A GDYNETS®
PUBLICATION
Car Collector
Chronicles
© 2011, G. DAVID
YAROS. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.
Volume IV, Issue 3 Car Collector Chronicles
Exploring:
 Car Collecting Today The Ride That Got Away—NOT
 Classic Rides When in California, in January,
I spoke with my nephew regard-
 Reports From the Field
ing his ride. It is a ‘57 Bug,
 Oldsmobile (1897-2004)
originally owned by his father.
It has been through many con-
 Cadillac (1902- ) figurations during its lifetime.
He recently regained possession
 Allanté (1987-1993) of it, after it had been stolen
and gone for a number of years.
 Corvair (1960-1969)
While the current possessor
did have a title for the car, my
nephew was able to convince
law enforcement to seize the
car as stolen property. But only
after brining his title and a one-
off tool (setscrew driver) he
IN THIS ISSUE: fabricated himself to install the
semaphore turn signal arms.
Here is another true story,
also emanating from California:
The Ride That 1 When our son was old enough
Got Away-NOT to drive, we promised him a
used car to drive to school. He
found a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air
GDYNets 1 at a used car dealer. It was
On the Web about 50% restored and some-
thing my wife and I could afford.
He drove the car through high
MotoMeters 2
GDYNets® on the Web
Kennedy Ambu- 4
lance at B-J
Find GDYNets on the web:
CCC® -THE FORUM
Coming Next 4
Issue http://ccc.activeboard.com
Car Collector Chronicles-scribd
Photos 5 Saved 62 - 1962 Olds web site
http://www.freewebs.com/
jeandaveyaros
The Gray Lady - 1955 Cadillac
CCC® Forum Coupé de Ville web site
EMail:
OldsD88@gmail.com
®
March 2011
school, then he married. His
wife then drove the car to her
work at a supermarket.
One night the car was hot-
wired and stolen. The highway
patrol called about a week later,
stating the car was found aban-
doned on the freeway about
100 miles away. Whoever stole
the car obviously wasn’t familiar
with old cars and where to put
in the gas. The trunk held a
toolbox and 5 gals. of gas. Entry
to the trunk had been gained by
removal of the rear seat. The
toolbox was missing, but the gas
can was still there, full. The
idiots could not find the gas
tank fill-tube!
This last story comes from
Kansas: A couple were selling he carried the key with him for 10 +
off their car collection due to years. Sure enough, while out driving
age. It included the first vehicle one day he spotted it. It was now a
the husband had ever pur- different color and a bit rusty, but the
chased; in this case it happened owner knew his ride when he saw it.
to be a pickup truck. As luck He walked up to the truck, unlocked
would have it, the truck was the door and started it up! He drove
stolen. The owner was so cer- it home and re-asserted his right of
tain he would see it again, that ownership.
SAVED 62: A website devoted DAVE’S DEN: A website de-
to our 1962 Oldsmobile Dy- voted to a myriad of interests.
namic 88 convertible. The site Foremost is extensive informa-
also has a lot of information on tion on the “Steel City” of Gary,
Oldsmobiles and its founder, IN. There are also offerings on
Ransom Eli Olds. steel making, U.S. Steel-Gary
Works, U.S. Marine Corps, M14
THE GRAY LADY: This web-
assault rifle, of course Oldsmo-
site features our 1955 Cadillac
bile, and the tragic story of the
Coupé de Ville and Caddy in-
murder of Gary, IN Police Lt.
formation.
George Yaros.
Car Collector Chronicles Page 2

MOTOMETERS

In the February issue I included a picture of a

1912 Oldsmobile Limited MotoMeter. Having
broached the subject, at least photographically,
I thought it may prove interesting to take a look
at this device, and the company?

The first question has to be, just what the

heck is a MotoMeter? What do they do? Why were they used? Why
are they not used today? All logical questions.

The simplest explanation for what is a MotoMeter is that it was an af-

“… [A] ter-market combination temperature sensing device and gauge, among
Motometer is other things. We shall get to the “among other things” later.
… an after- The company was founded in 1912 by George H. Townsend. It was
market based in Long Island, New York. Eventually, it also had manufacturing
facilities in Europe. It continued to operate, from 1912 through 1934. At
combination that point, it merged with the Electric Autolite Co. of LaCrosse, WI.
temperature Electric Autolite still exists today. We know it simply as Autolite.
sensing Certain automobile engineering traits were common to early 20th cen-
device and tury vehicles. Radiators were integral to the exterior design. Engines
did not have fans, water pumps or thermostats. Engine coolant, in this
gauge, ‘among case water, circulated as a result of thermosiphoning.
other things’.”
If you are like me, on seeing this word, you are probably asking what
is “thermosiphoning”? The dictionary states it is a means whereby cool-
ant is circulated by convection, caused by a difference in density be-
tween the hot and cold portions of the liquid,

With none of the cooling system features common today, maintaining

engine operating temperature was of critical importance. Enter Harrison
Hulbert Boyce. He is the actual inventor of the MotoMeter (http://
www.freepatentsonline.com/1451527.pdf). Eventually, he sold the manufacturing
and marketing rights to George Townsend. At all times Boyce was vigi-
lant in the preservation of his patent rights. He sued more than one en-
tity for patent infringement. For these reasons, at all times the device
bore the name of, and was known as, the “Boyce MotoMeter.”

