85 MPH speedometers?

What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I know it was
from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The 1987 Mustang GT had
the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been replaced by the 140 MPH units, so
it was lifted sometime between those years. I saw a picture of the new 2009
Corvette ZR-1 speedo and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that car with an 85
MPH unit.

(crossposted to rad because somebody there probably knows the answer)

On Dec 25, 3:08 pm, "Premier Bush" > wrote:
> What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I know it was
> from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The 1987 Mustang GT had
> the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been replaced by the 140 MPH units, so
> it was lifted sometime between those years. I saw a picture of the new 2009
> Corvette ZR-1 speedo and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that car with an 85
> MPH unit.
>
> (crossposted to rad because somebody there probably knows the answer)

My father's 1991 Chevrolet Silverado had the 85 MPH limit.

"Premier Bush" > wrote
> What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I know it
> was from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The 1987 Mustang
> GT had the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been replaced by the 140 MPH
> units, so it was lifted sometime between those years. I saw a picture of
> the new 2009 Corvette ZR-1 speedo and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that
> car with an 85 MPH unit.

It is incorrect to say that they were "mandated". They were *anticipated*
to
be mandated, but never were.

FloydR

Floyd Rogers wrote:
> "Premier Bush" > wrote
>> What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I
>> know it was from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The
>> 1987 Mustang GT had the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been
>> replaced by the 140 MPH units, so it was lifted sometime between
>> those years. I saw a picture of the new 2009 Corvette ZR-1 speedo
>> and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that car with an 85 MPH unit.
>
> It is incorrect to say that they were "mandated". They were
> *anticipated* to
> be mandated, but never were.

I didn't know that. Thanks.

richard wrote:
> On Tue, 25 Dec 2007 14:08:03 -0600, "Premier Bush"
> > wrote:
>
>> What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I
>> know it was from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The
>> 1987 Mustang GT had the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been
>> replaced by the 140 MPH units, so it was lifted sometime between
>> those years. I saw a picture of the new 2009 Corvette ZR-1 speedo
>> and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that car with an 85 MPH unit.
>>
>> (crossposted to rad because somebody there probably knows the answer)
>>
>
> I do not believe there is a fed regulation on it. I believe they do it
> that way because nobody in there right mind is gonna drive 100mph.

Me, but I've never been accused of being in my right mind.

"Premier Bush" > wrote in message
et...
> richard wrote:
>> On Tue, 25 Dec 2007 14:08:03 -0600, "Premier Bush"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I
>>> know it was from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The
>>> 1987 Mustang GT had the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been
>>> replaced by the 140 MPH units, so it was lifted sometime between
>>> those years. I saw a picture of the new 2009 Corvette ZR-1 speedo
>>> and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that car with an 85 MPH unit.
>>>
>>> (crossposted to rad because somebody there probably knows the answer)
>>>
>>
>> I do not believe there is a fed regulation on it. I believe they do it
>> that way because nobody in there right mind is gonna drive 100mph.
>
> Me, but I've never been accused of being in my right mind.

I have driven my Porsche at 100 MPH on a country dirt road with one finger
on the steering wheel. What is sane depends on the quality of your
machine.

In article >,
Premier Bush > wrote:
>What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I know it was
>from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The 1987 Mustang GT had
>the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been replaced by the 140 MPH units, so
>it was lifted sometime between those years. I saw a picture of the new 2009
>Corvette ZR-1 speedo and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that car with an 85
>MPH unit.

The 85 mph speedometer regulation was proposed in 1976; adopted
during the Carter administration effective September 1, 1979;
and repealed as a result of Reagan's regulatory review effective
March 25, 1982. I do not know whether the rule applied to
designated model years or to all cars manufactured between those
dates.

The same rule, FMVSS 127, also required tamper-evident odometers
on the theory that incorrect odometer readings were a safety hazard.
The odometer part of the rule never went into effect.

