Kilo speedo convert - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

68 50th · 07-17-2005, 06:20 PM

I converted the original lens from my truck to a kilo speedo lens.
The decal is made of white sticky vinyl, the guy who made them couldn´t find the correct greenish color.
I rubbed the original figures off with some mobile phone display polish, I also used Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish which was faster.
The new figures goes on the lens on the inside just like the original figures.

The new figures maybe turned out a little thinner than the original ones, they are more like the ones on the repro lens, which was the one the guy had for comparison when he made them.

The original kilo speedo have only 9 numbers while the mile speedo have 11 numbers so the lines on the speedo face won’t line up correctly to all numbers on the lens.

If there is any interest in these I could probably have more of them made, I guess they would be around $10 each plus shipping about $4, but I have to check that up.

68 50th · 07-17-2005, 06:21 PM

Original lens before

68 50th · 07-17-2005, 06:22 PM

Rubbing off figures

68 50th · 07-17-2005, 06:23 PM

Compared with repro mile lens

68 50th · 07-17-2005, 06:24 PM

After convert

68 50th · 07-17-2005, 06:26 PM

Pic of a real original kilo speedo

**68 Stepside** · 07-17-2005, 08:37 PM

VERY IMPRESSIVE!! It looks great! You should sell a conversion kit on ebay, looks totally awesome!

Longhorn Man · 07-17-2005, 09:53 PM

A couple quick questions....

Is it the angle of the pic that makes the numbers look out of line with the lines?
Have you looked at it at night with the parking lights on...can you see the numbers?

I like what I see, and your price is way cool....confirm that you can do it and I am wanting to buy a set. (I want to slow down my speedo needle and that way I'll have 160 MPH speedo...lookin stock!

Longhorn Man · 07-17-2005, 09:54 PM

Also, are you able to do the fuel guage markings too...to keep the white instead of 1/2 white andf 1/2 greenish? I have all other guages deleted anyways...aftermarket stuff.

68 50th · 07-18-2005, 12:43 AM

68 Stepside: Thank you.

Longhorn Man: This one was my first attempt to do this and it did come on a little bit out of line.
The 0, 80 and 160 KPH speeds should line up with the 0, 50 and 100 MPH positions, the other speeds does not have a line to line up with on the mile speedo face. It is most obvious on the 80 KPH marking that the decal should have been turned/rotated a little more to the left before I did put it on the lens.
I did not mark up the position good enough to get this to line up exactly.
I haven´t tried this in the truck with the lights on so I can´t say how it looks under that condition, this is an extra cluster that I have.
I get back to you about this and also about the fuel gauge, I have to ask the guy who made these.

pissonNOS · 07-18-2005, 01:18 AM

did you convert the odomoter to KMH as well?

Putter · 07-18-2005, 09:36 AM

Look again at the photos. The reason (as I see it) that the numbers don't meet the lines properly is that an ORIGINAL "KPH" gauge has 9 white lines (at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, & 160) and an original "MPH" gauge has 11 white lines (at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, & 100). Without remarking the actual GAUGE, they will never line up.
Might remove all the white lines on the gauge iteself and have a new decal cut for that also.

68 50th · 07-18-2005, 01:11 PM

pissonNOS: No, I didn´t convert the odometer, the only thing changed is the numbers on the lens.
The odometer in my original kilo speedo set up (which is in my truck now)does read kilometers though.

Putter: Yes, you are correct, thats the way it is. The only speed markings on the kilo version lens that will line up to a line on the mile speedo face is 0 KPH to 0 MPH line, 80 KPH to 50 MPH line and 160 KPH to 100 MPH line, 20, 40, 60, 100, 120 and 140 KPH will be between the lines on the mile speedo face.
I have thought about to let the guy do a decal for the speedo face too.
The reason I didn´t is that to be able to put the decal on the speedo face the needle has to be removed and I didn´t want to do that because I believe they will break pretty easy. I broke one on a Camaro speedo once.

Another thing that is different on the kilo set up is the high beam indicator which is blue instead of red.

I post a closer pic of the kilo speedo face.

Putter · 07-18-2005, 01:40 PM

Why couldn't you cut out as much of the film that the decal is on and work the decal around the needle???

68 50th · 07-18-2005, 02:46 PM

Putter: That´s a really good idea, just didn´t think of that myself, thanks a lot. I will ask the decal guy to do it.

I just hooked the illumination up with a battery in a dark room since I don´t have the cluster in a truck for the moment.

I think the figures illuminates up really fine but I got some tiny little crap right at the top of the figure 1 in the 140, it´s probably from the fine cloth I cleaned the lens with before putting on the decal.

The pictures are taken without flash in a totally dark room.

