Dash Chronograph/Stopwatch Set- Vintage

I'm thinking of adding a set to the passenger side of the Morgan 3 Wheeler. The Heuer Master-Time looks the goods, but the price for just the chronometer is dear, and I want something that has been professionally serviced so that I'm not looking for a watchmaker after I buy. I've seen some Smiths and Hanhart (the latter I know little about).
I'm not a heavy hitter on watches- yeah, I wear a Panny with a date (I get confused with the PAM model numbers) and a vintage Rolex, a vintage Cartier and a few other odd pieces here and there (including a brass Smiths speedo that must have come from a pre-WWI vehicle the damn thing is so heavy).
So, what say you, time piece mavens of fine automobilia?

 

The basic timepieces are easy (I forget which one does what on a 2 mount vs. a 3 mount. What mounting assembly are you planning on?

 

Good question, a plate mount where I can remove the timepieces and lock them in the storage compartment. How I attach the plate to the dash is another matter since if I drill into it, that's pretty much the ball game for that dash piece unless when I sell the vehicle, I do so with the time pieces as well. I haven't really crossed that bridge but have to give it more thought.

 

They have these four piece spring clips that turn pocket watches into wristwatches. Get a piece of stainless or aluminum, polish then engine turn it and mount those clips to it. It will give you the look and flexibility on how you mount it to the dash and what timepieces you use. If you decide you like it enough to do something permanent. It's either two 60 minute timers or a timer and basically a pocket watch or two timers and a pocket watch. Given that it's a Morgan, get a couple of WWII surplus Elgin timers one white dial and one black dial and you're good to go.

Otherwise, just go on ebay and buy a rally timer set, rig up a Velcro attachment and call it a day. I'm not sure of your budget but they really don't seem that costly.

If you decide to butcher you dash, I'd do something cooler, like and aircraft clock. Here's a LeCoultre: https://www.ebay.com/itm/286347894599?_skw=aircraft+clocks&itmmeta=01JZC942DA5TKJP9K369E0TJBH&hash=item42abaa1f47:g:7J0AAOSw5Wtnt9A0&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dirhveRkgKAspDLNiT8r3kSB4tH6FbqesGsXZ%2FbrzoZ72tpU3V8tRJxkULo4blimrh00j2MCCoek2D2xbkJq00iMG67TK2ugHDw3LbEMfdoQESSe%2F0KNpiQEhyOeSi%2B0UZStkJ7am3h9qdIo5IoqII%2BHDoZqn%2B%2FafglpVKj%2BuBe0ipMj931i%2BluLuI%2FcRa9th48QK97Whkt%2B6Yx90MdPaeWoduuvepl%2BOG2WlQMZk06NTcz%2Bn0qNrR0HGf1kStKgReHGzF2ypEGxEksiY8Ugazkb4Y%2BCYkjSCYKaRWmfIrnw%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_imkIn7ZQ

 

Yep, we are on the same page. I reached out to one vendor on eBay who seems to specialize in the two piece sets and can furnish different backing plates- some have been professionally gone over and he has a return policy. Getting watches fixed today isn't as easy as it once was-- I found that I had to send several to Richemont in Houston for complete overhauls- they simply don't make parts available to independent watch-makers any more for the newer stuff. As to vintage, I like how you think- I have several pieces of aviation instrumentation that I bought years ago when I was restoring a pre-war car. Thanks for the tip on Elgin. I'll look into those as well. Appreciated!

 

If you like the Elgins, Rich (Walnut) and I have a little 'project' going and we may be able to come up with something. Bear in mind, they are historically interesting but smaller and less flashy than the stuff you normally see. Post 764 of Rich's 'horology and me' (in Silver) shows what the white dialed ones look like.

Personally, I'd stick with the basics, get a more common brand and then send them out for overhaul - there several 'old school' shops still running.

Regards,

Art S.

