I was looking at another thread regarding the building of a '32 5W and I noticed the dash had an air pressure gauge. I bought a cluster of gauges and it too had an air pressure gauge, perhaps for air brakes. However I can't figure out a use for a gauge like this other than air brakes... a need an education for their usefulness on a hot rod.
What about a presureized fuel system for racing. . You would of had a hand pump, which do come up on the HAMB cl***ifieds every now and again.
Yeah, I always wondered why you see so many air pressure gauges that go along with the normal dash gauges, like the two shown below. Those are from the 1950's. You'd think , if there was no use, Stewart-Warner would not have made so many of them. I suppose, if you wanted to get creative, you might be able to incorporate one if you were running air bags or, with a custom made quick release, you could have one that pops out of the gauge hole to check the tire air pressure. Hmmmm...I'm gonna have to think about that...start a new fad.
I don’t know about cars,,,,,but I remember using gauges like that in my dads old trucks . We had several old dump trucks with air brakes,,,,,sometimes the gauges were aftermarket instead of factory type . Tommy
I helped a friend with back problems build a seat for his hot rod. Used a bottom seat and lumbar support air bladders from a commercial truck inserted into the seat foam. The traditional hot rod had no air source, and he was not interested in having a small manually filled tank and using a seat fill valve. So the seat had a schrader valve and was plumbed to a dash air gauge to monitor the inflation to adjust ride. With minimal connections leak down was not a big issue and nothing looked out of place looking at the seat.
Well so far I'm still thinking air brakes. Air bags on a Custom yeah but seat air bladders I don't think so. Once you set the seat pressure I'm sure it would not have to be monitored. The quest continues...
Quite common for railroad employees/enthusiasts to have locomotive air horns or steam whistles under the hood and run from a truck brake compressor. They work best around 100 psi. A steam whistle run on air works good around 250 psi. Nothing like the sound of a 5 chime Leslie horn.
Air horn/whistle makes the most sense. They weren't likely to have air brakes/suspension. Makes for good conversation.
A couple of Dad’s 45-50 ft boats had engine mounted compressors for the air horns, Mostly used in the fog. At least one had SW gauges, including the air gauge.
I have seen air pressure gauges on big trucks with air tag axles, like cement, garbage, and heavy haul trucks
May be from a firetruck? they have lots of gauges mounted on their control panels on the outside of the trucks, I have a Stewart warner water pressure gauge that came from a firetruck
More gauges in the dash just make it more impressive. Sent from my Nokia 2.3 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hello, There were air pressure gauges in larger trucks if they had what we called air brakes. But, later on we found out they were releasing a compression valve in the cylinders to slow the motor down in a quick response action. Even large busses, like the school busses had a red lever to release the “air pressure” out of the motor. Compression release was a way to slow down those huge vehicles as well as using the brakes. In cars, they can be used for a number of things. In 1964, Chevy came out with a cool looking El Camino. It had the looks of a sedan with the station wagon portion of the top taken off and now it was a pickup truck. A regular p***enger car interior and everything, plus the addition of a nice area for storage, work tools or motorcycles. When the load was put in the back, those people with the stock set up of the valve in the behind the seat panel had no way to gauge how much air was needed for a level ride. Behind the seats was a little air inlet valve and cap. The line ran back underneath the car to the two factory air shocks. For the first few times, the gas station air hoses were used to raise the air shocks to what level was necessary. If one loaded the El Camino bed first, the air shocks by themselves, were not that strong enough to keep the bed level. It sank like a lowrider. If one put air in the shocks with an empty bed, the El Camino looked like a stink bug ready for some action. Plus, the ride back to your house or garage was bumpy and the car swayed at times. I finally found a store that had this black air pressure gauge with the “T” section in the back. The “T” allowed the gauge to be put anywhere in the air line, but it was best placed directly under the metal tray behind the seats. That way, it was out of normal sight, but you could see it clearly when filling up the air shocks without moving the seats forward. When I sold the 65 El Camino in 1976, the new owner did not want the gauge as he had something else planned. So, it sits in the garage drawer standing at the ready for anything. Comparing this air gauge to those of the Stewart-Warner gauges, they are the same as they measure air pressure. But this one has color markers built in to warn the owner that the air in the shocks is too low, ok, close to maximum, and the final red of danger, over filled. Jnaki So, air pressure gauge does have some usefulness. With the modern air bag systems and accessories, one could use the air pressure gauges for just about anything. Or have the gauge tied in to an automatic air compressor to fill the shocks to the correct levels at anytime. If one of the original air shocks had a normal exit of air for a long time span, then one might be stuck out in the desert with an odd looking lowered El Camino with motorcycles or camping gear in the back. The air compressor being built in would then be called upon to raise the empty air shock. The color pattern on the air pressure gauge would help in any situation. Are these colorful air gauges still around and who sells them, today?
