# Early forms of dash mounted coolant temp guages **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/early-forms-of-dash-mounted-coolant-temp-guages/111460 "2018-01-19T01:50:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/early-forms-of-dash-mounted-coolant-temp-guages/111460/1 "2018-01-19T01:50:40Z")
Another thread here covered early versions of fuel gauges. After reading an article about a DKW Auto Union 1000 , I got to wondering about early forms of engine coolant temperature gauges. That car appeared to use a an ordinary mercury thermometer for that function, mounted vertically on the dashboard. Presumably the coolant was routed past the bulb somehow on the other side of the firewall. I think that car was made in the late 1950’s. Anybody know of earlier dashboard coolant temp gauges? It’s a pretty nice looking car imo, see below. ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/f/f7b159c8dd84bb4dcd71fff410279a0ae262abd0.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/early-forms-of-dash-mounted-coolant-temp-guages/111460/2 "2018-01-19T02:26:24Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > It’s a pretty nice looking car imo, see below. That is a beauty! I love the individuality you have in the designs of the older cars that have gotten lost for aerodynamics and better fuel economy ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/early-forms-of-dash-mounted-coolant-temp-guages/111460/3 "2018-01-19T02:51:53Z")
I love it. I too appreciate the aeronautic designs tried in cars of this vintage. Re: the temp gage, they aren’t dash mounted, and they predate me, but I seem to recall seeing photos of temp gages mounted directly onto the radiators (visible from the driver’s seat) on very early cars. I just tried unsuccessfully to find one to post, but I know some existed. Perhaps someone with a better search engine can have more success finding a photo? ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 5:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/early-forms-of-dash-mounted-coolant-temp-guages/111460/4 "2018-01-19T05:00:10Z")
The aftermarket temp gauges that replaced the radiator cap that I have seen were called Moto-Meters, they came in many designs, some branded for specific cars. There may have been other makes but I haven’t heard of them. Sorry, I don’t know how to post things from other sights. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/early-forms-of-dash-mounted-coolant-temp-guages/111460/5 "2018-01-19T15:44:28Z")
Thanks, my friend. I just now found a link to the gages I was thinking of. They go way back in time. [https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?\_nkw=antique+radiator+gauge](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=antique+radiator+gauge) ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/early-forms-of-dash-mounted-coolant-temp-guages/111460/6 "2018-01-23T02:13:50Z")
I took another look at that DKW Auto Union 100 article, especially the dashboard photos, and what I thought was the coolant temp gauge I think now is really just the speedometer. It’s unusual as it is oriented vertically, so it sort of looks like a thermometer. But the numbers are more what a speedometer would read.