71 Cuda miles?

[gf7cuda]

Good evening Mopar friends, I have a picture here of my original rallye cluster from my 71 Cuda. This car had a 1984 inspection sticker on windshield when I got it. Can someone tell me if this mileage turned over past 100k? I thought I heard it turns a color that tells you it past 100k mark. Is it 117,217 or 17,217......Thanks in advance guys!

 

[Challenger RTA]

The higher digits would or could be a different color lack of sunlight. they don't get the exposer from lack of rotation. lower ones get more exposer. Hence discolored or faded.
Take it apart and look. Just depend on how fast the miles were put on.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Some have an ink pad that will discolor the first / highest digit , , yours looks clean

 

[gf7cuda]

The higher digits would or could be a different color lack of sunlight. they don't get the exposer from lack of rotation. lower ones get more exposer. Hence discolored or faded.
Take it apart and look. Just depend on how fast the miles were put on.

Thanks RTA I will be taking apart to restore. I'll take a look.....

 

[gf7cuda]

Some have an ink pad that will discolor the first / highest digit , , yours looks clean

Thanks Chryco, Thought because it said 17k it turned over, but then heard it would turn a different color if it spun over..

 

[EW1BH27]

My 1970 Barracuda has turned over twice so technically it has 248,390 miles on it. I never noticed any discoloration in the digits. Very few original parts left on it with that mileage.

 

[gf7cuda]

My 1970 Barracuda has turned over twice so technically it has 248,390 miles on it. I never noticed any discoloration in the digits. Very few original parts left on it with that mileage.

That's good info, lots of fun miles....thanks.

 

[mrmopar340]

Use a black light and see if they glow. I heard something when it flipped dyed the odometer and made it glow under a black light. Worth a shot I guess.

 

[tonysrt]

Another thing I've heard is the numbers are no longer perfectly aligned at the bottom like in your photo. I bought a 71 Cuda in 84 and it had only 39,000 miles on it. It was used for racing with 5.38 gears in the Dana rear, 4 speed and blown up 383. When I bought it they no longer had the 383 engine, so I put a 440 in it. The crate Hemi's came out and it now has a 472 in it.

 

[gf7cuda]

Use a black light and see if they glow. I heard something when it flipped dyed the odometer and made it glow under a black light. Worth a shot I guess.

I will try that when I take apart. Thanks Mrmopar!

 

[mrmopar340]

I will try that when I take apart. Thanks Mrmopar!

Welcome. Just something I heard years ago. Not sure if it is accurate or not but something to try.

 

[Xcudame]

Yes, the ink was only visible with a black light. This was a deterrent to keep people from altering the mileage. Obviously now 53 years later, it's not much of an issue how many miles are on it.

 

[mrmopar340]

Yes, the ink was only visible with a black light. This was a deterrent to keep people from altering the mileage. Obviously now 53 years later, it's not much of an issue how many miles are on it.

I'm just glad I could remember that. I heard it was something to help the technicians in the day. Never know but could be enough residue to make it glow still.

 

[gf7cuda]

Another thing I've heard is the numbers are no longer perfectly aligned at the bottom like in your photo. I bought a 71 Cuda in 84 and it had only 39,000 miles on it. It was used for racing with 5.38 gears in the Dana rear, 4 speed and blown up 383. When I bought it they no longer had the 383 engine, so I put a 440 in it. The crate Hemi's came out and it now has a 472 in it.

Thank you Tony, I did see numbers not aligned, but I did try to zero out tripometer

 

[hemi71x]

Owned a 71 Cuda for 39 years before selling it off, back in 2010.
Had over 300,000 miles on it, when sold.
So the odometer numbers turned over, a few times in it's lifetime.
Never remember paying any attention to the "numbers" other them going back to zero, again.

 

[Benji]

Misalignment of the odometer numbers is evidence that the mileage was tampered with. Back in the 1970s -1980s I worked for an Oldsmobile dealership. If the car was fairly new and the paint and upholstery looked good my boss would roll the mileage back by taking the clear plastic lens over the speedometer off and inserting an ice pick into the slot between the numbers of the odometer then turn the rotor to the desired number. The Feds caught him, heavily fined him and he went bankrupt.