Hot Rods Learn me on STEWART WARNER gauges

I am starting to gather parts for the dash in my RPU and have never really paid much attention to SW gauges. Lately I have been reading and watching ones in the classifieds but don't really understand the small details or what I should be looking for that is correct for a late 40's style car.

Please help me sort out brass housings, crescent pointers, "wings" and the differences in diameters, bezel shapes and glass features.

Also what set would be appropriate without being to rare or sought after?

 

Check this out, - lots of info

http://www.roadsters.com/sw/

 

I'd start with this post...lots of good info.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=668982

There's some good stuff on the "Gauges!" Social group too

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=442

 

What year "late 40's"? The 2-1/16" winged series began in 1948, so that would make a big difference if you want circa 1947.

 

Learn me?

 

The is guy composes his sentences just fine...he's just goofing with the "learn me" thing.

But that's not why we're here. We're talkin' old S/W gauges. You'd be O.K. with Wings & older to get that late 40's feel. There are two things to consider. First, the price jumps exponentially with these gauges. Second, if you're going to go with these antiques (and I highly recommend you do), get mechanical rather than electrical ones. Trying to get the proper senders & gauge calibration is insanity (ask me how I know).

Either way, good luck to you & send us some pics when you get your dash together.

 

Thank You for the info. I did read through the roadsters.com info and found it quite informing.

 

So I've been poking around for gauges the past week and found these on an old firetruck in a field. Sorry the photos are bad, my feet where SOAKED after getting in there.

The yellow panel has mostly old SW pieces as they have the Stewart Warner name and part numbers screened on the face under the bezel, the only one I could not see any marking on was the speedometer but it was quite dirty.

I did see the TEMP gauge is a "wings" unit and has a curved lens with a different bezel than the non wings pieces.

Can anyone provide insight on these instruments as far as age and if I should make a deal on them?

 

I like the Rochester Manufacturing Instruments on the water pump engine also.

 

I kinda like those too. Wonder what other gauges they made? smooth bezels and distinctive lettering, those are cool. Wonder if the bezels are chrome or brass under the paint?

 

A quick google search yielded this. Anybody else have any of these gauges?

http://www.rochestergauges.com/pages/history.html

Guessing the lines other than the current fluid level gauges were probably dropped from the line after the mid-sixties buyout??

 

Rochester Mfg. Co. moved from New York to Dallas in the late 50's, so look for the NY address on the gauge face. Tons of Rochester gauges were used on tractors & industrial applications. Allis tractors used them beginning in at least 1948.

OP, those are early GPW "paint can" gauges, possibly made by SW, King Seeley, or Waltham used on military Jeeps til March of '42. Speedo is referred to as a "long needle", used until early 1943. The wings temp gauge is later, but still, I'd jump all over those!

Here's a website with lots of info: Jeep Gauges

 

some interesting info here...
http://www.90thidpg.us/Reference/Manuals/TM%209-1829A.pdf

Suscribed...

 

I assume that the SW wing temp gauge is mechanical? Is the capillary tube all there or did someone cut it?

If it's been cut it would have to be replaced and it's expensive!

 

Three SW gauges available in this 1947 catalog. Notice that the original "winged gauges" did not have crescent needles. The top gauge with the arrow pointer is a smaller diameter than the wings gauges that were the now the common size.

 

I got my S.W. gauges from a 55 Studebaker Speedster was on its way to that big junkyard in the sky...

 

I've always liked these gauges a lot, mainly for the art deco lettering. For some reason you see oil pressure gauges all the time & no water temp gauges. In fact, I've had a real nice working one for sale here for some time for a measly $18, with no takers. Maybe it's because there are no matching water temp gauges to put a matched set together?

 

maybe there aren't any? I notice the water temp gauge in the panel above looks to be a different make? Anybody ever see a matching water temp gauge?

 

Actually, I saw your gauge in the classifieds and thought about it. It was the 50psi max that talked me out of it. Its a cool gauge for sure, and the price is right, just a tad too low psi for me.

 

this is they type of stuff you want to find

 

One thing I've noticed is thats its nearly impossible to find a working water temp gauge with the spiral wrapped line at a decent, affordable price.

 

I took a chance on this one & lost...I think. The line is 30' long! I stuck it in boiling water & nothing. Maybe I had to wait a few days for the message to get from Point A to Point B? Actually, I needed a new (shorter probe/bulb), so it's a moot point anyway. It's in the shop...cha-ching! ...It's the life we chose.

 

So I picked up what I'd call by my standard a very nice dash for my A bone, it is reputed to be N.O.S and shows no signs otherwise. I picked it up this weekend and when I removed it from the box I was immediately in awe as I hoped I would be.

Now I have several questions.

How sensitive are the capillary tubes to handling, I am concerned to handle this piece to much?

Is it acceptable to test the temp gauges by immersing the sensor bud and heating it in hot water?

I really want to use a fuel gauge and accept they are rare and coveted. Can the correct fuel gauge be used utilized with 12V and a modern type sending unit? I do have what I would believe to be a "standard" fuel sending opening in my modified "TANKS fuel tank

Would you use the Clum switch? I really like it and it would solve adding an ignition and headlight switches to the dash.

Thank You...

 

How well are the new SW Wings gauges accepted?

 

Speedo-Tach service

 

As close reproductions: not even close. As just a good gauge to fill a hole: not worth your time.

There have been many guys posting their problems with the new SW winged gauges. Offshore manufacturing using inferior materials make the new gauges a thin shadow of the former SW's.

 

I was told by Pat Swanson to handle them as little as possible. I don't move mine very often, find a shelf and stick it there till you're ready to install it.

Perfectly acceptable to dip the capillary tube in hot water. I'd be more concerned if you were to use a lighter or small butane torch. That method if your not careful can melt the solder of the end of the sensor.

Gas gauges can be found, if you were willing to step up to this nice of a dash panel you probably can afford a gas gauge. I found a nice one in the hamb classifieds for $150 about eight months ago. As far as a 12V system goes, you can always use a voltage drop and there are multiple threads on the hamb on how to hook a vintage SW gas gauge.

The key switch screams vintage chris craft boat but thats just me. Then again its entirely possible that an ambitious hot rodder could get his hands on a boat dash in the era. If you were to run it you could skip buying a gas gauge and just find an amp gauge.

I hope you're running a flathead, that dual temp gauge would be perfect to run for each head. That was a hot set up back in the day to monitor both right and left heads. Anyway, hope that helps. Its one of my favorite dash set ups second only to an auburn panel. JohnnyA

 

I appreciate the input Floorboardinit, thank you. Dash project is coming along nicely, a good friend tackled the opening for me while I was away in Hawaii.

 

Sheesh, looks a lot better than any hot rodder back in the day would have done! Have you found a gas or amp gauge yet? JohnnyA

 

Great now I want to know more about S/W gauges....