I started my professional life as a graphic designer. I think that background has a lot to do with my love for gauges. The graphical meets the mechanical... I have them sitting around everywher... <BR><BR>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
Whew, nice stuff, can't compete with your collection but here's the gauges in my roadster set in one of Knecht Equip. Company's re-pop Auburn dash inserts. Gary
Coop- I like your shots of the guages in context w/ the dash-- Here's my Model A w/ 30 Buick dash with crap guages:
Man that second to last shot of the elliot brothers setup is sweet let me wipe off my drool real kwik...thanks for posting
I started my professional life as a graphic designer. I think that background has a lot to do with my love for gauges. The graphical meets the mechanical... I have th...<P><P>To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.
Shit... I just totally fucked this thread up with my blog script... Hey Coop, can you add your photos back?
Here is a pic of the instr. panel on the Venus, circa 1953. I have scrutinized this photo very closely and have found that there are two separate styles of gages that my Dad used. Problem is, I can't tell the manufacturer on any of them. I always assumed Stewart Warner, but their experts can't identify them either (or could have cared less). I could be wrong, but I don't think SW had logos on some of their gauges back then. I plan to have Classic Instruments (?) build me a complete matching set based on the style of the speedometer in this pic. I would like to add a second large RPM gauge, but that will throw off the "authenticity" that I'm trying to achieve with this restoration. I may also have them design a temp gauge with dual needles for right and left side of flathead. I was initially thinking about using the SW "Wings" series, but have since decided against it. I also personally like the RPM gauges that ramp up/down in steps rather than a smooth linear motion...those are way cool! We'll see; I'm at least a year away from having to worry about gauges! PS: Anyone recognize that rear-view mirror?
Graphics...I think 1940's commercial, military SW's are the acme of graphic design for actual useability, and have the beauty of pure, perfect function. The last half of the 1930's in cars was the acme of decorative graphics...faces, lenses, panels, shapes all went deco nuts, producing effects from "Chrysler Building" to "Salvador Dali"...particularly independents, Hudson, etc. After that, the age of the little rectangular electric gauges brought in boring gauges (Though oft in neat panels) too small in size and sweep for real functional beauty...
I dig old gauges.....a club member recently gave me a US Gauge Co. water temp gauge for my truck. It's larger than the others I've seen, @ 2 1/2", slightly curved glass, 0-212* range, has a patina'd brass bezel and the cover over the capillary is woven copper...... It's pretty neat.......just installed it two nights ago........
Great stuff. Being a designer myself, I completely understand the the draw. You all know about the book titled "Dashboards" right? ... by David Holland ISBN 0-7148-3863-2
theses are some pics of the gauges in my little lakester rod english smith speedo and petrol and temp gauges in harley bullet light houseings
This is my collection. A vintage boat dashpanel and Studebaker Golden Hawk gauges. All of them will end up in the dash of my 33 Ford coupe.
Just goes to show what a nice wooden display case can do to dress up car parts that would otherwise look junky anywhere else! Works well with old fishing reels and lures too!
Gary...what in the heck is that black and white thing sticking up in your photo? A stickshift? Inquiring minds want to know!
I don't actually collect much of anything anymore, though I do have an ever evolving gauge collection rolling through my shop. heres something I picked up a while back, it has since been sold. the gauges were mostly just to fill the holes though there was a couple of good ones in there... see the SW greenline oil PSI in the center.
here's my vintage reverse rotation SW mechanical tach. this came from an old truck yard that closed down recently. they had been in business since the 50's. the 80+ year old owner told me exactly what truck it came from and what drove it and why it was reversed, but I forgot. I think it was run off the generator or something??? I also picked up a 50's kenworth (?) dash full of SW's.
I always liked these green ones. I have had several... never a tach or speedo though. look at this ratty pair.... 2 5/8" greenlines. what do you expect for a buck? these seem to be very popular with the muscle car crowd
I've got a few gauges - nothing as cool as what's been posted. I do like the '40s Buick gauges for style though - copper & red looks great. Probably my nicest gauges are these NOS SW gauges - I'd love to find a matching speedo (believe to be used in Stude trucks - I think Bluto IDed them for me earlier) & the speedos I've found so far are in horrible shape (and only go to 70mph - certainly unsuitable for a hot rod! ) I like the mid '30s Stude Dictator stuff - very art deco. I also really like early Caddy stuff - the lettering style is funky-cool & the cream color really is nice.
My selection of automotive gauges is pretty ordinary, but I really like this for out-of-the-ordinary:
I love these type.....never seen the top ones before though....Are they somewhat rare???? I was going to use the greenline ones in my next project.....but that first one may be the ticket.....