Hi friends can anyone advise on usefullness of a calormeter and if a good idea,would a smooth or wreath embossed one be right for my 1931 Opal

Thanks Stephen.

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Stephen,

Certainly a good idea, very nearly a necessity and do keep an eye on it.

I favour the plain bezel myself.

Mike

I got rid of mine, kept looking at it and wondering if the water was to hot or cold etc. If you have no water leaks and you check the water level each time you go out, there shuld be no need for one.

They look pretty though, but this one, from the USA is perhaps a little over the top, although the owner thought it was cute!!!!

I don't use photobucket as favoured by Mike Whittome, but managed to get www.imageshack.us to work using their 'hotlink to websites'.




Sandy

Oh yes, the radiator cowl.....

The car was transferred from India to USA, the cowl is cobbled together, just like that advert for a - memory's gone, was it a Citreon?

Sandy

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Sandy,

It takes all sorts.

Seriously, Photobucket was the first one that I tried, I seem to remember after someone else had pointed to it. Having climbed the learning curve I have stuck there. There are many others.


Mike

Is that not a moto meter rather than a calormeter? (In my limited knowledge I thought the calormeter was a swinging arrow and the motometer was a thermometer type thing.

I have bought a pair of original moto meters off ebay this year for less than £30 each. Both work fine, don't worry if the fluid is all the way up the tube, a quick flick soon sorts it out. (See past posts on moto meters for more info.)

The trick being to NOT put Austin in the search terms as that seems to double the price! Also try a few variations on spelling, you might just find a bargain.

You want the Moto Meter Gem model the one in the photo is a larger model.

The Gemm is also known as the Junior in America.

A note of warning though, don't drop them like I did with my replica one, they are fragile!

Stephen, to answer your original question, Boyce Motometers were made by ‘The Meter Company, Inc. Long Island, New York, USA and in England by’ The Benjamin Electric Company Ltd, Brantwood Works in London.
They each made a number of variations to the theme; the smallest model made for small cars was called the ‘Gem’ model in England and the ‘Midget’ in America.
The American version was a much lighter affair when compared to its English counterpart, the English one being 7/8” from front to back while the American example was around 5/8”, both the glass and the meter itself made up the extra thickness in the English example.
I have never seen a period advert for a Gem model offered with laurel leaf rings, they are always shown as being plain nickel plated.
All of the repros are based on the thinner American Midget model and are offered with both plain and laurel leaf rings.
The American manufactures of the day seemed to indorse the Motometer by allowing them to produce models with their names on them, it seems to be mostly these that have the leaf pattern rings.
It is interesting to note that in the USA a ‘Boyce Motometer Lite’ was also offered by the company, this was a heavy nickel plated ornament with an acorn finial on the top, fitted with Red and Green jewels to each side and a thick bulls eye lens to the front to throw a beam of light on to the Motometer at night. This was fitted on the scuttle at the center of the windscreen. The acorn was removable in order that you could fit an ornament of your own choice! So I would say plain rings would be more authentic.

Austin, The ‘Junior’ in America was advertised as being for ‘popular priced passenger cars’ while the ‘Midget’ was ‘intended for use on small cars’. In England the ‘Gem’ was sold as ‘suitable for light cars’

Can anyone advise on the fitting of the said item to the different rad caps ?

Mike

Ebonite-drill a hole .Bayonet fixing -I think a special cap was available.

Thanks fellow Austineers,plenty to think about.

Stephen.

Ooops, yes I had the swinging needle, just like the Morris minor (pre-war) type.

Sandy

1931 OPAL???

Yes Ian I agree sounds like a PD not an Opal???

Thought you might like to see a pic of the gismo that throws a beam on to the Motometer,it is second from the left on the leaflet.

I must admit that I find one quite comforting as a know if the engine is starting to overheat although I prefer the Wilmot-Breedon type with clock type hand that indicates between cold, normal and hot. It is important though to occasionally test it in boiling water to ensure that it does not stick on "normal" all the time. Apart from their usefulness, they also look nice to look at. I have fitted mine with an anti theft device after hearing of an incident at a public show where one was stolen.
Regards
Brian

My mistake it could be a PD, 2 seat,squared back with spare wheel mounted and chrome rad. surround. I have not met many austin seven owners in Northern Ireland where I live hence the need to quiz the Forum fron time to time.

Stephen

I have a 32 Austin 2 seater which I thought was an "opal" but have since been corrected.
4 speed gear box. 2 bearing crank, Fairly fast. sloped back with the spare on the back. Does this sound like yours.
Photo with no top

Pat

Thanks Pat, mine is the same only green with black mudgards, I do not have a hood or hood frame but had a tonaeu cover made which works well,also there are 5 military 17" wheels fitted maybe not original, as seem to be quite a few parts. However I enjoy useing it and have not shown it.
Thanks again Stephen.