Putter · 07-18-2005, 05:00 PM

Man, that does look good.

LUV2XCLR8 · 07-18-2005, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Putter

Man, that does look good.

**passthebuck** · 07-18-2005, 05:50 PM

count me in for one! i'm sure MANY other Canadians will be there too!

68 50th · 07-18-2005, 06:29 PM

Thanks guys.

passthebuck: I get back to you with details soon.

Thanks

purple gas · 07-20-2005, 02:09 AM

I was wanting to do the same thing, only in reverse; or more precisely "negative". I'd take a copy, but want to get a mask made for the lens & paint it on, then peel off the plastic. if you know what I mean? If you had the whole dash as a template you could do the numbers & lines in any colour

68 50th · 07-20-2005, 07:49 AM

Longhorn Man:
passthebuck:
purple gas:
PM´s sent.

Edmond · 07-20-2005, 12:42 PM

Looking good Mats.
One day I hope to find a Speedo with the kilometer dial on it.
But the numbers on the lens look great, so I'll start with that!!

Talk to you later Buddy!!

CHEERS!!

Cya,
Edmond

lamar · 07-20-2005, 05:20 PM

Hey not trying to cut in but I have all the markings for the lens and gauges already designed and have a few sets cut from white vinyl. I do not have the kilo speedo. I mainly had this done for the tach face. Then like longhorn man said about half white half green, I got the others done. Looks nice when finished, but it takes time to weed all the waste away from the markings after they are cut.

07-17-2005, 06:20 PM	#1
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	Kilo speedo convert I converted the original lens from my truck to a kilo speedo lens. The decal is made of white sticky vinyl, the guy who made them couldn´t find the correct greenish color. I rubbed the original figures off with some mobile phone display polish, I also used Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish which was faster. The new figures goes on the lens on the inside just like the original figures. The new figures maybe turned out a little thinner than the original ones, they are more like the ones on the repro lens, which was the one the guy had for comparison when he made them. The original kilo speedo have only 9 numbers while the mile speedo have 11 numbers so the lines on the speedo face won’t line up correctly to all numbers on the lens. If there is any interest in these I could probably have more of them made, I guess they would be around $10 each plus shipping about $4, but I have to check that up. Attached Images __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-17-2005, 06:21 PM	#2
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	Original lens before Attached Images __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-17-2005, 06:22 PM	#3
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	Rubbing off figures Attached Images __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-17-2005, 06:23 PM	#4
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	Compared with repro mile lens Attached Images __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-17-2005, 06:24 PM	#5
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	After convert Attached Images __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-17-2005, 06:26 PM	#6
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	Pic of a real original kilo speedo Attached Images __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-17-2005, 08:37 PM	#7
68 Stepside huh? Join Date: May 2000 Location: Washington, Illinois Posts: 5,692	VERY IMPRESSIVE!! It looks great! You should sell a conversion kit on ebay, looks totally awesome! __________________ Someday when I'm lonely, Wishing you weren't so far away, Then I will remember Things we said today. RIP El Jay

07-17-2005, 09:53 PM	#8
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	A couple quick questions.... Is it the angle of the pic that makes the numbers look out of line with the lines? Have you looked at it at night with the parking lights on...can you see the numbers? I like what I see, and your price is way cool....confirm that you can do it and I am wanting to buy a set. (I want to slow down my speedo needle and that way I'll have 160 MPH speedo...lookin stock!

07-17-2005, 09:54 PM	#9
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	Also, are you able to do the fuel guage markings too...to keep the white instead of 1/2 white andf 1/2 greenish? I have all other guages deleted anyways...aftermarket stuff.

07-18-2005, 12:43 AM	#10
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	68 Stepside: Thank you. Longhorn Man: This one was my first attempt to do this and it did come on a little bit out of line. The 0, 80 and 160 KPH speeds should line up with the 0, 50 and 100 MPH positions, the other speeds does not have a line to line up with on the mile speedo face. It is most obvious on the 80 KPH marking that the decal should have been turned/rotated a little more to the left before I did put it on the lens. I did not mark up the position good enough to get this to line up exactly. I haven´t tried this in the truck with the lights on so I can´t say how it looks under that condition, this is an extra cluster that I have. I get back to you about this and also about the fuel gauge, I have to ask the guy who made these. __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-18-2005, 01:18 AM	#11
pissonNOS senior member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: fort macleod alberta Posts: 2,770	did you convert the odomoter to KMH as well? __________________ 69 GMC bagged

