Hot Rods Who sells good looking full sweep MECHANICAL gauges?

I’m looking for opinions on auxiliary auto gauges. Need pressure/volts/temp and maybe a vacuum. Here’s my list of wanted attributes:

Good quality American made, or at least not China/Taiwan/Mexico (e.g. Stewart Warner)

Mechanical - please don’t try to talk me out of it. I’ll hard line the oil pressure.

Full sweep 2 1/16 or 2 5/8

Dolphin is out because they don’t do full sweep.
Unfortunately Classic Instruments, Speedhut, and New Vintage only make electric. Which is a shame because this line of mint green backlit gauges from NV is a pretty close match to the Galaxie dash:



If I don’t find anything better I’ll probably go with a mechanical set from AutoMeter that sorta comes close but looks too modern:



Any suggestions of who else to try?
Thanks!

 

Stewart Warner use to have full sweep mechanical in 2 1/16 & 2 5/8 inch sizes. Quality use to be excellent but that was years back.

 

VDO.

 

Thanks I’ll check em out

 

Sun

 

Are they still in business?

 

i put the Mexican made SW mechanical gauges in my car about 4 years ago, they've been working fine, aside from a burned out light bulb.

I got a set for my new car I'm building. We'll see how they do.

The Autometer gauges will work good, but won't have the "look" you're after. Fortunately, only a few of us will notice. Most folks will think they're fine in a traditional car.

 

Doesn't Autometer's autogauge brand have black face full sweep with white needles? I was thinking I seen a set recently.

 

Trying out Autogage gauges in the drag car. Old eyes like BIG numbers.

 

I don’t blame you - SW still makes good looking gauges, but I’m going to hold out a bit longer and see what I can find. It’s a significant chunk o’ change.

Yeah it’s the “look” I’m after that makes my projects take forever... but nothing is sweeter than cruising at night with the green glow of the vitals looking back at you. I recently watched Drive with Ryan Gosling and they really nailed the look of the gauges on his Malibu. Not the look for my build, but perfect for who he is and what he does.

 

Autogage = imported

No disrespect to your build, dash looks great, just gonna hold out a bit longer to see what I can find...

 

Those 'New Vintage' ones posted above are decent but the digital readout in the tach and speedometer are deal breakers.

 

Its going to be hard to find any gauges that aren't made in China by small children.

 

Yup I agree. Plus they no longer offer ANY mechanical gauges. Also I’m not sure I trust a maker of precision instruments who spells like this...

“Hi Joe
Sorry but we only manufracture electronic instruments. We do not build any mechanacal gauges except a few speedoa
Thanks”

 

I know you said 'Made In U.SA.' (I don't blame you) but I've had some newer (electric) Stewart Warner's in my car for nearly ten years with zero problems.

 

Just bought a mechanical 2'' SW temp gauge. Accurate and looks right.

 

Marshall instruments. ...last I knew still made in California...iv had great customer service with them. They are also the only liquid filled oil gauges that survive my rattling harleys

Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

They look nice too...

Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

No offense taken, I get what you're trying to do. I ran into the same issue with mechanical/American/price and decided I had to compromise with function being the priority. Yes, Autogage are made in China (Taiwan, not mainland) just like Suns were from the late '70's on. Origin is a murky thing nowadays so that moved it down the list of priorities.
Hope you find what works for you.

 

Here ones I have in a car...

Sent from my SM-G900V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

O.P. piledrvin'joe
"Good quality American made, or at least not China/Taiwan/Mexico (e.g. Stewart Warner)"

Hi Joe,
Stewart Warner (especially older SW from the 1930's through the 1960's) are hands down the highest quality gauges around. I'm an avid collect of these pieces and not only are they highly refined, the look is incredible.

Also, 5 years ago I installed newer S.W. crescent needle gauges in my hot rod and have not had a problem.

If you're looking for the best mechanical gauges around, search for these. They're mechanical. These are (1940s - 1950s) Stewart Warner 2 5/8" curved glass, smooth bezel, crescent needle, front mount gauges.

 

Mechanical oil pressure VDO gauge in my '39 p/u. Went with the electric water temp gauges because I didn't want 280 degree gauges in a flathead and the electrics pretty much matched the oil pressure gauge. I have a matching volt meter to go with them that I got at the LARS swap meet but haven't installed it yet.

 

Why not just run a set of 1960's Stewart-Warner gauges? They're relatively inexpensive & available & would do great justice to a traditional build without any drama. The temp & oil pressure I guess would be considered full sweep, but I'd guess you'd have to compromise on that with the volts & vacuum as far as full sweep goes. I don't blame you on the mechanical thing...much less hassle & are as traditional as can be.

 

I had a couple different SW oil pressure gauges from the old days in my 55, I never could read the gauge at night. The new ones have much better lighting!

 

Hmmm...I'll bet when you were running that '55 back in the day, in the heart of the night, you weren't fully concentrating on your gauges.

 

My guess is that his eyes probably worked a lot better, back in the day, then they do now. Most of us fit into that category was we grow older.

I know you want mechanical, and I understand, but my Speedhut gauges come with the sending units, and the gauges have wiring that connect between the gauges and the senders.
I guess I've experienced too many oil pressure line failures, and fought with too many mechanical temp gauge bulbs to fight the mechanical gauge battle. My current ride has no place I could insert a mechanical temp gauge without drilling and tapping a hole and hope the chosen area is deep enough for the temp gauge. Gene

 

Wow I’m surprised at how affordable they are...
Problem is I don’t know enough to know what questions to ask, no warranty, etc.
I’m not against learning but it might be a steep curve in a short time. I need to buy them this week.

Anybody know of a seller who goes through old SW’s and checks them out, maybe replaces bulbs etc?

 

These Stewart Warner mechanical gauges have given me no problems, and they’re accurate (I know, the temp is up there; I’m working on that now). The Autometer tach is there just because it’s hard to find a tach that size.

 

That’s a clean lookin setup. 2 5/8?
And why the two water temp gauges? Do you have a sender in each end/side of the intake? Or one in the head?

 

Yeah good point. I do a lot of night driving. And in Portland Ore a lot of day driving is like night driving...