46 ford speedometer to C4 ******? How?

I

iluvflatheads

Junior Member
I'm putting a 351W with a C4 transmission in my '46 Ford. I want to use the original speedometer. What cable should I use, and does anyone make an adapter. I can't seem to find anyone that knows.
 
read the earlier post about the 64 fairlane and the 3 sp. trans. the reply about Bob's speedometer may be your answer. one post by "lowrider" has a phone #
 
C-4's were first used in 1964 and were used into the early 80's
I think many auto parts stores may have those cables available yet.











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Check out a speedo cable from a 1970 Fairlane, small V 8 and auto. If it has a plasitic housing, use ties to keep it away from the exhaust.
 
Mustangs too should work. They come in various lengths. Just make sure the ends are compatible with your speedo as there were different ends over the years.
 
I took the speed-o-meter end off the stock 36 Chevy cable and installed it on the Ford cable to make the 351C/FMX work. The ends of the drive cable turned out to be the same "squished square", just measured the distance the end needed to stick out from the seat on the 36 cable, pulled the drive cable out, cut off the plastic fitting on the Ford cable, pulled the housing out of the 36 head, used a drift punch to "un-crimp" the 36 head, slid it on the Ford cable, trimmed as required, a couple of drops of epoxy, slid the head back on the cable and used wire crimpers to pinch it. Did that in 1979 and it was working last weekend when it went out for it's weekly drive.
 
Gotta watch out with some of these ****** swaps.
If you put a 1957 or Later Fordomatic in a '54, 55 or 56 Ford the speedo will never work. The '57 and later Fordomatics had aluminum rear extension housing with the cable hole aiming the speedo drive gear on the opposite side of the drive gear which ends up turning the speedometer cable backwards. Thus the speedo will never register mileage. The only way to fix that is to swap the '57 rear extension housing with a '56 or earlier. I have one out of a '1953 Fordomatic that does fit, but it is made of heavy cast iron. You also need to use the old '54/55/56 speedo cable and driven gear, but you must swap out the later transmission drive gear with the older '54/55/56 drive gear. It is very difficult to remove the C-ring that holds the drive gear on the output shaft and almost as difficult to get it back on again, even with the proper tool.
 
iluvflatheads said:
I don't think you read my question. The solution? you gave had nothing to do with my problem. Anyway thanks for trying to help.
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I understand your question and offered a fix, others had viable solutions as well. Granted mine is not off the shelf but the fix can be accomplished with basic hand tools.
 
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Bill, I did similar to what you did years ago when I fitted a top loader to my Oz 58 Mainline and Oz 58 Customline. I used the original cable, ground the gearbox end off and did the same with the cable that came with the gearboxes. Pushed the later end on the cable crimped it up and they are both still going nearly 22 years later.
For my recent resto on my 55 Tudor with an FMX fitted I am using a 68 Mustang cable, came with all the right ends but uses a different speedo gear which rotates in reverse as the cable is mounted on the top of the extension housing not the bottom.
 
lokar performance parts makes a cable for 46 speedo to c4. Used one before works great not expensive. They are online
 
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