Odometer reading after restoration

[oldkimmer]

"Frame off" sounds so much like a Chevy guy.

But for the odometer, leave it be. Whether you've seen it done or not, (and I have too), I'm pretty certain it's illegal in all 50 states.

Yupper and up here in Canada as well. Kim

 

[George Jets]

Back in the early 70s, my friends and I hung around a local used car lot. I remember hearing that a sure way to tell the mileage had been rolled back was the numbers wouldn't be lined up properly.
I have had several vehicles that would roll over 100,000 and show zero miles and my numbers were always still lined up.

It's when they get in there with their dental tools and roll the numbers on the odometer back to a lower more desirable mileage, making the cars easier to sell.

This is when the numbers would not line up, after forcing them backwards against their original design rotation.

☆☆☆☆☆

 

[340six]

I bought all new gauges from Great Lakes.
And he had 3 or 4 new metric speedometer so got them too.
So picked up the orginal and noted in my papers that it was swapped.
The new speedometer had a card to fill out and send in.
I wonder what Mopar would do if they got one this late in the game.
In my state car's as old as mine are mileage exempt.
So does not show on our tittles or registration.
One NOS Speedometer has 3 tenth and other has 4 when sealed boxes were opened.

 

[RustyRatRod]

It's when they get in there with their dental tools and roll the numbers on the odometer back to a lower more desirable mileage, making the cars easier to sell.

This is when the numbers would not line up, after forcing them backwards against their original design rotation.

☆☆☆☆☆

Maybe so, but "getting in there" at all is against the law, unless it's for repair work.

 

[340six]

Maybe so, but "getting in there" at all is against the law, unless it's for repair work.

On newer cars, here it is a felony. A guy I knew at work bought a newer car from one of those buy here pay here places that buy auction cars and rebuilders. They changed or turned it back. He did not know until he went to DMV. As had lower mileage than it had on last registration.
They hee har around with him when he went back and told the place he couldn't register it. They had to make out new paperwork with more mileage listed on it. But would not discount the van.
Old cars here are mileage exempt. Guess they figured it would have rolled over past 100K and no way to know true mileage? Just a guess on that. Just know paperwork always say exempt.

 

[RustyRatRod]

On newer cars, here it is a felony. A guy I knew at work bought a newer car from one of those buy here pay here places that buy auction cars and rebuilders. They changed or turned it back. He did not know until he went to DMV. As had lower mileage than it had on last registration.
They hee har around with him when he went back and told the place he couldn't register it. They had to make out new paperwork with more mileage listed on it. But would not discount the van.
Old cars here are mileage exempt. Guess they figured it would have rolled over past 100K and no way to know true mileage? Just a guess on that. Just know paperwork always say exempt.

You are likely correct. I bet they are exempt. Like it says on the title. I would ask though, is it morally exempt?

 

[Dana67Dart]

I would leave it as is

If it was a 99,999 odometer it has past its mechanical limits and is irrelevant. When titled 2 67 Darts here in CO they said not to worry they just put "past mechanical limits" or something like that for the reading.

Now I'm a bit of a stickler and I have written evidence that my dart #1 has 326,000 miles so I keep that milage going on all notes I keep and any legal doc like a smog check.

On dart #2 I have no idea BUT it was last registered in 1976 and the odometer showed 65,000 miles if it was 65,000 and 9 years that would be 7200 miles per year.

If it was 165,000 miles that would be 18,000 miles a year I'm guessing 7200 per year makes more sense

 

[RustyRatRod]

I would leave it as is

{If it was a 99,999 odometer it has past its mechanical limits and is irrelevant.} When untitled 2 67 Darts here in CO they said not to worry they just put "past mechanical limits" or something like that for the reading.

Now I'm a bit of a stickler and I have written evidence that my dart #1 has 326,000 miles so I keep that milage going on all notes I keep and any legal doc like a smog check.

On dart #2 I have no idea BUT it was last registered in 1976 and the odometer showed 65,000 miles if it was 65,000 and 9 years that would be 7200 miles per year.

If it was 165,000 miles that would be 18,000 miles a year I'm guessing 7200 per year makes more sense.

What I outlined in red really sums it up. Well said.

 

[Nuturner]

As the owner of a very low original miles car, I take pride knowing I've been around the cars whole life and know the miles are correct. Just because someone can afford $60000-$80000 on a great restoration, does not give them the right to turn the speedometer to 0. IMHO

Copy that.

 

[340six]

Copy that.

I agree.
Andv when someone puts a custom new speedometer and gauges they should save the old one and document what it was before. I see lots of cars with new blank bezel installed with Autometer or Digital Dakota. And no efforts were made to state what the 2 would add up to.

 

[Grumpyb]

In PA after a car becomes a certain age the mileage is no longer recorded, mileage exempt on the title

 

[Bennoel 10]

When I fully restored my 70 dart swinger I restored a parts odometer back to zero. Kept the original with the original mileage showing. I also notarized a letter saying what the original millage was at the time of the full restoration of the car. This went in to the paper work file kept on the car. If I were to do it again I would keep the original miles on the odometer what ever the mileage is.

I did the same thing. Complete resto. Figured everything new, start with new odometer as well. Car is not now, or no intention of selling. As far as the legal end of things, how many vehicles have had body swaps or vin tags replaced/swapped. As long as you document and or disclose everything I personally have no issue. It's when someone tries to decive and hold out something that it isn't then I have a problem. Used cars like lots of items are Buyer beware (Cavet Emptor). Just my thoughts your welcome to differ.

 

[mopowers]

With how much people change tire sizes and gear ratios on these old car, odometer numbers mean nothing to me.

 

[TheGrateRonzini]

So, my question is, in NYS for example. Anything over 10 years is odo exempt. You can put a line through it when you fill out the ppwk. The only thing they use it for after 10 years is to track the milage between inspections. Naturally, so the insurance company can charge you more if you drive more than you say. So being illegal in all 50 states, you would never be able to replace the speedo/odo for the same reason. No repop, no 150 instead of 120, no nothin. So, pretty much, if it’s a total resto and fresh mill, and you want to log actual miles on it since(yes, I know simple math will accomplish this) what’s the difference? A 60yr old car is gonna hit 100000k and rollover eventually. Then what?

 

[Swinger 340]

The numbers " not lining up" is a true mith IF you do it right. I have decided to keep it the way it is. 113K original miles.

I also kept my numbers the same, but I can tell if it was a roll-back, by the fade of the numbers or no fade.

 

[Swinger 340]

You are likely correct. I bet they are exempt. Like it says on the title. I would ask though, is it morally exempt?

My "pull-b-hind" camper is mileage exempt.

 

[Lord Sparky]

I set mine to original.

 

[Miranthis]

My original 66 Barracuda speedo grenaded somewhere just before 200K miles. I have a replacement for it once it is restored, but it ran for 4 or 5 years without a speedo before I iparked it in the 80's. So whatever i do, the replacement will not be true mileage (and since it had already rolled over once it was not 'true mileage' anyway, i.e., past mechanical limtis) My plan is just to put the best replacement unit in after a speedo rebuild and start it at zero...and note the mileage discrepancy in my records and for any sale by my heirs some day.