07-18-2005, 09:36 AM	#12
Putter More Cowbell.... Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, MS Posts: 3,569	Look again at the photos. The reason (as I see it) that the numbers don't meet the lines properly is that an ORIGINAL "KPH" gauge has 9 white lines (at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, & 160) and an original "MPH" gauge has 11 white lines (at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, & 100). Without remarking the actual GAUGE, they will never line up. Might remove all the white lines on the gauge iteself and have a new decal cut for that also. __________________ *There once was a member from Puckett.....Who ( fill in the blank blank blank* ) bucket**

07-18-2005, 01:11 PM	#13
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	pissonNOS: No, I didn´t convert the odometer, the only thing changed is the numbers on the lens. The odometer in my original kilo speedo set up (which is in my truck now)does read kilometers though. Putter: Yes, you are correct, thats the way it is. The only speed markings on the kilo version lens that will line up to a line on the mile speedo face is 0 KPH to 0 MPH line, 80 KPH to 50 MPH line and 160 KPH to 100 MPH line, 20, 40, 60, 100, 120 and 140 KPH will be between the lines on the mile speedo face. I have thought about to let the guy do a decal for the speedo face too. The reason I didn´t is that to be able to put the decal on the speedo face the needle has to be removed and I didn´t want to do that because I believe they will break pretty easy. I broke one on a Camaro speedo once. Another thing that is different on the kilo set up is the high beam indicator which is blue instead of red. I post a closer pic of the kilo speedo face. Attached Images __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-18-2005, 01:40 PM	#14
Putter More Cowbell.... Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, MS Posts: 3,569	Why couldn't you cut out as much of the film that the decal is on and work the decal around the needle??? __________________ *There once was a member from Puckett.....Who ( fill in the blank blank blank* ) bucket**

07-18-2005, 02:46 PM	#15
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	Putter: That´s a really good idea, just didn´t think of that myself, thanks a lot. I will ask the decal guy to do it. I just hooked the illumination up with a battery in a dark room since I don´t have the cluster in a truck for the moment. I think the figures illuminates up really fine but I got some tiny little crap right at the top of the figure 1 in the 140, it´s probably from the fine cloth I cleaned the lens with before putting on the decal. The pictures are taken without flash in a totally dark room. Attached Images __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon



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07-18-2005, 05:00 PM	#16
Putter More Cowbell.... Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, MS Posts: 3,569	Man, that does look good. __________________ *There once was a member from Puckett.....Who ( fill in the blank blank blank* ) bucket**

07-18-2005, 05:50 PM	#18
passthebuck Sisyphus was my mentor! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Carleton Place, Ontario CANADA Posts: 984	count me in for one! i'm sure MANY other Canadians will be there too! __________________ passthebuck #5642 -TWO 1967 GMC 910's. One with L6/3-on-the tree and the other with 355 w/435hp & a 700r4. -a 2013 Honda Civic as my "sensible" car

07-18-2005, 06:29 PM	#19
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	Thanks guys. passthebuck: I get back to you with details soon. Thanks __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-20-2005, 02:09 AM	#20
purple gas Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: saskatoon, planet earth Posts: 681	I was wanting to do the same thing, only in reverse; or more precisely "negative". I'd take a copy, but want to get a mask made for the lens & paint it on, then peel off the plastic. if you know what I mean? If you had the whole dash as a template you could do the numbers & lines in any colour __________________ I got a bench seat baby, you don't have to sit over there.

07-20-2005, 07:49 AM	#21
68 50th Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 833	Longhorn Man: passthebuck: purple gas: PM´s sent. __________________ Mats.. ---------------------------------------------------- 1971 Cheyenne Super Custom Camper 475CBB/TH400/AC 1992 Silverado Sport Truck 1988 Silverado 2500 Ext Longbed 4x4 2001 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 1990 Chevrolet K3500 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix 1980 Z 28 350/4-speed/AC/T-top 1980 Camaro Coupe V6/3-speed 1979 Buick Century Wagon

07-20-2005, 12:42 PM	#22
Edmond Registered User Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,062	Looking good Mats. One day I hope to find a Speedo with the kilometer dial on it. But the numbers on the lens look great, so I'll start with that!! Talk to you later Buddy!! CHEERS!! Cya, Edmond __________________ 1971 Chevy C/20 Longhorn, 350/TH400, Edelbrock Performer, IMPCO 425 LPG Carb 1974 Chevy Camaro Z28 (Original) ------------------------- Capelle a/d IJssel, The Netherlands

07-20-2005, 05:20 PM	#23
lamar Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Covington,Ga Posts: 453	Hey not trying to cut in but I have all the markings for the lens and gauges already designed and have a few sets cut from white vinyl. I do not have the kilo speedo. I mainly had this done for the tach face. Then like longhorn man said about half white half green, I got the others done. Looks nice when finished, but it takes time to weed all the waste away from the markings after they are cut. __________________ 72 C-10

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