Model A gauges

trevorsworth

trevorsworth

Member
Hi guys... digging into the parts I received with my '30 pickup body. It came with a pretty nice dash cluster and all three gauges affixed to a late '31 (firewall shutoff) tank.

I think the dash itself is original... speedometer is nice... 90% sure the ammeter is just an old reproduction... not sure on the fuel gauge, might be reproduction, any input?

The speedometer isn't frozen up, but I am worried it may seize/wear out once I start running it. Can I service it somehow?
 

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That all looks pretty good, some oil like Franklin said...now how about some pics of the rest of the body
 
burner31 said:
That all looks pretty good, some oil like Franklin said...now how about some pics of the rest of the body
Click to expand...

Attached some... was somebody's yard art at one time but it's pretty solid. The bed is really nice, maybe one of the nicest A beds I've ever seen in terms of metal condition, still with its original hinges & chains, no rot, stress cracks, bends or even any major dents... came with a seat, some spare parts, rear fenders/splash guards/etc. Sitting on the '29 chassis that I had running & driving with a '30 coupe shell on it. The coupe body was pretty bad, needed more than I felt like I could handle, so I traded it for this truck, which as far as real work goes, really only needs a patch at the bottom of the cowl on the passenger side and a dent repair on the driver side... the rest is just bolting in the missing stuff.

Didn't get the doors with it but I figured 30-31 doors aren't that hard to come by. I got some 28-29 doors from the guy, hoping to either work out a straight across trade for the doors I need, or sell them for enough to cover them.

figment said:
The ammeter is a reproduction and the gas gage is original .
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'll get the gas gauge cleaned up and good as new.
 

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Speedometers are sort of like clocks. Do not use WD 40 because it will dry out and get sticky. Use a small eye dropper or hypodermic needle to lubricate each bearing. Be careful not to disturb the hair spring. Do not try to re set the odometer because it is complicated and can be broken if not careful. 3 in 1 oil or sewing machine oil works well.
 
Looks like speedo has never been open- still has the seal on it. Under the cable attachment is a small plug like thing. Gently lift it and apply some oil. There should be a piece of felt like material there to soak it up and then lubricate the speedo.
 
When rebuilding the gas gauge, use a modern brass float on the end of the wire. It will hold up longer than the cork replacements. The brass one also could figure out a way to fall off or who knows what from these modern fuels, but I think the brass is better since it follows the same idea as the brass float inside the carb. There are also new cork gaskets and fuel resistant paint to repaint the dial indicator.
I love the fuel gauge on the Model "A" one of the most simple ideas from Henry's team to modernize the Tin Lizzie.
 
Don't get carried away with the speedo. As long as you don't drop it, they are fairly durable. Sure a little sewing machine oil, but even that a little dab ll do ya.
 
A few parts are available for speedometers and at least one Model A club chapter has information on disassembly and repair that includes tools to fabricate. The magnet shaft likes to seize up on ones that have been exposed to the elements and it's a difficult task to free them without damage during disassembly. Installing decals is a process that takes a good bit of time and patience. The average overhaul price is around $225 to get one done so a person has to weigh their time value against farming it out.

Original ammeters are good to find in repairable condition. The reproductions are cheap and that is reflected by the poor quality of reproduction. They will get a person by but the originals are good to have. An original pop out switch is also a good thing to have since no good reproductions are out there. A person can get by with the replacement pieces that are available to make it look like original and I'm sure plenty of DIY guys go that route.
 
hay after this long the speedometer will need to be service and total clean. I get 160 to do them. let me know if you need that done. papanick
 
papanick did mine and it looked like it just came back from the Ford factory. Highly recommend. NOT something you can do easily by yourself.
 
The original Ford ammeters had a special nut on each terminal that held the inner works to the little round case. They were not a hex nut but round nut with slots for a special tool to engage them. They also had a different magnet inside to center the needle. This link shows all the basic parts that make up an original ammeter. The terminal insulators were good quality.
https://www.fordgarage.com/pages/ammetertool.htm

The ammeter in question is most likely an older reproduction part but I can't see it well enough to be able to tell for certain. The reproductions have been around for a lot longer then the original OEM parts in relation to how many years that they were produced. The late model T ammeters were made with the Ford script for a while but that likely stopped before model T production did. Repros have been made with and without the script for 50-years or better.
 
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