Speedometers and Gauges

By Sean Elliott

Pictures and picture links thanks to Jon Rogers, Al Brass and Frank Berg

Which is correct for your jeep?

There are five known brands of speedometer found in the WW 2 jeep and these are Waltham, King Seeley, Stewart Warner, Autolite, MotoMeter . Within the brands are early and later types. While some of the information on this page is obtained from original manuals and documentation some has been obtained purely through observation and may be proven incorrect at a later date. All attempts have been made to keep this information as accurate as possible and as new information proving to be correct is found I will update the pages. Where exact dates are unknown I have used Early, Mid. and Late terms for the production times.

Early ……. Jan to April

Mid ………May to Aug

Late …….. Sept to Dec

Feb to March 1942

Stewart Warner or King Seeley speedometer with long needle.

Stewart Warner paint can lid Fuel (long needle), Oil, Amp and Temp gauges.

March 1942 to Jan 1943

Stewart Warner or King Seeley speedometer with long needle.

Stewart Warner Fuel (long needle) and Amp gauges. (block F at bottom of Amp face)

Stewart Warner or AutoLite Oil and Temp gauges.

Jan 1943 to April 1943

Stewart Warner or King Seeley speedometer with short needle.

Stewart Warner Fuel (long needle), Amp, Oil and Temp gauges.

(block F at bottom of Amp face)

Feb 1943 to Aug 1943

Stewart Warner or King Seeley speedometer with short needle.

Waltham speedometer with long needle.

Stewart Warner Fuel (long needle. short needle from April), Amp, Oil and Temp gauges.

(block F at bottom of Amp face)

Aug 1943 to April 1944

Stewart Warner, King Seeley or Waltham speedometer with short needle.

Stewart Warner Fuel (short needle), Amp, Oil and Temp gauges.

(block F at bottom of Amp face)

April 1944 to end of production

Stewart Warner, King Seeley or Waltham speedometer with short needle.

Stewart Warner Fuel (short needle), Amp, Oil and Temp gauges.

(block F or Stewart Warner 403398 made in USA at bottom of Amp face)

Ford GPW

Some early to mid 1942 script Gpw’s had 65 mph speedometers until the change was made to bring them in line with the MB speed limit of 60 mph. Some GPW’s as late as Mid. 1944 however still had Maximum 65 mph stamped data plates. My April 1944 GPW, being one of them.

I have only seen King Seeley speedometers with a 65 mph face and all of these have the early long needle. Both the King Seeley and Stewart Warner were used throughout production of the GPW.

WALTHAM

It is now a known fact that from late Feb. 1943 to end of production the Waltham speedometer was used in the GPW. This

information comes straight out of an original 1946 dated Waltham service manual.

While they were used from Feb 43 onwards they were not used exclusively and actually only seem to have been used in small numbers. The Waltham is a fairly rare speedo and not all that easy to find. It is also one of the better made speedos and the speedo I will be using in my 44 GPW restoration.

STEWART WARNER

There are two types of Stewart Warner speedometers used during 1942.

The first type S-W had larger black numbers on white wheels for the odometer and trip meter. The numbers and increment lines on the face are printed closer to the outer edge of the face and the model No. 400096 is printed at the top edge of the face. The trip meter reset arm is knurled at the end and does not have the screw on knob like the second type. This speedo was only used in very early 42. This type of Stewart Warner long needle were used with "paint can" gauges

The model number is printed on the back of the case along with the date of manufacture code.

The model number is 590 AD and the date code is a letter and number printed after that. The letter is the year and the number is the month.The fifth rib has been found on:
N2 - M9 - L11 - L6 - K7

The K4 (April 1942) in Navarre's photo only has FOUR ribs. I also have one like that with FOUR ribs that also has a K4 date code on it....this might indicate that between April and July 1942 the case design was changed.

590 AD K4 is 1942 April

590 AD L10 is 1943 October

590 AD M9 is 1944 September

590 AD N12 is 1945 December

Variations in cases 4 and 5 rib.

The second type S-W has smaller white numbers on black wheels and are a different font to the early type. The
numbers and increment lines on the face are printed further away from the outer edge or closer to the center of the face. These numbers on the face are squared off at the ends where the early type is rounded. The model number printed at the top edge of the face is 403261.

Both type S-W speedometers go to 60 mph only and the second type can have either the longer needle or the short half moon type needle. The longer needle version was used in early GPW’s till around Jan 43 while the shorter needle version being used till end of production.

KING SEELEY

There are three types of K-S speedometers. Early and Late production. The first very early 42 only type has a 65 mph face with the model No. KS-40363 BN printed at the top. The second type has a 60 mph face with the model No. KS-40363-C printed at the top. The third type also has a 60 mph face with the model No. KS-40363-N printed at the top. All three speedometers have white numbers on black wheels and all number fonts are the same.With the second and third types the early version up to Jan-Feb 43 has the long needle and the later 43 onwards ones have the short half moon needle. The King Seeley was more commonly found throughout production and is a well made speedo equal to the Waltham. King-Seeley were also fitted to Willys MB's

The second type has a 60 mph face with the model No. KS-40363-C printed at the top and either a long or short needle.

The third type also has 60 mph face with the model No. KS-40363-N printed at the top. All three speedometers have white numbers on black wheels and all number fonts are the same. The early type has the long needle. The mid type can have either the long needle or the short half moon needle. The late type has the half moon needle. The late type also has a different case to the other two. The case shape is the same but it has a screw on plate added to the back of it.

