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conventional movement tensioned on a U-spring
aluminium, plastic, steel
This Car Forecaster Altimeter-Barometer, circa 1960, produced by Taylor and marked as model No. 2057-D, was designed for motorists, travellers, and touring enthusiasts who needed real-time indication of elevation changes while driving. The instrument uses an aneroid measuring capsule and visually displays ascent or descent above sea level on a large, easy-read scale — allowing the driver both to track terrain and to observe weather shifts through barometric trend.
The case is moulded in glossy, milky-white plastic, approximately 70 mm in diameter, with a thick bezel and radial knurling for grip. Mounting is done via the distinctive chrome-bracket-mount — a metal pin-type support that could be fixed to the dashboard or windshield ledge, positioning the instrument at an angle for optimal viewing. This made the altimeter resemble a miniature aircraft gauge inside a passenger car — a preserved example of 1950s–60s automotive-aviation aesthetics.
The dial, protected by a green-tinted plastic lens, is made of black-finished aluminium and carries a bold white scale from 0–10,000 ft with 200-ft divisions. The warm green filter reduces glare from strong sunlight — a meaningful feature inside a car cabin near the windshield. In the tail-fin-Cadillac and Jet-Age era, vivid colours were a marketing tool; the green tint also absorbed part of the UV spectrum, slowing the fading of lacquer and printed markings over time. The central steel pointer, painted white, is instantly readable against the black field — the layout was designed so the user could glance without taking eyes off the road for long.
The key feature is the ribbed rear calibration ring, engraved with barometric pressure in inches of mercury: 28–31 inHg. This serves as a pressure-setting reference, allowing the user to establish zero elevation relative to current atmospheric pressure at the starting point. Before use, the driver would set the ring to match local pressure (from weather report or household barometer), whereupon the pointer would indicate true elevation. As the car travelled, any rise or fall in terrain appeared immediately as movement of the pointer.
Thus the instrument worked in two distinct modes:
At the heart of the device is a conventional movement with an aneroid capsule tensioned against a U-shaped spring (rather than a C-spring found in many barometers); movement is transmitted to the pointer via a cord linkage.
In conclusion, this is a classic American road-altimeter of the mid-20th century — a functional hybrid of altimeter and barometer in which motoring culture and home meteorology meet within a single body. It is intuitive to use, visually striking, unmistakably “Taylor” in character, and historically valuable as a reminder of the era when even an automobile could serve as a personal weather station.
