Early Mk.I* "TL13F", CB180

[Nech]

Question for the experts please: I am in the hunt for the original dashboard instruments. They're all gone, perhaps the speedo would be repairable. Maybe.

Are there any rules for the manner which instruments were british and which were canadian made in those very early carriers? I wish to source the instruments, which were originally in my carrier when it was produced in 3/1941.

I can't vouch for the originality of my dashboard, but the speedo is Canadian Mk.I, the oil pressure gauge is (british?) Smiths, the temperature gauge is missing (should be british, don't know the manufacturer?) and I have a strong feeling the ammeter was replaced sometime later for the Ford ones.

The unusuall steel horn button seems very original (but I can always be wrong), and the all steel ignition box - I am sorry, but my knowledges are not so deep in this. Is it british, or the canadian type?

Thanks!

[RichardT10829]

Canadian mk1 speedo.... I have replacement dial faces for those..... early Canadian Mk1 ammeter. The oil gauge I do not recognise though

[Nech]

I am slowly getting deeper in this and it seems that the original gauges were as follows:

SPEEDO - original canadian MK.I*
IGNITION BOX - CAV British made
OIL PRESSURE - SMITHS British made (4 screws)
TEMPERATURE GAUGE - A.R.I.C. British made (4 screws)
AMMETER - a bit mystery: I'd presume the British CAV ammeter (3 screws) but I have 6 screws holes in the dashboard.

So IF my speedo was really originally fitted and it is not a later replacement, the rest of the dashboard seems to be for the early 41 carrier completely british made.

[Lynn Eades]

The first Canadian carriers were built with British components. That is why you see pictures of the early Canadian carriers with British style head lights. The Ammeter was most likely a white faced CAV one.
If I remember correctly the first carriers from Canada were built to fill a British order (for British use)

[Nech]

Thanks Lynn,

so.. is it possible this early dashboard was completely British? Even the speedo? I am in the hunt for the CAV lights for some time now but they are very rare to source.

Cheers!

[RichardT10829]

you need to remember through its service that things would have been changed or upgraded etc etc. if you pull the Canadian speedometer out you will notice a notch cut into the dash panel, this is for the slightly larger British speedometer.

if its Canadian built you would not be wrong to use the current ammeter and speedometer... you will need to change the oil gauge and water temp though.

[eddy8men]

i have hull cb 874 and all my instruments were british, also the steering box and headlights

[Lynn Eades]

Nech, to be 100% correct you will need to go by the serial number. it will take you to the contract, and the contract was built to a specification. Can one of you Canadian guys come in with the numbers of those Brit spec. first contract carriers (again)