Monthly Feature     November 2000
 

Early Gasoline Gauges
(dipsticks)
 
 

I thought this months feature would be quick and easy .
I was wrong.

By the 1920's, automobiles were becoming an affordable luxury to many Canadians .
By far the most common were Model T Fords.
Canadian Oil Companies Ltd. was always on the lookout for a way to keep their name
in the public eye. What better way than to give out a free Gas Gauge ...  a pretty impressive name
 for a stick. For you youngsters , Model T's didn't have  optional gas gauges .Previously the driver
 would dip a stick into the tank . This vastly improved gauge was calibrated to the  size, shape and
capacity of the tank. Most Model T's  of the era had the gas tank under the front seat , and after dipping the tank , I imagine most gauges were thrown on the floor .
A great advertising gimmick to keep the company name within the drivers view.
I have shown  both sides of the two gauges from my collection .
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The darker  coloured gauge is the earlier  and is calibrated
for the Ford  "round " tank , used  until 1921 , I believe.
It also uses the older name  "White Rose Motor Gasoline"
and " En-Ar-Co NATIONAL Motor Oil ".

The lighter colour gauge  is calibrated for :
the Ford old round tank (pre 1921)
the Ford square tank (circa 1922)
and the "New " Ford Oval tank (1924)
This gauge shows En-Ar-Co Pressure Gun Grease , which  appeared in March 1926
I believe . The name "National" has been dropped from  the En-Ar-Co Motor Oil
as well as the  word "Motor" from the White Rose Gasoline .
************
 By 1926 most Model T's came with a gas tank in the cowl , just ahead of the windshield.
Being a different shape , I'm assuming another gauge would be necessary.
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Of course these could be used on other vehicles that did not have
a factory installed gauge , but were not calibrated  except in inches .
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 In trying to date these gas gauges  I was somewhat surprised and perplexed to notice
 that both use the slogan "Branches Throughout Canada" , a phrase that I had previously
believed appeared only after  the split from the american parent company in late 1938.
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