Interested Dash information

Wick

Wick

Well-known member
Ever wonder what this was on the Dash?
I've collected 3 so far.
The answer is in the 2nd picture.
 

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Hmmm, a flame so close to a possibly leaking fuel gauge. Not that a flash of flame would be likely to cause a serious fire but it could give the driver or passenger a fright.
 
The very first Model A I looked at to buy in 1966 (a 1931 Coupe) in answer to my classified ad in a local newspaper had a similar black, splotchy pattern over the instrument panel's ribs. The older person selling the car explained that traveling salesmen in the day would strike matches over the ribs to light their smokes. I was skeptical (at the age of 17 already!) and thought he was just trying to explain away a weak selling point in his car. I was told the same thing many times later over the years, so I guess the old codger had been right back in '66. 'Still didn't buy the car, though. I ended up with a different 1931 Coupe as my first Model A, whose instrument panel had been spraypainted silver - probably to hide the black, splotchy pattern on the panel's face. :)
Marshall
 
In 58 I had a Zippo. Much easier than wooden matches. I filled it with Avgas from the wheel well quick drain in Navy Super Connie’s I still have it but have no need to use it.
 
I knew the answer!! This one I have was a heavy match user!!
 

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That's interesting.

What could possibly go wrong lighting a match on a gas tank that is leaking.:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
Wick, those are the wrong kind of matches. One would have to use the "strike anywhere" kind that had two colors on the tips. I am not sure if they are available anymore.

Regarding leaking tanks: In the 60's while driving my 30 coupe home from college, I stopped at a gas station in a rural part of California. I was curious about the burned gas station (back then gas stations could be of wood construction). The man there told me that a Model A had caused the fire when a faulty ignition switch ignited the leak from the fuel tank.
 
I knew the matches were wrong, all I had to use for demonstration purposes.
The gas guage probably didn't leak much in the 30s-40s, Then zippo lighters became popular.
I will go to Ace and get some real matches, I thought they were gone.
 
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