Does this make my car a bus?

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Swift
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Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Swift »

Fitted this hubodometer on my 1989 Ford Laser.
I have been obsessed with these things since I first spotted one on a bus in the 1970s.
This Mechanics brand hubodometer dates from 1969 and I only just put on it's first mileage reading two days ago!!
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Mr Scania
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Mr Scania »

Yes it makes your car a bus.
You will be able to drive in the bus lane now.
scott
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by scott »

Now all you need is some of those yellow wheel nut indicators to complete the package.

We may need to make an entry into the fleet lists.

Swifts- Ford Laser "KE" FMC NSW (Homebush) 1989 ex ????/
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Albatross
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Albatross »

How on earth did you attach that, from what I can see you would have basically had to replace 2 of the wheel studs with longer studs so you can bolt your presumably home made bracket on over top of it?

How far out does it protrude, it looks like about 10 or so cm. Does it look like it sticks out far enough it'll cause you trouble?

As an aside, how does the hubdometer's reading compare to your car's proper odometer? About the same or noticeably inaccurate?
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Rick R
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Rick R »

If that one is designed for a bus then you've only done 15-20Km due to the difference in tyre circumference :wink:
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boronia
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by boronia »

Albatross wrote:How on earth did you attach that, from what I can see you would have basically had to replace 2 of the wheel studs with longer studs so you can bolt your presumably home made bracket on over top of it?
I was wondering the same thing. It appears to be held on with bolts.:shock: If he put in longer studs, there would still need to be nuts on the end.
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Andrew
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Andrew »

Looks like the nuts may have been drilled into to fix the bolt holding the bracket. I think this is a pisser! Classic Swift - although as Rick R notes, I'd be concerned about its accuracy unless it has been configured for the smaller diameter.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by eddy »

To me it looks like 2 longer nuts with 2 very short bolts screwed into the thread that extends past the stud.
Regarding accuracy is there an adjustment for different size wheels and tyres??
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by boronia »

The wheels look a bit rusty. :shock:

You'd think he would look after the car and give them a coat of paint :idea: :idea:
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Swift »

I was waiting for someone to figure it out. I sliced off the ends off a pair of Hyundai lugs nuts to expose the surplus thread and obtained a pair of compatible stainess steel bolts and cut them to an appropriate length to screw into these overlength lug nuts.
I made the bracket myself out of aluminium sheet. Easy job.
I already have two stainless steel brackets that are simple flat designs with holes drilled to suit. I made this one so I would have enough clearance for the bolts to install the larger Stemco/ Engler model.
This hubo is for a truck or trailer and reads in Miles, so it is way off the mark. I just love fitting hubos on my car form time to time for the sake if it I guess! I've been doing it since I owned a car!
The wheel normally has a full cover, so the slight surface rust isn't an issue.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Swift »

Here is a pic I dug up of one I managed to fit to my VS Commodore a few years back.
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Albatross
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Albatross »

Was your Commodore either an ex Police car or were those wheels painted at some point?? Those wheels look like "chasers" and are moderately valuable to mainly young people who are too poor to put proper alloys on their car. The hubdometer actually looks pretty good on it. It reminds me of the small centre caps that sort of sit under the wheel nuts on Commodores with proper "chasers" on them.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Andrew »

Proper "Chasers" are wider than the standard ROH steel wheels provided on poverty pack Commodores. Most "Chaser"/"interceptor" wheels you see advertised about the place are resprayed standard steel wheels.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Swift »

Andrew wrote:Proper "Chasers" are wider than the standard ROH steel wheels provided on poverty pack Commodores. Most "Chaser"/"interceptor" wheels you see advertised about the place are resprayed standard steel wheels.
Yes they were genuine chasers. I obtained them for $50 each at a jax tyre outlet. Police chaser rims, while the same circumference, are 7" wide as opposed to 6" for the standard issue Commodore rims.
I noticed an immediate improvement to handling, especially on sweeping bends when I fitted these rims with a set of suitable Pirellis and they looked, frankly, fantastic on the Lexcen!
When I disposed of the old set of rims on the kerb, I was surprised to see them all gone the next day, before the garbage truck arrived. (This was in the days when I didn't realise you can't leave rims with tyres out on kerbside cleanups, so they did me a favour as well.)
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by drpeps »

The metal is also thicker than a standard rim to enable them to better mount kerbs without getting bent.

