[wilf leek]

No such thing as "real" or "original" Smiths guages any more - the company just does not exist.
Any new gauge bought called "Smiths" is actually manufactured by Caerbont Industries in Wales - they bought the rights/tooling etc.
I have a suspicion, if not actually any hard factual evidence to back it up, that "Autometer" guages may be made by the same company??? Not sure.

Anyhows - even tho' I am english, I am not about to wave any flags about the "Prince of Darkness", I have sorted out enough electrical faults by the roadside in my time, but here's a couple or three thoughts anyway -

1/ if we insist on using 1950's and 60's technology in our instruments, can we really evince surprise when they behave exactly like a 1950's/60's item?

2/ Mr Fixit - you really cannot blame your guages for the fact that poor routing lead to an electrical short onto the capilliary tube.
That one, at least, is not down to the instrument.

3/ if you guys think that english cars had poor electrics, then you have obviously never dealt with an Italian motorbike or scooter. Now there is a challenge - even for a Brit used to his own cars!

have fun now.