ever been.
40,000 to 60,000 Miles
That’s the number where your regular 1963-1967 Corvette odometer starts to fail. That’s a long distance, but it’s not that long. For many of us, taking these vehicles out is a special occasion. Sure, a Corvette can last a long time that way. However, when things start to break down, it’s important to have a way to make sure that they can be fixed so that they last.
One of the most important things we can provide our Corvette customers isn’t something on the car itself – it’s peace of mind. We know how important these parts and these vehicles are to you. We’re Corvette owners, too. Before we ever had the idea for a place that sold and made these parts, we were just people who really loved Corvettes like you. That’s why we’re so careful about the little details in our Corvette parts.
For example, inner plates for 1953 – 1962 Corvette speedometers that are mounted in a case may have some paint that flakes upon disassembly. That may not sound like a big deal, but it sure is to us. That’s why we strip the old paint and repaint the finishes entirely. We wouldn’t want to drive around with any paint flecks in our gauges, nor would want to look at it while our Corvette sits in a garage. So, we don’t want you to have to deal with it, either.
Of course, speedometer repair is just one of the many Corvette services we offer. Headlight motor repair, glove box door restoration, wiper motors, tachometer repair – if it can be repaired or restored on your Corvette, we can probably do it. At our site, you can see a sampling of the NOS and restoration parts we have for sale, or you can call us at (760) 568-6450 for more info.