Re: Gages on back of front seat?!

Posted by 58L8134 On 2016/9/5 8:12:52

Hi Garrett

Other than a clock, the only luxury cars that were fitted with rear seat gauges such as speedometer usually had custom coach-built bodies.

A well-known example was the first Duesenberg J Torpedo dual-cowl phaeton by Brunn, designed by Gordon Beuhrig, ordered with a rear seat speedometer, mostly intended to impress passengers with the performance capabilities of the Duesenberg.

The other reason to have a rear seat speedometer was for the dowager to monitor the chauffeur's handling of the motorcar. The two Marmon Sixteen seven passenger touring by Waterhouse order by the Rockefeller family used the cars to tour their estate grounds. Apparently the 20 mph demanded drove the chauffeurs crazy, they fudged the gearing for the rear seat speedometer a bit to show the required mph while travelling faster.... Ah, the peculiarities of the wealthy aristocracy.

Steve