Customer Testomonials Feedback Reviews Smiths Cables

Email: vintagebritishcables@telus.net

Some of the comments we get from our customers.

Vintage British cables produces the highest quality restorations of classic smiths instruments . The only instruments I will use on my restorations are those restored by Vintage British cables, I won't put a substandard component on the bikes I build. Andy's services are thorough, thoughtful and participatory. Andy asks questions and engages you to verify he is providing you with precisely what you need. The cables provided by Vintage British cables are seconded to none. The all-important dimension of protrusion is spot on and the overall cable is simply the best in its construction. The pricing of the cables and instrument restorations is excellent. I use Vintage British cables services and products with confidence.
Anthony Nicholson
Union Jack Cycle LTD

My speedo/tacho cables arrived within the time frame you said, l fitted them today to my 1959, BSA,DBD 34 Gold Star Clubman. They look so much better than the reproduction cables l have brought in the past for my British bikes, all from England. The reason l had to replace the tacho cable, l was working around the back of tacho and the cable just came away from were it was crimped. l am not sure how l found your web site but l am glad l did. C.L.

I received my instruments and cables today. Everything arrived perfectly. Speaking of perfect, I expected these to be almost like new, but they look as if they were just produced today! As a toolmaker/machinist, I have a good eye for fine, quality work (and I have absolutely no patience for fiddly little clockwork mechanisms) and you do amazing work! Thanks a lot for your help. I will certainly recommend you to anyone who may ask me. J.K.

Cable arrived by post today. Looks much nicer than the repop I had to use before I found your reference in the Triumph car club site. Yours has the proper bushing on the drive head end that keeps the cable true in the instrument and so keeps the instrument bushing from excess wear. Good work. J.S.

Received and installed your cable today. Nice looking cable. Excellent fit. Steady speedo needle. Now I know where to shop for all my British bike cable needs. Thanks, S.F.

I received my Norton Mk3 tachometer in the mail today. As expected, it is superb quality. Thank you for the trade with the other clocks. And thanks for the extension nuts and misc. hardware I requested. Of all sources I've used for these old clocks, this is by far the best service I have received from any thus far. I have used your company before, and plan to continue my business with you in the future, as well as recommending those I trade with in the states to do the same. J.D.

Wow! Absolutely beautiful! Much more than I was expecting. You did a super job on the speedo for my Matchless thank you very much! M.B.

Parcel arrived safe and sound. Chrono looks excellent and cables are top notch Thanks so much. P.B.

The commando gauges arrived today. They are absolutely perfect and a credit to your company. Thank you very very much, they're the perfect finishing touch to my Norton. J.R.

The cable arrived yesterday. I am extremely pleased with your super fast service. When I told a friend that I found an exact replacement for my Humber Super Snipe, he told me I should buy a lottery ticket as it was obviously my lucky day. Again, thanks for keeping these parts available and for your excellent service. I will make sure all my British car fans know about you. A.F.

My care package arrived and WOW to say the least. The workmanship on the instruments are spectacular. The tachometer cable is better than when they were being manufactured back in the day. R.M.

G,day Andy, Speedo Cable for the Commando arrived the other day. Was well packaged and the cable looks really good. Fitted it up and went for a ride; can,t believe how steady the needle is, it was always hunting and you tend to blame the instrument for that. Your site info makes think of other possible causes. Thanks for your help, Regards, J.C.

Re 8 instruments: It is rare that I pay anyone to do something for me! I am hard to please and am usually disappointed. I’ve been telling myself all day waiting to pick up the box to just be happy with what I get from you and move on. Well, I am elated with what you did! They are beautifully restored! Thank you, and feel free to quote me! G.M.

The speedometer and cable arrived today. I installed both immediately and am elated to report that the kit works perfectly -- and the clock looks as new, too! C.R.
Thanks you so much for the smiths chronometric cables, fantastic quality superfast shipping . I could not be more pleased. R.H.

The instruments arrived today. They are PERFECT, absolutely beautiful! Thanks so much. D.V.

Superlative craftsmanship! Very pleased with the look and finish. We are fortunate to have you in the field building fine speedos. Thank you very much for a job well done. W.E.

Wow! What a nice cable! Lying next to the original it is just perfect. Even the little lines on the black jacketing match. As important, it works perfectly also. Took 98% of the jiggle out of the needle. Rode 16 miles today & was most happy with it. Too bad I didn't know about you before I wasted $ on the XXXX. Oddly with the XXXX, intermittently the needle would swing as much as 2000 rpm at say, 40 mph. I could reach down & grab the cable, give it a little sideways wiggle & it would be ok for a while. The XXXX cable had the flat driver made on, as well as the top brass stop ring. It was dry as a bone. Couldn't pull wire out, I lubed as best I could, helped, but not much. Plus the crimps were too long & didn't look right, also the threads were poorly shaped & were hard to thread in. Just a bad design. Anyway, that is behind me & I'll recommend you most highly to the RAT Triumph owners group. Thanks again. I'll go through the instruments, but not right now. They are too steady to worry about. D.J.

I just today received the DF 1106/13 armored speedo and DF 1111/15 tach cables which you sent to me last week.I am very happy to say that I am quite impressed with the quality of both. They are to my exact length specification and the fit on the bike is perfect in that regard. The inner cables are cut squarely perpendicular to the centerline and chamfered on the very ends. Nice touch. Also, the length from the brass ferrule to the end is exactly correct to fit into the instrument (not too long) and they fit without having to file down the sides of the square ends ( like I had to do on a pair of XXXXXXX cables). I really like the brass ferrules instead of cheap plastic or aluminum. Nice quality there.The inner cables were even lubed - that was a job I had expected to have to do myself ! Thank you for the excellent quality and service and I will certainly not be at all reluctant to recommend your products to anyone I may know looking for them. K. A.

