85mph speedometer | FerrariChat

85mph speedometer

Discussion in '308/328' started by decardona, Feb 11, 2018.

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  1. decardona

    decardona Formula 3

    Apr 23, 2005
    1,019
    PA
    Full Name:
    Dennis Cardona
    What years were these used? Was at the AC car show and a dealer had a 79GTS and it had one. He claimed 31,000 miles on car but it looked more like 131,000. Don't know what they were asking, but it was rough.
     
  2. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    35,287
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    Sept 1979 more or less until end of 82 model year.
     
  3. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    35,287
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    If you see a 2vi US car with a 180 speedometer - you can be just under 100% sure it has been swapped.

    This applies especially to 80 and 81 models.
     
    John M likes this.
  4. John M

    John M Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2004
    887
    Kentucky
    Or the original has been refaced by Palo Alto. I bet that is far more common than a swap. Certainly far less expensive.
     
  5. Formula Uno

    Formula Uno F1 Veteran

    Oct 8, 2008
    6,659
    New York City
    Thats what I did soon as I bought the car
     
  6. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    35,287
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    I knew an 82 that had a 180 in early 1983. I saw it with my own eyes and have the pictures to prove it.

    Finding Palo Alto's company - if they even existed then - would have been remarkable back in the day compared to now.

    Either that owner bought and swapped it out or Ferrari went back to 180 earlier than the Feds would let them. I have always wondered about that car. and many of the 82's in general.

    80 and 81, aside from the usual weird exceptions that always exist, were all 85.
     
  7. climb

    climb F1 Rookie

    Sep 19, 2006
    4,866
    Atlantic Beach Fl
    Full Name:
    Stuart K. Hicks
    I like my 85 mph speedometer. Came with the car (1980 GTSi) Keeping it.
     
    WaltP likes this.
  8. KatMan

    KatMan Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 2, 2006
    490
    Silicon Valley
    Full Name:
    Stan K
    I had a very late 82 308 (serial # 41707) that had the 85 mph speedo.
     
  9. hyenahf

    hyenahf F1 Rookie

    May 25, 2004
    2,603
    mine was swapped but it must have been swapped early since the cars mile represented its good condition
     
  10. mwr4440

    mwr4440 Five Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 8, 2007
    55,828
    Bavaria, The 'Other' Germany
    Full Name:
    Mark W.R.
    I have/did both.

    And I retained the original as it is.
     
  11. ferrariowner

    ferrariowner Formula 3

    Feb 21, 2014
    1,109
    Mansfield, TX
    Full Name:
    Ron
    A little history of the US 85 MPH speedometers.
    In September of 1979, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) passed a bill which stated that all car, pickup truck and motorcycle speedometers were to display a maximum speed of 85 miles-per-hour. This federal regulation also required speedometers to have a special emphasis on the number 55 (the national speed limit at the time).
    Back in 1974, part of the government's Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act prohibited speed limits higher than 55 mph across America. This National Maximum Speed Law (NMSL) was in response to oil price spikes and supply disruptions during the 1973 oil crisis. With fewer people driving, government officials started noticing highway deaths dropping and mistakenly associated it with speed. However, there was no proof that the lower speed limit was actually a factor.
    The 85 mph speedometer mandate ended in 1981 after much debate and little proof it actually did anything to change driver behavior. President Ronald Reagan, who campaigned on a pledge to end excessive government regulation, helped repeal the law. There has never been any data showing that the 85 mph speedometer saved lives.
    Porsche was one of the first manufacturers to switch back, offering recalibration and retrofit dials for their cars produced during 1979-1982.
     

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