I Can't Remember Ever Seeing Anything Similar to This

[George Cole]

 

The 'Iter Avto', the 1930's version of a GPS. Developed by Touring Club Italiano, this device was more like a “map guidance tool” and came with a set of paper maps. It was tethered to the car’s speedometer that kept the scrolling of the map in proportion to the speed of the car.

[George Cole]

 

How about a Road Yacht RV at a London exhibition in 1927.

[George Cole]

 

Or a flying saucer gas station in 1979.

[George Cole]

 

1910 Philadelphia street light maintenance vehicle.  

[TAKerry]

Looks like no. 3 is needed to get to the fill hoses of no. 2 !  Cool pics.  

I was at a stop of the cannonball motorcycle race a few years ago and all of the riders had a paper scroll 'guidance' system mounted to the handlebars similar to no. 1. I dont think they were calibrated to the speedo though.

[Leif in Calif]

2 hours ago, George Cole said:

 

The 'Iter Avto', the 1930's version of a GPS. Developed by Touring Club Italiano, this device was more like a “map guidance tool” and came with a set of paper maps. It was tethered to the car’s speedometer that kept the scrolling of the map in proportion to the speed of the car.

I remember when AAA would produce a map like this for you if you spoke to them before going on vacation! 

[Paul Dobbin]

In the early Great American Races I saw guys tape the pages of instructions together and roll them thru a thing like that.   Wayne Stanfield who drove and navibated a 1936 Harley Davidson used that system in the Ottowa to Mexico City Race and finished 2nd or third.   I'm sure he learned that the same place TAKerry did.

[DrData]

A device similar to the Iter Avto was used by Denis Jenkinson who was Stirling Moss’ navigator in the 1955 Mille Miglia. Instead of a map, there were detailed notes that Jenkison read off to Moss, regarding turns, road conditions, etc. Moss set the record for the Mille on that run.

[TAKerry]

8 hours ago, George Cole said:

 

The 'Iter Avto', the 1930's version of a GPS. Developed by Touring Club Italiano, this device was more like a “map guidance tool” and came with a set of paper maps. It was tethered to the car’s speedometer that kept the scrolling of the map in proportion to the speed of the car.

I suppose this system is ok going North to South, vice versa, but how about East West? 😮

[joe_padavano]

5 hours ago, Leif in Calif said:

I remember when AAA would produce a map like this for you if you spoke to them before going on vacation! 

AAA TripTiks

 

 

[8E45E]

2 hours ago, TAKerry said:

I suppose this system is ok going North to South, vice versa, but how about East West? 😮

They were individual map rolls for each major highway, such as the Motorways in England which there were printed scroll maps of in the early days.  One predetermined the mapped route they were going to drive, set the scroll at the mileage point they were going to enter the Motorway, and loaded it into the self-scrolling device before departing.  Upon entering the Motorway, one had to remember to switch it on so it could do its thing.  It didn't matter if the route was north-south or east-west.  Each scroll map was specific to that particular highway.

 

Craig

[joe_padavano]

26 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

They were individual map rolls for each major highway, such as the Motorways in England which there were printed scroll maps of in the early days.  One predetermined the mapped route they were going to drive, set the scroll at the mileage point they were going to enter the Motorway, and loaded it into the self-scrolling device before departing.  Upon entering the Motorway, one had to remember to switch it on so it could do its thing.  It didn't matter if the route was north-south or east-west.  Each scroll map was specific to that particular highway.

 

Craig

 

And more to the point, it scrolled in the direction that you were driving, so compass direction was irrelevant.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

8 hours ago, TAKerry said:

I suppose this system is ok going North to South, vice versa, but how about East West? 😮

Sorry, you can't get there from here.

[Frank DuVal]

Articles on these early "GPS" devices were in Skinned Knuckles magazine. There were nuggets of information there I have not seen elsewhere. Like John Moody"s explanation of how the simple AC fuel pump works. 99% of the people who discuss fuel pump issues do not know how they work.

[M1842]

On 10/3/2022 at 10:03 AM, Leif in Calif said:

I remember when AAA would produce a map like this for you if you spoke to them before going on vacation! 

My parents always got the AAA Triptik before leaving on a car trip!

[joe_padavano]

1 hour ago, Frank DuVal said:

99% of the people who discuss fuel pump issues do not know how they work.

99% of people who discuss any car issues (ESPECIALLY on line) have no idea how they work or how to troubleshoot.