I seem to have broken the tube on my temp gauge, so I need to solder and recharge it. The face is faded and peeling so I’m looking for a new “dead” gauge to fix and replace it with. I’m thinking they are the same as the 120’s and am hoping someone here might have an old dead gauge with a good face. If so, please let me know how much you need for it.
Wayne
Same guage was used in a number of cars (not exclusive to Jaguar). In the UK I sent mine off to an MG specialist who did a great reconditioning job and recalibrate after re gasing. They do sell off eBay. You need to check the correct temperature range printed on the dial and small code almost hidden by the bottom bezel.
MG Services Heathrow
Dropmore Road
Burnham
Bucks
SL1 8NE
Tel: 01628 290901
Contact: Ron Edmond mgheathrow@hotmail.com
Hi,
Yes, the MKIV and XK120 most likely used the same face, the MKV used the same gauge but different typeface on the front.
I have had mine repaired / restored by a guy in England called Steve Hunt, he only does those and windscreen wiper motors, mechanism and blades IIRC. No affiliations, just a happy customer. Last time I think the whole deal was £80GBP, plus postage obviously.
I think he’s also on e-bay UK.
Cheers!
Thanks guys for the contact info but I recharge temp gauges myself. I’ve done three for my 1930 and ‘31 Cadillacs and a dozen XK-120s.
I’m also helping a local Jaguar parts shop and restorer. He’s the one putting these gauges on eBay. I’m the one recharging them. I was just starting to restore my dash and noticed the temp gauge could use a new face. So if any one has a dead gauge with a decent face, I’m in need!
Wayne
Hi Wayne,
Cool. I was thinking of doing it myself as well, but thought that for the cost, especially if there was some other work and missing bits, it would not be worth the effort required. Besides even just getting your hands on some diethyl ether is not a piece of cake over here.
Have you also repaired / recharged old school thermostat bellows?
I kept my original one, although I love Ed’s mod that I did for my thermostat housing, now I use a regular Jaguar 4.2L XK engine thermostat and it works perfectly.
Cheers!
I haven’t had to try the bellows yet but I have restored those on 1930 Cadillacs.
Wayne, it’s a little confusing, do you have a '48 Mark IV or a '49 Mark V?
There was only one Mark V made in '48 for the show circuit and brochure pix, and it was probably titled as a '49 anyway when (if) it was sold.
Coincidentally I am restoring mine now, so here are some pix. The face with the squarish lettering is only on Mark V, different from all other Jags.
Rob,
The car came to me with a title showing ‘48. You or another member showed the body number to be a ‘49. Doesn’t matter to me. When I signed up here the first time, the site asked for year and model of the car so I put what was on my title. It doesn’t bother me enough to change the login info.
Wayne
I would be very interested to hear the process for recharging if you can spare the time to explain it.
Regards
David
Here is a description for recharging the temperature gauge ether. I wrote this for the News & Technical Bulletin of the Classic Jaguar Association somewhere around 2006.
Refilling the Temperature Gauge.pdf (399.4 KB)
Ill be damned! Always wondered how that was accomplished.
Thank you Roger - very much appreciated.
Regards
David
Hi,
Yes, I remember that. Very helpful, I was going to do it myself as well, but although I’m a bit cheap, I thought that £80 GBP + postage was good value, so I have taken with me three broken temp/oil pressure gauges to Stoneleigh spares day and given them to Steve Hunt for recondotioning and usually within a month I have received them well packed in the post office over here.
Cheers!
Hi,
Yes, that has always wondered me. I recently saw another English car, from ca 1946-1950 in auction, that had exactly the same typeface on the dials. Now I can’t remember if it was an Austin Vanden Plas or a Lea-Francis or something like that. I’ll try to find it again.
Cheers!