I never heard of this being on an El Camino; it must have been aftermarket. I would think the El Camino was no more likely to come from the factory with that setup, anymore than the wagon from which it was made, but maybe I missed something. I never owned one, but my dad did, as well as my best friend. Neither ever mentioned it.
"I finally found a store that had this black air pressure gauge with the “T” section in the back. The “T” allowed the gauge to be put anywhere in the air line, but it was best placed directly under the metal tray behind the seats. That way, it was out of normal sight, but you could see it clearly when filling up the air shocks without moving the seats forward." Hello, If this air pressure gauge was from the factory as stock, it would have solved plenty of blow outs and blown seals on the factory air shocks. Most were from too much air pressure and some were not enough and were squashed to death with the overloads. Factory supplied, stock, 1965 El Camino air shock valve inlet, behind the p***enger seating area. We had some hilarious adventures of the factory air shocks before I bought the air gauge, specially made for the new 1964-65 El Caminos. It was almost an everyday episode for those that owned the 64-65 El Caminos. Too much air after the load was emptied, but couldn't let the air out, due to needing the air help in a couple of hours, etc. If the load was too heavy without the air in the shocks, the El Camino was a stink bug in reverse. "Nose in the air" silliness...somewhat like those off topic "gas coupes in the air" scenes. Jnaki There were definitely factory air shocks in 64-65 El Caminos. The air gauge as pictured was an accessory non-factory item from a speed shop in Long Beach a while back. They helped tremendously. Now, there are other accessory options with built-in compressors to add in the needed air when necessary. So, no more odd ball adventures with raised up rear sections or extremely squashed rears. YRMV If my wife and I would purchase an old 65 Chevelle Station Wagon, the first thing added would be those types of air infused shocks for the rear to compensate for heavy loads in the rear section. But, there would also be a built in compressor hidden in the rear compartment for the necessary air whenever we needed it. The newer air pressure gauges would still work, but not have the color warnings. One would have to learn the correct pressure for each of the loads.
Many many years ago , I don’t think there was such a thing as a boost gauge , maybe for boost , but you better look out if she hits the 100 mark ! I’m suspecting , truck brake or trailer brake system
Well so far "I can't get no satisfaction" as to the traditional aspect of my query but I appreciate the responses. I have a great story about my Dad's '69 LTD 390 two barrel with air shocks and a friend who bragged a little too much about his '71 Challenger 383 four barrel but that's not for this forum (but he did sell his car about a month later due to embarr***ment!).
Maybe as a truth meter for the guy standing next to your car telling you about a 32 5 window he once had....hot air or not.
My Dads Pete’s had two, main tank pressure and operating pressure. Both 150 PSI gauges. Had another 25 PSI gauge to set the anaroid? Valve on the turbos. No gauges for the air seat or cab or the bags. Just set the lever for the feel or height and it’d self correct I can’t see a reason for one in a car I only had two vehicles with air shocks, but don’t recall ever needing more than 30 PSI in the F100 I had, but never hauled a lot in anyways.
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