The Ford Barn

JohnB15632 · 02-09-2016, 11:55 AM

What are your thoughts about adding two additional gauges during the restoration of my 1931 SW 4D Town Sedan?

Would it be reasonable to and two additional gauges, 1. Oil Pressure, 2. Water temperature?

Thoughts?

Rowdy · 02-09-2016, 12:03 PM

I am planning on adding a vintage Rex-A-Co oil pressure gauge, and vintage SW temp gauge and if I can find one a vintage Sun Tach. None of which are really needed just things I like to have. Rod

CarlG · 02-09-2016, 12:22 PM

I actually put 4 extra gauges in mine: Tach, Water Temp, Oil Press, Clock.

The Tach & Water temp are on the steering column so I can keep an eye on them, the other two are below the speedometer.

Rowdy · 02-09-2016, 12:28 PM

Planning on a clock also since I have a Wesclox header mounted clock as shown in the Ford accessory book. It needs some repair as the gear on the stem for setting the time is stripped. So far I have not found anyone that has the proper tools to replace it as it is rivitted onto the stem shaft. May have to look for a case with a ruined clock movement, but a good gear. Winding gear is in good shape. Rod

1Tudoor · 02-09-2016, 02:00 PM

Added a temp gauge , something I personally feel requires monitoring .

Brianfrench65 · 02-09-2016, 02:09 PM

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I added water temperature and a clock, under the instrument panel. It's a 12 volt one, so I am using a Raido Shack 8) double A battery holder.

burner31 · 02-09-2016, 02:10 PM

I have a single gauge in my '31 town sedan (Murray), water temp, I feel that's all that's needed.
As for a clock, when I'm driving my A the last thing I care about is the time.

2manycars · 02-09-2016, 02:35 PM

Snyder's sells guage brackets to mount under the instrument panel, and also on the steering column. I installed the steering column bracket and guages on Barry's coupe, and they look and work great.

Chris Haynes · 02-09-2016, 09:05 PM

I am using a vintage Aristocrat dash cover to add oil pressure and correct period temperature gauges.

MikeK · 02-09-2016, 10:28 PM

My first car had a Hobbs meter, a voltmeter, and a vacuum gauge.

Marvin/TN · 02-09-2016, 10:33 PM

Think I have a Sun Tach with the black box to go with it. I think it's down in the basement somewhere, haven't seen it in a few years. It goes back to the late 1950's. It was my deceased brothers.

Mike V. Florida · 02-09-2016, 11:16 PM

Just remember that the oil gauge will read near zero when driving. My personal opinion when it comes to these cars is ignorance is bliss. No extra gauges needed. Wit the exception of the Aristocat panel, they all look like add ons and not part of the car.

TerryH · 02-09-2016, 11:46 PM

I also don't feel that gauges aren't really needed in a properly set up and running Model A, and most of them look out of place.

700rpm · 02-10-2016, 02:01 AM

Ford knew what he was doing. Keep it simple.

JohnB15632 · 02-10-2016, 05:09 AM

Rethinking this, you present some great advise. If it works correctly, no additional info is needed. But, we now have some better information.

For instance, would not the water temperature be of some information when running the Model A's in parades? If you see the temperature rising, could you not take some action before the bloody thing boils over?

I can blow either way.

Rowdy · 02-10-2016, 09:06 AM

Marve, Will contact you this summer about it if you want to sell it. The boxes are cyl and voltage specific. The batteries are often bad and have coroded the insides. No direct replacements are available for the batteries. Luckily there is a way posted on the HAMB to get past the battery delima as long as the corrosion is not bad. Rod

burner31 · 02-10-2016, 09:46 AM

I run a temp guage because of overheating in the past, it gives me peace of mind.

jimalabam · 02-10-2016, 11:56 AM

A tach ??? What in heavens name for, unless your engine is heavily modified...

2manycars · 02-10-2016, 12:00 PM

A motometer will tell you if the engine is overheating in a parade, or otherwise. Mine shows cool, except on a long hill on a hot day, then the red creeps up, but no boiling.

Rowdy · 02-10-2016, 01:47 PM

I am used to having a tach in everything I drive and it sure can not hurt anything. Will be running a HC head, Stipe 330 cam and a downdraft. Not heavily modified, but just enough not to get ran over. Rod

700rpm · 02-10-2016, 02:14 PM

Ford allegedly opposed Motometers, saying they were unnecessary because "any fool can look out over the hood and see if the radiator is boiling over."

I use Motometers because they look neat, though, but don't rely on them.

CarlG · 02-10-2016, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rowdy

I am used to having a tach in everything I drive and it sure can not hurt anything. Will be running a HC head, Stipe 330 cam and a downdraft. Not heavily modified, but just enough not to get ran over. Rod

Same here.

bettlesr · 02-10-2016, 03:21 PM

I have an oil pressure gauge and tach. It's a full pressure engine and before adding baffles to the oil pan, it went down to 0 psi on hard rights. Just want to keep an eye on it now. Red backlighting is on when the lights are on. Also have a red led in the dash light. Similar engine to ROWDY.

Marvin/TN · 02-10-2016, 11:50 PM

This has never had batteries in it as long as I have had it and I think that was back in about 1965. Going to guess it was for a V8 but don't know for sure. I would think a 12 volt power supply would work in it if in fact is is 12 volt. I knew the batteries were no longer made. I'll dig it out and have a look at it and maybe get a couple of PIC's

02-09-2016, 11:55 AM	#1
JohnB15632 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Export, PA (Outside of Pittsburgh) Posts: 520	Additional gauges installed during restoration What are your thoughts about adding two additional gauges during the restoration of my 1931 SW 4D Town Sedan? Would it be reasonable to and two additional gauges, 1. Oil Pressure, 2. Water temperature? Thoughts?