 

Fascinating- that's a pretty deep thread and beyond the post you identified I want to read through more of it. I grew up around antique clocks- my father was quite handy at restoration but any serious mechanical timing mechanism work went to a clockmakers-- those folks I remember visiting, creating parts for things that probably dated to the late 18th or early 19th century (many were French "wag" pendulum clocks but they had quite a few so it's not unfamiliar turf to me in a general sense). This was in the 1960s.
I guess the other question for me is one of aesthetics- not so much whether to spend but what I want the end result to look like. The dash is very simple, modern if you've seen a Super3, so I have that decision, superficial as it sounds, to make as well.
Your input has been very helpful in forcing me to decide what I want to do with this, which is only one small facet of adding things to the vehicle (Beeline Moto II, some USB ports, lockable storage, tonneau and a fair list of other parts are either at the shop or now en route). I hope to do as much of the mod/accessory work at one time so the vehicle is not tied up on repeated trips.
(Also figuring out how to carry a spare on the rear, unmounted and covered, which should not be a big deal, just a lot of little details to get "right").
My thanks, @ArtS.
What's your background in this?

 

The aesthetics was really my point but I probably wasn't succinct. I agree with that being the priority - it should speak to you!

The aesthetics of the spare on a three wheeler always bothered me. I look forward seeing your solution.

If you like the old stuff go here, you may be entertained: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/english-verge-fusee-pocketwatches-service-and-repair.659956/

My background in this is purely hobbyist, it is a more reasonable scale than my other hobby of restoring historic bridges (mostly iron truss bridges)... :^)

Regards,

Art S.

 

Yeah, restoring iron truss bridges is something one just dabbles in; I came from Pittsburgh, famous for its bridges. I cannot fathom that as an avocation! I'll look at that link, thank you, Art S.

 

That's a story unto itself, which I've hinted at but haven't really gone into detail on this site. It started as a solution to a problem and became a passion. Interestingly, it shares many similarities to watchmaking except, of course, scale. Someday, I'll humor those that have asked and create a thread on the subject.

I've saved four in PA, so far, but not quite of the size of the big ones in Pittsburgh.

There are some neat ones in Texas, both abandoned and preserved, but the farthest south I've gotten involved is TN. A friend did the Piano Bridge in Fayette Co., TX a bit more than a decade ago.

Regards,

Art S.

 

Were there other vintage manufacturers besides Heuer? When I was doing a search, I found these. But this is new not vintage. Review of the Baltic Tour Auto Chronograph and Dash Timer Set

 

Good catch, a little pricey for what this car is (Morgan Super 3), IWC used to make a set too. I'm still not sure about the aesthetic. I'd like a black face and there are some vintage ones that have been professionally serviced- still looking though. Thank you for this.
PS: in answer to your question, yes, in fact the one piece in the Baltic said it had a Hanhart movement, which was a recognized brand. And there are others. @ArtS mentioned Elgin, and also some aviation clocks, which were made by a number of companies. I think the British Smiths quit the auto timing devices, spun off into avionics and sold that division. I'm still on a learning curve here.

 

Just a curious search and came across these... no affiliations, promoting and/or connections to the sellers.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/146637824627?itmmeta=01JZR169GP27WN3F4DD5768S80&hash=item22244ba273:g:hFMAAOSwgVRoRzM-
https://www.ebay.com/itm/146683728357?itmmeta=01JZR169GPADZ1HE3JADTZQC4W&hash=item22270811e5:g:4-IAAOSwv79nwgcA

If you haven't looked, check out the Morgan Talk site.
https://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/584467/all/another-rally-timer-sorry
https://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/565165/all/%27Vintage%27_Rally_timer_-_home_b

 

Thnx. Bought a Smiths set black faces 8 day clock and stopwatch on black steel plate professionally serviced coming from England will post a photo when home.
The mount shown on the Talk Morgan site is superb. I joined that site. More info about the V twin than the Super but still a good resource especially being in the states where Morgan know how is scarce and geographically limited.

 

Here's a screen grab of what I bought, now en route:
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