diff --git a/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD.hxx b/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD.hxx
index efb160644..6651ce1c8 100644
--- a/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD.hxx
+++ b/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD.hxx
@@ -337,7 +337,6 @@ protected:
     void draw_line(float x1, float y1, float x2, float y2);
     void draw_stipple_line(float x1, float y1, float x2, float y2);
     void draw_text(float x, float y, char *msg, int align = 0, int digit = 0);
-    float text_width(char *str) const;
     void draw_circle(float x1, float y1, float r) const;
     void draw_bullet(float, float, float);
 
diff --git a/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD_instrument.cxx b/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD_instrument.cxx
index d98db8876..3b00f0678 100644
--- a/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD_instrument.cxx
+++ b/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD_instrument.cxx
@@ -134,12 +134,3 @@ void HUD::Item::draw_bullet(float x, float y, float size)
 }
 
 
-float HUD::Item::text_width(char *str) const
-{
-    assert(_hud->_font_renderer);
-    float r, l;
-    _hud->_font->getBBox(str, _hud->_font_size, 0, &l, &r, 0, 0);
-    return r - l;
-}
-
-
diff --git a/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD_tape.cxx b/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD_tape.cxx
index 9372c182e..29f37b391 100644
--- a/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD_tape.cxx
+++ b/src/Instrumentation/HUD/HUD_tape.cxx
@@ -47,9 +47,6 @@ HUD::Tape::Tape(HUD *hud, const SGPropertyNode *n, float x, float y) :
 
     s = n->getStringValue("tick-length");                    // "variable", "constant"
     _tick_length = strcmp(s, "constant") ? VARIABLE : CONSTANT;
-
-    float top;
-    _hud->_font->getBBox("0", _hud->_font_size, 0.0, 0, 0, 0, &top);
 }