The AC was not a factory fitted speedometer and would be incorrect for a factory restoration. They were however used in other military vehicles of the time such as the DUKW and were often fitted to the jeep by service personnel as a replacement. The AC was used as a replacement for the non-incremented slat grill speedometers. They are therefore correct for a motor pool class restoration.

Brass bezel AC

FORD GAUGES

All Ford GPW gauges after the paint can lid style had a squarer steel bezel than the MB ones. The early and mid 1942 gauges had rubber seals and from late 1942 to end of production cork and paper seals were used due to the rubber shortage.

FUEL GAUGE

Two types of fuel gauge were used. Both are identical except for the needle. During 1942 a long straight needle was used which was square cut at the end. From Feb.1943 onwards the needle was shorter with a slightly rounded end. Both had Stewart Warner made in U.S.A printed around the bottom edge of the face.

Very Early Paint Can Lid ..................Early long needle ........................... Feb. 43 onwards short needle

AMPERES GAUGE

The amperes gauge is a 50-25-0-25-50 gauge with a long, straight, square end needle. It has a block F printed at the bottom of the face. The 30-15-0-15-30 amp gauge in the photo on the right is a S-W gauge and has Stewart Warner printed around the bottom edge of the face. The needle is also much shorter but it is yet to be proven whether or not this is a GPW gauge. The short needle AMP Gauge shown below may be a very late ( '45) gauge. The standard gauge is the Long Needle gauge shown on the lower right.

OIL GAUGE

The oil gauge is a 0 to 80 Psi gauge and has Stewart Warner made in U.S.A printed around the bottom edge of the face.

TEMPERATURE GAUGE

The temperature gauge is a 100 to 220 Deg. Gauge and has Stewart Warner made in U.S.A printed around the bottom edge of the face. It also has a flat steel binding around the capillary tube.

Click photo to enlarge

Ford "Paint can lid" style

These were used in very early GPW’s. The faces are identical to the later style with the exception of the Amp gauge which has Stewart Warner made in USA printed around the bottom of the face unlike the later Amp gauge which just had a block F. Evidence I have found seems to show these were only used in the early GPW’s with the MB type chassis.

Photos thanks to Ron Fitzpatrick of G503

Willys MB

The MB only used Autolite and Motometer-meter speedos.

The slat grill MB originally came with Autolite speedometers that did not have the increment lines between the numbers but the Ordnance Dept. later issued an order that these be replaced with incremented speedometers. This is why Slatties are often found with any of the six jeep speedos in them. Contrary to popular belief they did not come with Brass bezels.

After the Slat Grill all MB’s had Motometer speedos fitted, this is also true of King-Seeley which were also a standard fitting on MB's.

Both Autolite and Motormeter are 60 mph speedometers.

Autolite

The Autolite speedo was used in the Slat Grill MB only and is a different looking speedo to all the others. It has a bezel shaped the same as the Autolite gauges found in all MB’s, the number font is the same style as the gauges, the needle is thin and pointed and is the same shape as the gauge needles and the face did not have the 1 mph increment marks.

To the right is an original picture taken at Holabird testing facility and is the dash of MB-128875. It has a GAS gauge,
50 Amp gauge and the Autolite 2^nd style speedometer fitted. As can clearly be seen the odometer has less than 10 miles registered on it.

Moto-Meter

Moto-Meter speedometers were used throughout production of the MB jeep. There are two known types of Moto-meter speedometer. The first type was used throughout 1942 and early 1943. The indents around the cutouts for the odometer and trip meter are the same and the trip meter reset arm has a felt dust seal around it, which is held close to the case by the arm spring. The early ones had the long style needle.

The later type used from early 1943 onwards has an identical face to the early type except for the indent at the top of the trip meter cutout, which is much larger. The trip meter arm also has a knurled locking nut fitted to it, which locks the arm to prevent it from being pushed in to reset the trip meter. The later style needle is the shorter half moon style.

Early Long needle AC speedo

Late Short Needle AC Speedo

MB GAUGES

The MB gauges have a more rounded steel bezel than the square GPW ones. The early and mid 1942 gauges had rubber seals and from late 1942 to end of production cork and paper seals were used due to the rubber shortage.

Contrary to what some believe the Slat Grill MB did not have brass bezel gauges.

GAS & FUEL GAUGES

There are two types of MB fuel gauge. The first gauge has Gas printed at the bottom of the face and was used in the early slat grill MB. The second type was used in all MB’s after the slat grill and has Fuel printed at the bottom of the face. Both types have a pointed needle and E ¼ ½ ¾ F printed on the face.

AMPERES GAUGE

There are two types of amperes gauge. The first type is a 30-15-0-15-30 gauge and was used in the slat grill MB. The second type is a 50-25-0-25-50 type and was used in all MB’s including the slat grill from Jan. 42 onwards. Both gauges have a thin pointed needle.

OIL GAUGE

The oil gauge is a 0 to 80 psi gauge and has a thin pointed needle. Variations include larger attaching studs and bracket for Slat Grill jeeps.

TEMPERATURE GAUGE

The temperature gauge is a 100 to 220 deg. Gauge and has a thin pointed needle. The binding for the capillary tube for an MB is a coil spring wire.

TM 9-1829A Manual on Speedometers Tachometers and Recorders

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