How To: Ford CMP "Blitz" miscellany

[Jacques Reed]

Good Day,

I am presently trying to sort out my speedo cable on my F-15A equipped with a late war round speedo.

I bought a NOS cable years ago which is 119" long. I remember reading on MLU the cable length should be 84" so mine is extra long. I also have a F-15 cable which is 74" long, so 84" sounds the correct length allowing for the extra distance to the xfer case on a F-15A instead of the rear of the transmission.

Searched all my Ford publications and could find nothing about the routing other than perhaps the image attached which seems to show what looks like a speedo cable going behind the handbrake bracket at the transmission. When I tried the F-15 cable going that way there is a long run out in the open above the engine before it gets to the cowl opening. And that is leaving it 10" short of the speedo.

Another interesting thing I discovered is that Ford changed the design of the front idler bearing cap to re-orient the cable more nearly horizontal. Earlier caps had the cable entering vertically which resulted in a sharp bend at the xfer case crossmember. C01Q 19818 is the vertical one and C29Q 19818 is the horizontal one.

I am thinking maybe I should run the long cable through the same opening as the wiring to the rear chassis to use up some of the length. No publication show a speedo cable there however.

Also shown is the different ends at the speedometer. Round gauge at top and Ford type below. Not interchangeable.

Anyone have experience with the cable routing on a late war speedo?

Cheers,