Thanks to some good advice I got, I was able to re-calibrate my speedometer,
after taking it apart to fix the odometer.

Robert and John both suggested using a drill to turn the shaft.  I had been
thinking about finding something that turned at a known speed, and using the
805 revs per mile printed on the speedometer to determine a ratio, but John
suggested using the time it takes to turn one mile on the odometer.

I built a jig to hold a reversing variable-speed drill, an old flex-shaft
with a square end, and the speedometer.  Turns out that the drill had to be
turning counter-clockwise to make the speedometer work.

A piece of speedometer cable would have been easier to use, but I didn't
have one.  If I do this again, though I think I would try an appropriately
sized square-drive bit chucked in the drill.

Then I used a c-clamp and some pieces of wood to push the trigger on the
drill so I could regulate the speed.  After a few tries, I found a drill
speed that was turning the odometer at 1 mile per minute, 60 miles per hour.

Then I looked through the hole in the faceplate around the speedometer shaft
and noted where the slot in the collar that held the fine coil spring was
pointing.

I pulled the needle off, (I think you need it there for the weight to make
the spring respond correctly), made an l-hook out of some fine copper wire,
and moved the spring so the slot in the collar was pointing where it
belonged.  That took a few tries to get it right. Then I put the speedometer
needle back on, tested it on the workbench, and reinstalled it in the van.

I took a test drive, and based on the mileposts around here I'm still going
a mile a minute when the needle reads 60, so I'm happy.

- Mike Finkbiner
'87 Westy
Moscow, Idaho
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