Maxim Speedo Mod - 140/160 mph!

[MAXIMAN]

For a couple years now I've looked on my brother XSive's 11's with lust in my heart for a "real" airspeed indicator. I mean "thank you US Government" but no thanks for your damned speed limit crap and the resulting 85 mph speedometer.

My good buddy Dan Hodges bought his '81 SH brand spanking new off the showroom floor. Within a matter of weeks he had swapped that worthless excuse of a psuedo-speedo for a brand new '79 SF 160 airspeed indicator.

My dilemma: I love the digital information I get from the LCD display of the Maxim's pilot box. The digital fuel gauge is the bomb! The warning lights are nice too. So I had to device a way to keep the OEM look and function of the mighty Maxim's LCD pilot box and still have a real speedometer.




Here's how it was done!

I got to looking at the other XS instruments. It's obvious they were all about the same size. I looked at the parts diagrams online and it appeared a speedo from any of the XS series (650, 750, 850 or 1100) would actually fit in the Maxim pilot box. But I wasn't willing to spend a lot to test the idea. Maxim pilot boxes generally are not cheap...and neither are the 160 mph speedo from the rare '79 SF.

I got lucky. I was watching a Maxim cluster on Ebay and nobody was bidding. It worked and was in very good shape. I got it for about $50. A few weeks later I snagged a 140 mph cluster from a '77 XS750. I hadn't had any luck even finding a '79 SF indicator and when I did see one it usually fetched $150+.

Since the speedometer drive on the 750 is the same part number as the Maxim and XS11 I knew the actual indicator must be compatible. I paid about $30 for the 750 speedo on a hunch it would be "swap-able"

Here's the XS750 cluster after I removed the bezel.




Now after I removed the glass face. The speedo on these XS are sealed in a plastic case with the metal ring...gasket and glass face.




In order to get the actual instrument out ...intact...I had to split the case like so...




Here you can see the two indicators are identical in shape and size except the Maxim employs a push button trip odometer reset. Not a problem as you'll see later.




This pic shows the removed OEM indicator from the Maxim pilot box.




I had to slot the case and the black cover of the Pilot box to allow the thumb roll trip odometer to protrude through the side. I used a dremel to exact the cut.




When I finished I filled the exposed slot with black RTV silicone and smooth it out. You can barely see it. It almost looks like it came from the factory that way. And of course the finished product. A XJ1100 LCD pilot box complete with a 140 mph speedometer!






Not if it will just work. I have yet to test it. When Zilla gets out of surgery I will install it and report back here.

Oh yes...while I was at it I reset the odometer to zero. Since I'll be running on a "new engine". It will make it easier for me to keep up with how many miles I have on the rebuild. Besides I'll always have the original pilot box for reference.

Well I couldn't stand the imperfection.

If you thought the 140 was cool.

Then this is downright cryo-GENIC!



Thanks to our own "John" for coughing up the 160 indicator...ROX!!!