Jimmymac & Alistair's Monocoque Cars
- Thread starter JIMMYMAC
- Start date
Beautiful james
That's a good photo of the red bezel on the gauge. I remember reading a while back on here that it was possible to paint the inside of the gauges to make them look like the originals. That does not seem to be the case with the CAV gauge. What were the Smiths gauges like? similar with the red bit in a similar way? it is a cut out in the housing with red plastic in it?
JimmyMac
Lifetime Supporter
Ryan
The original CAV ammeter had a metal case and a calibration button on the front lens like the one above.
The case internals of the 4" Smiths gauges were painted with a red segment over white.
The other 2" diameter gauges were experimental and made by Smiths Competition in Cricklewood, London and were not painted red but had a red plastic filter ring inside the bezel twixt the dial and the front glass. This filter material was a patented cellulose sheet trademarked "Celastoid" which was popular for all sorts at the time.
The Smiths cases were backlit so usually solid with no perforations for external lighting unlike the early Healeys or Lotus cars.
Lotus also used a blue Celastoid on earlier cars.
Lotus gauge
The original CAV ammeter had a metal case and a calibration button on the front lens like the one above.
The case internals of the 4" Smiths gauges were painted with a red segment over white.
The other 2" diameter gauges were experimental and made by Smiths Competition in Cricklewood, London and were not painted red but had a red plastic filter ring inside the bezel twixt the dial and the front glass. This filter material was a patented cellulose sheet trademarked "Celastoid" which was popular for all sorts at the time.
The Smiths cases were backlit so usually solid with no perforations for external lighting unlike the early Healeys or Lotus cars.
Lotus also used a blue Celastoid on earlier cars.
Lotus gauge
JimmyMac
Lifetime Supporter
Ryan
The backlit bulb was internal. to the case. On other cars lighting was provided using a ring attachment to the case for a bulb holder.
This was not used on the GT40 as far as I know.
Here is an old photo of some of my gauges showing the rear bulb holder. (the tacho has been replaced since)
The backlit bulb was internal. to the case. On other cars lighting was provided using a ring attachment to the case for a bulb holder.
This was not used on the GT40 as far as I know.
Here is an old photo of some of my gauges showing the rear bulb holder. (the tacho has been replaced since)
Like a silly sod I took the red inserts out of mine about 20 years ago because the illumination wasn’t bright enough.
Davidmgbv8
Supporter
So my CAV ampere gauge is a plastic body. One pole has a black dot and one has a red dot. Which wire goes to each pole?
Thanks
David
Thanks
David
Apologies for the thread-drift Jimmy…
David, most people have disconnected their amp gauges altogether as they are a huge fire hazard. In their place has been substituted Volt meters.
An expanded scale will give you more useful information. Using this scale it will be difficlut to tell the difference between 12.2V and 12.6V- a big difference in the state of charge in your battery.
Davidmgbv8
Supporter
Good info, was reluctant to run a heavy wire to this and back to every thing else.
Davidmgbv8
Supporter
Who does the conversion? Any good gauge restorer?
JimmyMac
Lifetime Supporter
Google is your friend
Try Bob McMullen in Texas
Link below :
Davidmgbv8
Supporter
Thanks, tried the googe but they just kept showing me changing gauges in dash boards...