I have noticed that alloys are now fitted to some patrol cars here in the West. Don't know how they would stand up in hard police work. Wouldn't like to witness one shattering.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Daz »

drpeps wrote: hard police work
Hahaha tell another one.

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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by BLBUS »

Hmmmm Want to make sure RTA dont spot that, I have a feeling with the nut modifications, you will get a sticker slapped on the screen pretty quick if they do see it.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Swift »

BLBUS wrote:Hmmmm Want to make sure RTA dont spot that, I have a feeling with the nut modifications, you will get a sticker slapped on the screen pretty quick if they do see it.
Easily detaches. Two twists of the spanner and it is off.
Roads & Maritime shouldn't object to this.
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cutting it
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by cutting it »

Why would you bother with this idea on a car.... apart from getting a freebie and putting it on because your bored ??
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Albatross
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Albatross »

Seems as good a reason as any other.

Do you ask this of the people who install lowered springs, large wheels and loud exhausts on their cars?
Do you ask the same of the people who spend $$$ on installing amps, subs and other car audio gear in their cars?
Do you ask the why some people go out and buy cars and modifiy the driveline to enter burnout competitions, or drag competitions or any other form of sanctioned motorsport?

Fact of the matter is these people enjoy their cars the way they want to. I may not fully agree with what they do but I respect it and I respect it is what they enjoy doing. Likewise I respect that Swift has installed a hubdometer on his car. I personally think it's one of the best things I've ever seen, nobody else has done it for sure. In some ways it'd be considered an abstract form of art, a juxtaposition of heavy and light vehicles. In other ways it's just a man who decided to stick a hubdometer on his 1989 Ford Laser because he damn well could.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Andrew »

Swift wrote:Easily detaches. Two twists of the spanner and it is off.
Roads & Maritime shouldn't object to this.
This is a new meter. Looks nice!
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Swift »

Andrew wrote:
Swift wrote:Easily detaches. Two twists of the spanner and it is off.
Roads & Maritime shouldn't object to this.
This is a new meter. Looks nice!
Hahahaha. I aquired it new in 1991 as the date of manufacture of 12/90 at the bottom attests. It was the first hubo I ever got.
I was fascinated with seeing them pop up on STA buses and had to have one. It has mostly sat in it's original box since new and comes out on outings on rare occasions. I have since put it away again!

Thanks to those that express support for my hobby. Not that I need to justify it!! :twisted:
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by boronia »

My late father was an aircraft mechanic and in his later years worked for a company that dismantled old (mainly) RAAF planes.

So his cars were full of old aircraft instruments - altimeters, clocks, attitude indicators, compasses. In the days before safety conscious dashboards there was always plenty of room to hang this stuff.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Albatross »

It's a small world.

I was in Woy Woy today and thought I saw out if the corner of my eye something that wasn't quite right on a car wheel. It was only when I saw it was an older Ford Laser, so I had a closer look and saw it was indeed your Laser with a hubdometer on the wheel. Either that or there's a copycat around.

I must say in the flesh it looks quite interesting. The hubdometer barely sticks out groom the wheel, only the most anal retentive police officer would consider it defectable.. It was only that I was crossing the road near where the car was parked that I saw it. The only reason it sticks out visuallly is because it looks out of place on such an otherwise well looked after car.

I definitely agree with calling it the largest above ground cemetery. I was there around 5 ish this afternoon. The place was dead, there didn't even appear to be a pub or anything open with people round.
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Re: Does this make my car a bus?

Post by Swift »

Recently fitted to 1992 Fairlane.
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