Topic: When did cars sold in Canada start displaying in km/h?

[Arthur Dent]

Anyone know the year cars in Canada starting having their speedo displaying primary in km/h? My '78 was in km/h but my '74 was MPH.

[rrocket]

Anyone know the year cars in Canada starting having their speedo displaying primary in km/h? My '78 was in km/h but my '74 was MPH.

Very odd that Arthur is asking us old car trivia...since he's the one who usually has all the answer!   

[Schmengie]

1975 IIRC. My '76 was in KPH.

[pi314]

According to Wikipedia the provinces agreed to change all road signage by 1977.
It may be hidden somewhere in the weights and measures act

[SeaBlueS4]

Displaying along with MPH, or exclusively KPH?

I've just bought a 72 TR6 (Show and Shine to follow once it's cleaned up for some pics).
The speedo shows KPH, but in much smaller digits than the MPH.

Of course, there's no guarantee that this is the original '72 speedo...

[Arthur Dent]

I'm considering a car that is a 1977 but it displays first in MPH then km/h. Just curious if it is a US car.

For you TR6 if the primary is in km/h I'd say that is a later Canadian speedo or a European one. Congrats on the TR6 too - great exhaust note on those. Something appealing about a big, rugged straight six in a sports car.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I'm pretty sure Dad's 1976 Pontiac was in kph.

[Fobroader]

My buddy in high school had a 76 Pontiac Grand Prix and his speedo was in KM/H....

[Firm]

Displaying along with MPH, or exclusively KPH?

I've just bought a 72 TR6 (Show and Shine to follow once it's cleaned up for some pics).
The speedo shows KPH, but in much smaller digits than the MPH.

Of course, there's no guarantee that this is the original '72 speedo...

Congrats on the TR6 - anxiously waiting the show and shine!

My 78 MGB is in MPH and it's a Canadian car. My brother's 78 MGB is also in MPH. 79 Spitfire is in MPH, but it's a US car. Brother's 76 TR6 is in MPH, Candian car.

That's probably not much help, but I suspect that 78/79 were transition years for the imports. Domestics probably switch over earlier than that.

[Arthur Dent]

Sounds like the date would be pretty fuzzy so it could go either way. It is an import too.

[tooscoops]

my '75 pacer is an alberta car and it is mph... so looks like 75 was the last year for mph based on our small sample size?

[neil]

my '75 pacer is an alberta car and it is mph... so looks like 75 was the last year for mph based on our small sample size?

I'm pretty sure it was for 1976.  I remember my dad putting km stickers on his speedo of his '74 Town and Country 440, but the 76 Grand Fury was in KM.  My dad was/is very anti-PET and his metric conversion....

[RS4Dalf]

My '74 Duster was in mph.
Twas my first car and I still miss it...

[Bubba]

My '74 Duster was in mph.
Twas my first car and I still miss it...

Our '75 Dart was in mph.

[Vanstar]

All GM stuff went km/h in 1978. The newly introduced B Bodies had an MPH speedo for one year.

[LeftLand]

Wiki says "In September 1977 every speed-limit sign in the country was changed from miles per hour to kilometres per hour."

I believe most cars changed with the 1978 model year, but Volvo went a year early.  I bought a new 1977 242DL in June 1977 and it was metric, but it had a decal on the lower left corner of the windshield converting Imperial to metric (because buyers would be seeing Imperial signs for the rest of the model year).

My recollection (fairly strong but could be wrong) was that Chrysler went in 1977 also.  I don't know which others did.

I also recall that Vancouver almost didn't convert with the rest of the country.  A day or two before the big switch, the Mayor learned that 50 km/h was actually 31.07 MPH, not 30.  Concerned about the dangers of this higher speed, he ordered a halt.  Then I guess someone had a talk with him and we were good to go.