When I first got my car I had to get the brakes replaced and the radiator, hoses, belts and water pump (non-use killed them). Anyway, while it was in the shop I had the speedometer cable replaced too since the speedometer was bouncing around. Not long after I got it back the cable popped off the back of the speedometer - they did not have it screwed in tight. I never took it back since I was ready to started taking the car apart. Now I am trying to connect up the cable and while I can get my hand up in there to get it on the connector, I don't have enough room to turn it to screw it on. Is there some trick to this? Do I have to pull the instrument cluster out? How hard is that on a standard 65 cluster?

 

I have always pulled mine out. Just take all the screws out and pull the cluster out a few inches just enough to get a wrench on the nut.

 

One other thing, if your steering column is painted nice, you'll want to put a towel over it first so you don't scratch it. Oh, and your bezel lights will stop working and maybe a few gauges

 

Lol, it is easy to take the bezel out on a 65, just a few screws, but sometimes causes more problems than you had to begin with

 

my speedometer cable didn't screw on, it just had like a sleeve that went over the nub for the cable. I just had to lube it up and force it on there, one way was putting a wrench on the edge of it then smacking the wrench. I had the dashpad off though, which made it a little easier but still a PITA

 

you can't reach it without taking the cluster out, that's why the shop never tightened it....

 

ahh the speedo cable. you're in for a lot of fun :-)
you can screw it on with the cluster in plcae from underneath as the other say. sometimes this is even easier as this wil hod the cluster in place while you push. if the cable sticks out so far that you can't get to thread the nut then you probably pulled the cable out on the other side (the gearbox). No worries. just turn the cable in its collar pushing it down to the gearbox eventually it will go in there.
the cable should only reach out a tiny bit outward of the thread of the screw. with a bit of wiggling you'll get it in

good luck

 

It took me a year and three voltage regulators to get my gauges working after I pulled out my cluster to replace the bezel. I not 100% sure its fully working still.

 

OK, here is my plan. Leave the cluster in place after hearing the horror stories about equipment failure. Get some kid from the neighborhood with smaller hands than mine to reach up in there screw the damn thing in! Pay the kid $5 and everybody's happy.

 

good plan!