02-09-2016, 12:03 PM	#2
Rowdy BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gothenburg Nebraska Just off I-80 Posts: 4,893	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration I am planning on adding a vintage Rex-A-Co oil pressure gauge, and vintage SW temp gauge and if I can find one a vintage Sun Tach. None of which are really needed just things I like to have. Rod __________________ Do the RIGHT thing - Support the H.A.M.B. Alliance!!!!

02-09-2016, 12:28 PM	#4
Rowdy BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gothenburg Nebraska Just off I-80 Posts: 4,893	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Planning on a clock also since I have a Wesclox header mounted clock as shown in the Ford accessory book. It needs some repair as the gear on the stem for setting the time is stripped. So far I have not found anyone that has the proper tools to replace it as it is rivitted onto the stem shaft. May have to look for a case with a ruined clock movement, but a good gear. Winding gear is in good shape. Rod __________________ Do the RIGHT thing - Support the H.A.M.B. Alliance!!!!

02-09-2016, 02:00 PM	#5
1Tudoor Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Upstate in NY's beautifull hills Posts: 173	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Added a temp gauge , something I personally feel requires monitoring .

02-09-2016, 02:35 PM	#8
2manycars Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 2,732	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Snyder's sells guage brackets to mount under the instrument panel, and also on the steering column. I installed the steering column bracket and guages on Barry's coupe, and they look and work great.

02-09-2016, 09:05 PM	#9
Chris Haynes Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Camarillo, CA and Pine Grove, CA Posts: 2,832	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration I am using a vintage Aristocrat dash cover to add oil pressure and correct period temperature gauges. __________________ 1921 Runabout 1930 Tudor Early 1930 AA Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?

02-09-2016, 10:28 PM	#10
MikeK Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Windy City Posts: 2,919	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration My first car had a Hobbs meter, a voltmeter, and a vacuum gauge.

02-09-2016, 10:33 PM	#11
Marvin/TN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chattanooga, TN area Posts: 832	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Think I have a Sun Tach with the black box to go with it. I think it's down in the basement somewhere, haven't seen it in a few years. It goes back to the late 1950's. It was my deceased brothers.

02-09-2016, 11:16 PM	#12
Mike V. Florida Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 14,054	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Just remember that the oil gauge will read near zero when driving. My personal opinion when it comes to these cars is ignorance is bliss. No extra gauges needed. Wit the exception of the Aristocat panel, they all look like add ons and not part of the car. __________________ What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them. - Henry Ford II

02-09-2016, 11:46 PM	#13
TerryH Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fountain Valley, Calif. Posts: 937	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration I also don't feel that gauges aren't really needed in a properly set up and running Model A, and most of them look out of place. Last edited by TerryH; 02-10-2016 at 08:36 PM.

02-10-2016, 02:01 AM	#14
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 5,906	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Ford knew what he was doing. Keep it simple. __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

02-10-2016, 05:09 AM	#15
JohnB15632 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Export, PA (Outside of Pittsburgh) Posts: 520	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Rethinking this, you present some great advise. If it works correctly, no additional info is needed. But, we now have some better information. For instance, would not the water temperature be of some information when running the Model A's in parades? If you see the temperature rising, could you not take some action before the bloody thing boils over? I can blow either way.

02-10-2016, 09:06 AM	#16
Rowdy BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gothenburg Nebraska Just off I-80 Posts: 4,893	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Marve, Will contact you this summer about it if you want to sell it. The boxes are cyl and voltage specific. The batteries are often bad and have coroded the insides. No direct replacements are available for the batteries. Luckily there is a way posted on the HAMB to get past the battery delima as long as the corrosion is not bad. Rod __________________ Do the RIGHT thing - Support the H.A.M.B. Alliance!!!!

02-10-2016, 09:46 AM	#17
burner31 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Shawnee, Ok Posts: 3,471	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration I run a temp guage because of overheating in the past, it gives me peace of mind. __________________ Keith Shawnee OK '31 SW 160-B

02-10-2016, 11:56 AM	#18
jimalabam Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lee County Alabama Posts: 828	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration A tach ??? What in heavens name for, unless your engine is heavily modified...

02-10-2016, 12:00 PM	#19
2manycars Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern CT Posts: 2,732	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration A motometer will tell you if the engine is overheating in a parade, or otherwise. Mine shows cool, except on a long hill on a hot day, then the red creeps up, but no boiling.

02-10-2016, 01:47 PM	#20
Rowdy BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gothenburg Nebraska Just off I-80 Posts: 4,893	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration I am used to having a tach in everything I drive and it sure can not hurt anything. Will be running a HC head, Stipe 330 cam and a downdraft. Not heavily modified, but just enough not to get ran over. Rod __________________ Do the RIGHT thing - Support the H.A.M.B. Alliance!!!!

02-10-2016, 02:14 PM	#21
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 5,906	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration Ford allegedly opposed Motometers, saying they were unnecessary because "any fool can look out over the hood and see if the radiator is boiling over." I use Motometers because they look neat, though, but don't rely on them. __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

02-10-2016, 11:50 PM	#24
Marvin/TN Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chattanooga, TN area Posts: 832	Re: Additional gauges installed during restoration This has never had batteries in it as long as I have had it and I think that was back in about 1965. Going to guess it was for a V8 but don't know for sure. I would think a 12 volt power supply would work in it if in fact is is 12 volt. I knew the batteries were no longer made. I'll dig it out and have a look at it and maybe get a couple of PIC's