1957 Buick - Right place for Compass?

Hi guy's!

Couple of years ago when the recession was on top, I was lucky to get hold of a NOS Buick Dinsmore Compass.

Now, the compass is installed at the centre of the top dashboard, and suddenly I started to think about the right place for it. In some ad's, and the accessories brochure it is up at the mirror. The compass is wired to light up together with the headlights. Now -is there any strict rules or should I say "correct" place for it?

Just found this post. BTW: There was a special mounting clip for this Buick Accessories Compass which allowed it to be mounted up and off main screw for the windshield mirror. Just saying if you want to be on the money correct. I did not know about the the compass having a wire loom hookup as one would be hard to find any power existing at the mirror. Perhaps the instructions came with your NOS mirror and instruct you to run a wire lead behind the windshield molding pieces? Nice find.

Am I correct that this car, like my 1962 Olds, does NOT have a speedometer needle? It looks similar to my Safety Spectrum (rolling ribbon) speedo.

It is a rolling drum speedo.

David!

Thanks for your information - precise as always. I will check the instructions, but I am pretty sure that the compass came with one bracket (not the one you describe), and a small antimagnetic screwdriver for adjustment. Now, I learned that Dinsmore might have had two different types (?) one with wire, and one with battery. See attached pricelist Compass, today they normally goes for 5-850.00 on EBay!. I also have a NOS GM Northstar Compass produced in Mexico Indiana from the same period late 50s to mid 60s, and its powered by battery as well. I don't know how long this period with compass in cars lasted, but it seems like that in the late 60s it started to fade out. Anyone?

Real Nice Dealer Chart … I believe the compass you have is one I have seen in many a early sixties cadillacs for sure and accommodated the lighting features with the headlight switch. I have never seen this your red one attached to a Buick of this vintage and I have been around 57 Buicks since 1963. With that said, there were various after market supply markets for compasses. This fad begun to fade out by the mid 1960's as dash and windshield design begun to change as well.

The compass that came out of the dealers 1957 Accessories book is what I was referring to above. It is an overall black compass with a red triangle bearing and mounts to the mirror stem at windshield molding and uses the flange piece of which I referred to.

As seen below this compass does not light up and is the only one buickman is aware of that was a correct Buick Dealer Accessories item for 1957.

Thanks David!

You might be right, I have to check. Was pretty sure this had the right part number as well. The Red aftermarket one says in the instructons "fits all GM model's between 1957 and 1963. The box has a Texaco pricetag underneath dated 1962.

Well it may be true about it fitting as many after market units were designed to fit the cars of their any given era. Gas stations sold a lot of accessories and this may have been marketed through Mobil or like companies. These after market units and accessories are in the end just that. These items for the most part work well as designed and are just fine. Your unit is a nice compass but not exactly period correct.

For pedigree status, one must go to the top of the food chain and adhere to obtaining "Approved" Buick accessories for your era such as the compass depicted above.

Hi guys!

Took a while to get the absolutely right one - but finally! Stuff like this costs a shirt and a arm. However, as always it was announced as a Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile... item

Had to save it for rainy day one a remote muddy country road without a modern GPS!

Cool.