Series MM rev counter?!

[WPR678B]

I was wondering if anyone had seen one of these before? It has the same mountings as the MM speedo and is cable driven.
<br><br>
Maybe it was offered as an extra for those ALTA equipped MM's?

[mike.perry]

What an excellent bit of kit. Do you have a photo of the gearbox end of the cable drive? The fittings look the same as the speedo so maybe it replaced the speedo for circuit racing. Does it have perspex side panels for inst. lighting?

[Onne]

Nice gauge.. for the racing MM

[callyspoy]

chuck it in the glove box lid instead of the bull motif! bit impractical of course but different to having a clock or badge!!

[WPR678B]

What an excellent bit of kit. Do you have a photo ot the gearbox end of the cable drive? The fittings look the same as the speedo so maybe it replaced the speedo for circuit racing. Does it have perspex side panels for inst. lighting?

It does have the panels for illumination! I do not have the cable for it, when i said it is cable driven i was only saying that it was driven by a cable rather than electric <br><br>

[mike.perry]

Try fitting the speedo cable to it and revving the engine gently.
The original may have had a reduction gear which is why you don't want to over rev it just in case.

[WPR678B]

The speedo cable will not turn with an increase in engine revs unless the car is in motion
The drive for this would have been fitted to the rear of the dynamo i suspect

[mike.perry]

That's true, silly me.
I've seen a reduction gear for a mechanical rev counter years ago but I couldn't remember how it fitted.
I still think you could test the rev counter by swapping it with the speedo and driving slowly to see what happens, that's assuming it is geared to turn the same way as the speedo.

[WPR678B]

I know the rev counter works fine thanks to a cordless drill and the end of an old speedo cable i cut for testing such items
All i was wondering was if anyone could shed any light on its original fitment as it looks to be made for the MM dash!

[mike.perry]

**********************************************************
Comments from Graham Holt
1] MM Rev Counter: Confess that I have NOT seen one of these before.
Can only assume/ suggest that this item was perhaps introduced in the
1950's when there were quite a lot of MM's being used in Club Racing at
Home and Abroad - check out a few copies of Motoring mags from those days and you'll see what I mean. {Guess it would also fitted an early S11 - the mind boggles!]. As all road cars have had to have a speedo fitted for 'n' number of years, I believe that if this instrument was used instead of the speedo, then it would have been fitted only for use on racetrack - unless the speedo was retained and re-located elsewhere.
Certainly the likely position for the rev Counter would be, in front of
the (racing) driver = in the Speedo position. Would further suggest that
perhaps the "guts" of the rev counter were fitted to a standard Speedo
casing in order to save expense and this would explain why there is a
cable drive take-off in place. Can we find out if there are any elec
connections or wiring in place anywhere? Not sure of status ref method
of connection that would have been used in the 1950's for this item, ie,
mechanical from engine or electrical from ignition system. No doubt there
will be further comments from other contributors on this subject and will
look forward to seeing these, soonest. Maybe, it might be possible to
make contact with someone in the instrument repair business who may know about/remember instruments from the 1940's thro' to 1960's.

[WPR678B]

Thanks for posting that Mike
It does seem the most likely use, as a replacement for the speedo while on the track
Just for info, there are no electrical connections on the unit

[RobThomas]

I still have 3 Frogeye dynamos with the reduction drive on the back plus cables, gearboxes and even some revcounters.

Maybe cut apart a dashboard grille and set it in there?

[mike.perry]

Any chance of some photos of the frogeye parts, Rob?

[Judge]

I would have thought an hour glass more appropriate

[RobThomas]

OK. When I get back from my trip?
Lucas C39 PV2 (Extended drive) is the dynamo part number.
I could make up sets of the revcounters if anyone was seeeeeriously interested.

[oliver-morrisminor]

I don't know if this helps but I once saw these advertised on ebay.<br><br>

[mike.perry]

I like that setup. That would look really neat with all the right gauges in, I never use the ash tray anyway. I wonder who bought it.

[callyspoy]

that is the perfect place to put a rev counter! get a nice looking oil pressure gauge to put in the ashtray bit and put the fuel gauge in the vacated oil gauge hole. very pretty, i have been tempted to try making one myself, but i cant help but feel it would look naff!

[WPR678B]

I don't know if this helps but I once saw these advertised on ebay.<br><br>

That looks perfect for the job but if you look closely you can see the join where the piece on the left has been let in so probably a homemade set but perfect all the same. May have a go at making a set up as i have a *few* spare dash covers!!

[callyspoy]

why am i not suprised that you have a few spares??!! i have one spare, so i've got to do it right the first time!! do you have many of the dash centres kicking about?? i need to make yet anoter one but this time with 2 holes in it!