The notice of revocation of the speedometer rule stated:

The agency's 1976 regulatory evaluation on Standard No.
127 projected that the requirement that the limitation
on the maximum speed shown on the speedometer scale
would be five percent effective in reducing accidents
involving young drivers. The projected effectiveness
was based on the assumption that the 85 mph maximum
speed indication would be a psychological deterrent to
high speed driving. However, the agency has no data
indicating that the speedometer scale limitation is
effective to any extent in reducing the tendency to
drive too fast and in reducing the resultant accidents
and injuries. Also, the commenters provided no data
indicating that the limitation had any actual effect.

--
John Carr )

On Dec 25, 12:29�pm, richard > wrote:
> On Tue, 25 Dec 2007 14:08:03 -0600, "Premier Bush"
>
> > wrote:
> >What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? �I know it was
> >from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. �The 1987 Mustang GT had
> >the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been replaced by the 140 MPH units, so
> >it was lifted sometime between those years. �I saw a picture of the new 2009
> >Corvette ZR-1 speedo and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that car with an 85
> >MPH unit.
>
> >(crossposted to rad because somebody there probably knows the answer)
>
> I do not believe there is a fed regulation on it. I believe they do it
> that way because nobody in there right mind is gonna drive 100mph.

Usually a laid back driver, I was doing anywhere between 80 and up to
95 MPH on I-10 between Phoenix and Palm Springs, only because few
drivers bothered to obey the 75 MPH limit (it was the Sunday of the
Thanksgiving holiday), and I didn't want several road-rage drivers
breathing down my rear bumper, so I simply kept up with the general
flow. (I still kept about 4 seconds of space, however).


-Brent

John F. Carr wrote:
> In article >,
> Premier Bush > wrote:
>> What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I
>> know it was from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The
>> 1987 Mustang GT had the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been
>> replaced by the 140 MPH units, so it was lifted sometime between
>> those years. I saw a picture of the new 2009 Corvette ZR-1 speedo
>> and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that car with an 85 MPH unit.
>
> The 85 mph speedometer regulation was proposed in 1976; adopted
> during the Carter administration effective September 1, 1979;
> and repealed as a result of Reagan's regulatory review effective
> March 25, 1982. I do not know whether the rule applied to
> designated model years or to all cars manufactured between those
> dates.
>
> The same rule, FMVSS 127, also required tamper-evident odometers
> on the theory that incorrect odometer readings were a safety hazard.
> The odometer part of the rule never went into effect.
>
> The notice of revocation of the speedometer rule stated:
>
> The agency's 1976 regulatory evaluation on Standard No.
> 127 projected that the requirement that the limitation
> on the maximum speed shown on the speedometer scale
> would be five percent effective in reducing accidents
> involving young drivers. The projected effectiveness
> was based on the assumption that the 85 mph maximum
> speed indication would be a psychological deterrent to
> high speed driving. However, the agency has no data
> indicating that the speedometer scale limitation is
> effective to any extent in reducing the tendency to
> drive too fast and in reducing the resultant accidents
> and injuries. Also, the commenters provided no data
> indicating that the limitation had any actual effect.

The 85 MPH speedo in my 1980 Mercury Cougar that I had when I was 16 sure
didn't deter me from driving like a bat out of hell when I was 16-17. I'm
lucky I didn't wrap that car around a tree. It had a 5.0L V8 (302 cid),
although it was detuned, but it did have decent top speed, and it was fast
enough to get a 16 year old in trouble.

In article >, Floyd Rogers wrote:
> "Premier Bush" > wrote
>> What years were the 85 MPH speedometers mandated by the feds? I know it
>> was from sometime around 1980 to sometime around 1990. The 1987 Mustang
>> GT had the 85 MPH speedo and by 92 they had been replaced by the 140 MPH
>> units, so it was lifted sometime between those years. I saw a picture of
>> the new 2009 Corvette ZR-1 speedo and it was a 220 MPH unit, imagine that
>> car with an 85 MPH unit.
>
> It is incorrect to say that they were "mandated". They were *anticipated*
> to
> be mandated, but never were.

They were mandated.

1976 or 1977 was the first model year, it was repealed in some time in the
80s.

It was one of those lovely claybrookian things.