Gage guru's tell me about this vintage stewart warner tach please

I picked this stewart warner tach and a few others up at a swap meet this weekend. Can anyone tell me some info on the stewart warner one in the pic? age? thanks

 

My guess is it's not a tack,,it's a speedometer,,possibly a boat. HRP

 

Ha! didnt even see it said "motor miles" right on the face, must have been too much sun for 4 days straight, lol thanks HRP

 

Most likely truck tack, Is it mechanical? The red lines might be the sweet spot to keep the revs at for max torque.




Ago

 

Without seeing the backside it is hard to tell for sure, but I think it is a truck tach or a diesel tach. That "motor miles" is an hourmeter of sorts to keep track of how many hours use are on the motor, not the vehicle, as an odometer would.

Usually diesel tachs only go to about 4,000 so this may have been for a low revving gas engined truck of some sort......firetruck, etc. Neat piece, but useless unless on a very low revving motor.

Let's see the backside. Is it electrical or mechanical ?

Don

One a lot like yours sold for $178 on Ebay in July.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Stewart-Warner-Motor-Miles-with-Cable-RPM-Tachometer-/121148741210

 

Yes Ago, its mechanical, im wondering the age of it, looks to have some good age on it, I couldnt turn it down for the price, I love these old guages, use them as much as I can on projects

 

Thanks Don, I gave $25 for mine so I did good, Ill try and post a pic of the back in a bit

 

Here's the pic of the back

 

See if there is any stamped (white ink) letters and numbers on the side. There are other threads with the secret decoder posted.
If my memory serves me these cream faced tachs were mostly late 40's to mid 50s industrial tachs

 

Thanks Slick Willy, Ill do that

 

I couldnt turn it down for the price, I love these old guages, use them as much as I can on projects.


Yes, I know what you mean, I paid $5 for a cool old functioning tach.



Ago

 

If you can find the date code we could tell you more exactly, but yes, everyone is on the right line. Given the face value, it is a truck or other industrial range tach for a diesel motor. That style of tachometer was made in the late 30's-40's per my recollection. If you'd like it restored to a higher RPM, it is readily done.