So what is it, and what does it do? It is a temperature gauge,

mounted in a radiator cap. What it does is measure the engine tem-
perature. Notice, I said “engine” temperature, not water. That is be-
cause what is measured is not the temperature of the coolant (water).
Car Collector Chronicles Page 3

Rather, the temperature of the water vapor is what was actually meas-
ured. The gauge provided readings of Low, Average and Hot. It also
provided warnings that a low temp uses gas inefficiently, and that a sud-
den rise in temperature necessitates immediate investigation.

The gauge came in a number of models; Senior, Junior, Midget and

Universal. Some models provided the capability of being illuminated to
ease use for night time driving.

The gauge worked quite well. Millions of units were sold. The prob-
lem with the gauge was that on many cars of the day, the radiator cap
was so distant from the driver seat that it was, shall we say, a bit difficult
to read!

What brought about the demise of the MotoMeter? There was nothing
inherently wrong with the gauge at all. The simple fact is, automotive
design advanced to the point that the radiator was no longer a promi-
nent feature of vehicle exteriors. Radiators became invisible, being “Among the
placed under the hood, rendering the MotoMeter useless.
‘other things’
Early on, mention was made of the MotoMeter being a gauge, “among it
other things.” Among the ‘other things’ it encompassed was becoming a
encompassed
hood ornament and a vehicle nameplate. Auto manufacturers wanted
their name and/or logo prominent on the front of their cars. Townsend was becoming
was more than willing to accommodate them. After all, being willing to
a hood
do so put money in his pocket. Consequently, one sees MotoMeters
bearing Cadillac, Duesenberg, Packard, Studebaker, you-name-it, ornament and
shields and script on the front sight glass.
a vehicle
In order to facilitate easy removal of the gauge/radiator cap, Town- nameplate.”
send hit upon the idea of putting dog bone handles at the base. These
subsequently morphed into wings and other decorative designs. With
this transformation from functional handles to exotic design, the hood
ornament as a work of art was born.

In studying the photo at the beginning of this discussion, one will no-
tice a chain and bar attached to this MotoMeter. It served a very practi-
cal purpose, combating thievery. The bar and chain performed sort of a
locking function in that it impeded the quick and simple removal of the
MotoMeter from one’s car. The more things change, the more they stay
the same, don’t they?

MotoMeters are anything but a rarity. In late January of 2011, I was

able to call up 3 pages of listings for the gauges on ebay™. Prices
range from a low of less than $25, to far in excess of $300.
Car Collector Chronicles Page 4;;

MotoMeters are still able to be serviced. Parts are available, as well as replicas. Res-
toration Supply, Inc., (http://ww.RestorationStuff.com) is the go-to organization to contact for
such needs.

On the photo page of this issue you will find depictions of the Boyce MotoMeter.

KENNEDY AMBULANCE AT B-J

Having read about, and watched the Barrett-Jackson explanation for, the Navy ambu-
lance that allegedly carted JFK’s casket from Air Force One in D.C. in 1963, I have to
wonder why B-J did not reject the vehicle from its catalog? It seems that to have in-
cluded it did more harm than good to its corporate reputation/image?

I was most impressed with the fact that the purported letter of authenticity from some
Rear Admiral, who could/should know, came from some guy who retired from the Navy
in 1961! How would this person know or be able to verify anything that transpired two
years after his departure from the service?

Any one with familiarity of Navy ambulances, and I am one because of my service in
the Marine Corps, knows they were never painted the words “U.S. Navy” on the side. It
was, would have been, and should be, “US Navy,” without the periods.

Perhaps most telling was the alleged Navy data plate screwed onto the glove box
door? It was larger than, and contained far more lines for vehicle info than the those ac-
tually used by the Navy. The Navy data plate found on the B-J listed vehicle is a stock
item that is able to be purchased in blank on ebay™!

Discretion being the better part of valor, B-J would have been wise to reject this
consignment, as it apparently did previously, in 2009. The resulting stained reputation
will end up costing far more than the $21,600 in commissions realized on the $120,000
sale.

Ok, I’ve had my say for the month. Now its your turn! I invite/encourage submission of
your comments, opinions and contributions, and ask that you help spread the word
about our pub. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissions should
be sent to CCC® at OldsD88@gmail.com.

Now that you have finished reading this month’s issue of our pub, come start/join an
ongoing dialog between other CCC® readers and like-minded car collector folk on the
CCC® Forum. Stop by, check us out and share your views … .
_______________________________________
-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM!
COMING NEXT ISSUE:
 A True One Owner
 The Spirit of Ecstasy
 Olds Crest (Deciphered)
Car Collector Chronicles Page 5;