Kienzle, Jaeger and Smiths. Why 3 brands?

ewokracing

ewokracing

Active Member
Hi guys

my V8 series 2 has had a stuck odometer ever since I've started driving it, along with a dead clock. I bought a spare instrument cluster off tvr-V8 recently to have a bit of a play around with the spare cluster in the hope of fixing the odometer and clock on mine. When I flipped over my spare cluster, it's got Smiths printed all over it. From what I understand, Jaeger (which is the distant grandfather of Jaeger Le Coulture, the current day clothing/watch brand?) made instruments for Smiths - is that right?
What I don't get is why there is a Kienzle clock, surely Smiths or Jaeger could have supplied one, but apparently Kienzle clocks were all the rage in British cars in the 60's? (I think the AC 428 Frau models had them?)

Anyway, simple question, why all the brand swapping when they could have gone with one simple supplier...?

oh and are Smiths gauges made in the UK at all? I want a guage for the trans fluid temp that isn't made in China (or Pakistan or Taiwan etc)
 
Hello Geoff,

The instruments are branded "British Jaeger" on the fronts, while the sender for the fuel tank and the oil pressure transmitter are both made by Smiths. I do have some brand new gauges which are packed in Smiths boxes. The heater is also made by Smiths.

I don't know how a car manufacturer like Rover chose one instrument maker over another, whether it was by tender or by another means. Certainly in most organisations, such selection is through the tender process.

My aftermarket gauges for engine oil temperature and Voltage are both from VDO. I fitted them over 20 years ago, so they may well have been made in Germany at that time.

Ron.
 
I'm pretty sure Smiths and Jaeger were, at the minimum, in colaboration at that time. I'd guess Rover simply chose the most upmarket name to go on the front...

Chris
 
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