Received the cable & it fits great Thanks. P.D.

Just received cable in mail today. Fits perfect and works great. Will recommend you to others ! D.R.

Just received the package today, I am very pleased. Excellent quality. It has been a pleasure doing business. H.R.

Received the cables. Looks fantastic and fits like they should. Great job. R.M..

I had meant to email you a few weeks ago to tell you the cables arrived and they look great - many thanks for the fast and efficient service. M.S.

Thank You very much for cables. They look great just like original. I will order more near future for my other restoration too. O.V.

The tach cable you sent works perfect. Apparently the previous cable I had was not thick enough to engage the internal gauge drive mechanism. Now I would like to order a speedometer cable too. C. F.

Cable quality has been one of my pet peeves. I've had so many freshly rebuilt Smiths gauges expire prematurely because of crap cables, I stopped having them rebuilt years ago. The apparent quality of the tachometer cable you sent me gives me reason for hope. I say apparent because I haven't yet run the bike, but the cable is installed. The previous "Genuine Norton" cable was too short, and would pull at the gauge, and rub on the exhaust pipe, and eventually pulled apart at the drive end, like so many other cables that have pulled apart at the drive end. Your cable is the right length, does not rub on the exhaust pipe, and the swaging at the ends is obviously superior. Even the armor is swaged on instead of free floating. Finally, quality cables. Thank you!"

Our Feedback on eBay

great service, superb quality, thanks.

Superb quality cables! Better then the NEW crappy XXXXXXX cable I just replaced.

Very nice. I'm quite pleased, just as advertised. Thank you very much.

The cable is 100% correct and better made than the original. Thanks!

the best ! super quality ! looks nos but better, it's new !

Excellent Tach Cable ,Great Service ,Thank You

Very pleased, excellent quality, very happy with item, thanks very much!

Perfect perfect perfect. I'm glad I found you, I'll be back. Thanks.

Excellent quality product + prompt delivery. Highly recommended ebayer. Thanks

EXCELLENT PRODUCT, FINEST CABLE AVAILABLE

Forum Reviews

I can warmly recommend Vintage British Cables in Canada for superb quality replica Smiths tacho and speedo cables. The cable I recieved from them is a true copy of the original and the best I've ever seen. The crimping is much better than the usual hexagonal one seen on inferior types, and according to them made using ORIGINAL SMITHS Equipment, Presses and Dies. From AJS forum "Superb Quality Smiths Cables"

"The gent there was very helpful and described my problem to a "T". When it arrived I compared the two cables side by side- and saw that my original cable was 1- too long, 2- made of a much cheaper material, and 3-did not even look correct. The new cable appears to be exactly like an OEM piece, right down to the crimps on the steel ends. I have had a chance to try it out and everything works as it should. I know it is a mundane part, even so it must be manufactured correctly to proper tolerances or it ain't gonna work. It was just annoying me not to have the speedo working. Quality counts! and I would certainly use this business again for my cable needs." Triumph Forum Review

Hi, A quick follow up on my tach cable. The original 28" cable was too short, pinched & ruined by steering stop. Later in '73 they used a 30" cable which routed good.
I bought an XXXX cable which fit ok, but was cheaply made, didn't look the same & would intermittently make the tach jump wildly 2000 rpm. Came no lube, lubing didn't help much.
I learned about Vintage British Cables from this forum, recently. They also go by Smiths Cables on Ebay. Web site https://vintagebritishcables.com/
Bought it via EBay. Let me say it is perfect in every way! Laying next to the original cable, the driver, threaded ends, crimps, even the little lines on the black jacket look the same. Just was made 30" instead of 28. The best part is works perfectly. Took 98% of the jiggle out of the needle. Rode it 16 miles today. Andy was most helpful about how to lube the cable in the future (it came lubed) & his web site has a host of info about tach & speedo diagnosis. Very good reading! I strongly recommend his product. Triumph Rat.net

Aberdale, A.B.J., A.C., Aermacchi, Allard, Alvis, AJS, Ambassador, Ariel, Armstrong, Aston Martin, Austin, Austin-Healey, B.A.C., Beardmore, Bentley, BLMC, Bond, Bown, Bristol, Brockhouse, Brough Superior, BSA, Chrysler, Citroen, Commer, Corgi, Cotton, CYC Auto, Daimler, Dayton, Delorean, DMW, DOT, Douglas, Ducati, Excelsior, Fairthorpe, F.L.M., Ford, Francis Barnett, Frisky, Greeves, Harley Davidson, Healey, Hillman, H.J.H., Humber, Indian, Isetta, Jaguar, James, Jensen, Lagonda, Lambretta, Laverda, Leyland, Lotus, M.G., Maserati, Matchless, Morgan, Morris, Moto Guzzi, Moto Parilla, New Hudson, Nimbus, Norman, Norton, O.E.C., Panther, Pashley, Phoenix, Princess, Raynal, Reliant, Riley, Rolls-Royce, Rover, Royal Enfield, Scootacar, Scott, Siddley, Singer, Standard, Swallow Gadabout, Sun, Sunbeam, Tandon, Tippen, Triumph, TVR, Velocette, Villiers, Vincent, Volvo, Wolseley

VINTAGE BRITISH CABLES