Dash Mounted "Auto-Lube" Device

My first car was a '55 Mercury Monterey 2 Door Hardtop. It came with a dash mounted ****on and plate that was labeled "Auto-Lube". Does anyone know if this was a factory gizmo or an aftermarket device? It looked for all the World to be Factory, but it was a long time ago...(1964)...Thanks....Centurion9

 

Do you know what it "lubed"?

 

It obviously lubed his "Auto". . .

 

Factory option.

My '57 Lincoln Premiere has the same.

Vacuum operated.

Push the ****on and the the system will grease the front suspension components via little plastic line running from a manifold under the hood to the ball joints and other "lubeable" parts.

I'm sure a few more of the "elders" here have run across them as well.

Never seen one actually working.

- RBR

 

The one on my '57 works.. well kinda!

 

Old
English cars like Rolls and Bentley had a Bijur self lube system. It pumped oil through little pipes to the king pins, shackles, and other points. There were always little puddles of oil under the cars so equipped.

 

Thank you to those older and wiser....It looked like a factory installed option, but I had no idea. Centurion9

 

I've seen an aftermarket manual version. A manifold mounted on the rad support with hard lines run to the suspension and the flexible line to where the grease ******s go. Oddly enough it was on a Mercury too albeit a 1970 Marquis.

You simple pumped grease into the ****** under the hood. I'm sure bleeding all the lines full of grease must have been fun!

 

Dad's '30 Packard had a Bijur self lubricating system. It worked great- pull the knob weekly and all the major joints got a shot of lube as you drove!

 

My '55 was my HS Graduation present and was MINT in 1964. It had the whole accessory catalogue thrown at it as well as Clear Plastic Seat Covers and a Shriner badge on the trunk when it was given to me. As soon as I got it, I threw the skirts away, tossed the hubcaps, and rattle canned a few Primer spots on the car where there was no rust, just to make it look like it was the property of a 17 year old....I was an idiot, but that was a very long time ago.
Here is a photo of a fellow HAMBers car that is EXACTLY what mine looked like the day I got it. Rust free and a great place to begin for a young car guy....

 

I've seen this on some Lincolns, come to think of it my newly purchased '60 Premiere may well have it, it's got Air and Cruise... But It's pretty uncommon to see on a Mercury.

These used a screw-in can of Lube that's under the hood. I've seen setups on the bay a few times. I do remember reading that an indicator light would come on when the car was due for a lube, I'd love to know how that light got tripped.. maybe off the speedo?

 

NOSR ones are sold under the name of Oil-Eye from memory. There is a fellow on E-bay that sells them. Can't think of his user ID though