Does this look like it’s on its second go around? Every odometer that I’ve seen that rolled over doesn’t have the numbers this even. But I’m use to seeing speedometers a lot older than a ’74. Another thing that has me thinking this is original miles is because I replaced the FoMoCo heater hoses and the leaf and coil springs still had the plastic identification tape wrapped around them. Things that make me think they should be another hundred in front of the 4 is that the car has been repainted, the headliner was missing and the front seat was re-upholstered. The car was kinda ragged for 42,000 but way too good for 142,000. As far as I can tell, with what paper work I did get (tag receipts), I’m the 4th owner. The 3rd owner never drove the car.
The condition of the driver's seat might be a pretty good indicator. With 42K I would think it would be in pretty good shape. My '72 had 58K (verifiable) in 2008 and the drivers seat cushion was in excellect condition but the upholstery had two 6" tears.
By the odometer and what you have shown I would say original milage at 47,000. As for the headliner, It could have started to come apart at the seams and someone was going to replace it, took the old one out and never finished putting the new one in. The seat is not a real way to tell milage because you have no idea how big one of the owners may have been. I recently rebuilt, complete rebuild including some welding on the frame on a seat in a 69 Lincoln Town Car with only 37,800 miles on it but the guy said it was his dads and his dad weighed in at 375 pounds. How does the brake pedal look, they usually wear down with a lot of miles and the arm rest, wear on the steering wheel. Anyways nice acquirement.
The odometer on my 69.5 was also just over 47,000 when I got it and the previous owner said it was original, as it had been in his family since it's birth
Interior wear really isn't an indicator at this point in time. The O.E. heater hoses and the tag on the springs is though, I'd say the 47K is dead on. My 77 has 87K but the interior was so-so with the the front seats replaced, the wear on the rest of the interior was about right agewise. Heat and humidity and the sun, has a way of wearing out interior stuff far beyond what any mileage figure would ever indicate. Those hoses and the tag on the spring have been sheilded somewhat from this.
My car has less than 48000 miles and you'd never know by looking at it. It's been thru alot and been stored alot. It's really hard to tell sometimes. I have a 187000 mile truck I've had since new that would pass for less than 50000 miles easy.
not always true..Mike and I were looking at a low milage, one owner car and the brake pad was worn real bad. my thinking was...it was a little old Lady that never left the small Ga. town she lived in so all the miles were in town driving. the car was bought new in the town and sold in 2011 in the same small town. a lot of stop and go driving will wear a pad down... time...will wear out seats, headliners and paint, not miles...
Yep, that odometer has turned over. Notice your numbers are not even. This is what got me thinking. Time will also rust a floor and battery tray. The pedal looks good...arm rest looks good...here's a pic of the pedals. (Notice fusebox location ...thanks Bryan for the tech write-up). The carpet came out of the '72 parts car so don't let that fool ya
I have seen pictures and heard all the stories for years, so is it due to people "strong-arming" the odometer wheels when rolling them? Has anyone actually owned a vehicle during its rollover to 100,000 and witnessed this misalignment occur? What is it that makes the numbers uneven after reaching 100K miles? I have owned a few cars that rolled over while I owned them, and never experienced that. I also have reset about half a dozen back to zero when performing a complete "last nut & bolt" restoration. Again, had no issues with mis-aligned numbers. (zeroing was disclosed at sale of cars) (This is an honest question and not an attampt to start a pi$$ing match, so please, no debate on whether or not it is illegal or unethical to alter an odometer during a restoration.)
I have to agree with Jack. I don't think mis-aligned numbers has anything to do with "rolling over" 100,000 miles...or anything to do with rolling an odometer back to zero (which I did to my orange 1972 Grabber - miles are EXEMPT here in Indiana...so miles do not matter. If you want actual miles on your Indiana title....they can still do that, or they exempt the miles after 10 years). This is just a mechanical part...that travels the by-ways and hi-ways of America. Mis-alignment is bound to happen.
You guys got me thinking about the odometer alignment so I went to the projects section and looked at what mine looks like. It's not real straight and that one has never rolled over. Here it is the day I got it out of backyard storage for 13 years.
Where is Jamie when you need him? I see it twice on the same car. When the odometer rolled around on my Falcon the first time the numbers got mis-aligned. When it rolled over the 2nd time the numbers were still uneven. I was talking to an old timer about this back in the early/mid 70's and he said they make the odometer to do this so the next owner knew it rolled over. I was thinking maybe they changed something in the design by the time a Maverick rolled around. Here my Falcon odometer working on the 3rd time around.
