How insane is a 140mph+ speedometer?

[theblooms]

It was fun in my Plymouth to hit 85, and then the needle would bounce off of the peg. Then I kept going, and it would bounce a little lower, a little lower, then finally rest on the peg!

I did the math, I think I got up to like 115 in that POS.

 

[gtbigup]

That's your tires about to go.

Yeah I heard a sound that sounds like wheel bearings disintegrating at 100 MPH. I have no idea where the sound came from but it wasn't a buzzer. I was trying to test where it'll top out

 

[murky]

You likely grew up during the same time period as I.

As kids we would wander around parking lots looking at cars. The first thing you always did was look to see how high the speedo went.

Most cars went to 120. If you saw anything more, you were excited because you were looking at something "fast".

Then the feds ruined all our fun with the equally ridiculous 85 mph mandate for over a decade.

I don't remember the 85mph mandate. I'd prefer that to 160.

 

[wlong01]

I don't remember the 85mph mandate. I'd prefer that to 160.

Think it was either mid to late 70's. Maybe early 80's.
Back when they stuffed terrible 4 cylinders into a lot of domestic vehicles.
I had a 4cyl Mustang and it was a dog. About 90 hp.

 

[murky]

Think it was either mid to late 70's. Maybe early 80's.
Back when they stuffed terrible 4 cylinders into a lot of domestic vehicles.
I had a 4cyl Mustang and it was a dog. About 90 hp.

I had a 76 Mercedes that was heavy and less horsepower than that, but diesel so it had decent torque

 

[theblooms]

The were mandated starting in 79 by the Carter admin, then Reagan repealed it. But the various manufacturers carried them forward until the new cars came out.

I don't remember the 85mph mandate. I'd prefer that to 160

 

[greybeard]

My new na 2025 has a 160 mph speedo. I agree thats plain stupid. 80mph dead center, no numbers for odd speeds.
Poor practicality, I thought that logic was a Japanese specialty!
120 with 60 at center and every 10mph listed would have been correct.
Had a 85 mph on my 1982 gpz 550. Didn’t keep me from pegging it every time out. Made as much sense as a 160 on a 187hp suv

 

[Lazy2.5]

Poor practicality, I thought that logic was a Japanese specialty!

Pictured - MK4 Japanese spec Supra gauges.

180km/h speedo.

 

[greybeard]

Pictured - MK4 Japanese spec Supra gauges.

180km/h speedo.

Yup, 180kph equals 111.8 mph. And every Supra made can exceed that.
I remember going to Ottawa around 1979. Towing a boat with a 1975 Dodge Dart, 95hp. Having learned to drive with 55mph limit was exciting legally going 62 with the 100kph speed limit