The tradition of calling the front panel with the simple term “torpedo” came from the times of our grandfathers. Old motorists easily use it in everyday life, as well as during repair work. The name “torpedo” also entered the unofficial use of engineers. Manufacturers of spare parts are also not afraid to use it to name a variety of plastic products for decorating the cabin. For old Zhiguli cars of various series there were a series of tuning packages, the central element of which was the so-called Euro-torpedo. However, not every engineer can answer the question of where this term came from.
Why can’t you attach icons, gadgets and other items to the steering wheel and dashboard? More details
Why did the front panel become a “torpedo”?
Of course, there is nothing in common between a real torpedo and a dashboard in a vehicle, but still, such concepts have long been ingrained in everyday life. And if you say “torpedo,” the driver immediately understands that we are talking about using the front instrument panel. But the name came from the name of a German company, which was previously engaged in the manufacture of those very front instrument panels. In those days, the company was called Torpedo, which is where the non-standard name actually came from.
This is interesting: What is included in the Volkswagen concern
Why is the front panel of a car called a “torpedo”?
Special names and terms adopted in some narrow environment are often bizarre and strange. Even the logic explaining a particular name may be incomprehensible to an uninitiated person. There are such concepts among motorists. So, the front panel is called a “torpedo”. Why this name?
We can start with the fact that in ancient automotive antiquity (about a hundred years ago), the French called many sports cars “torpille”, that is, “torpedo”; cars then often had the corresponding shape. Thanks to this body, driving performance was improved and speed increased. However, this does not yet explain why the name “torpedo” spread to the front panel of the car.
Historical features
The instrument panel in a vehicle is an important component of comfortable vehicle control to obtain reliability, convenience and technical advantages. And initially the Torpedo company was engaged in the manufacture of front panels for cars, so now the consumer can count on ideal quality, practicality, reliability and, accordingly, the quality of operating features.
Among the important aspects of manufacturing front panels, it is worth noting that a wide range of different technologies and materials are available. Torpedoes in a vehicle are important components of normal operation, therefore, regardless of what the device is called, it must be reliable and of high quality in terms of its performance.
A correctly selected torpedo for equipping a vehicle is a guarantee of reliability, practicality, functionality and convenience in work terms. It is also important that a torpedo is a device with special technical parts, so it is important to pay close attention to maintenance in order to prevent any technical breakdowns and malfunctions. And that is why it is worth consulting with specialists, if necessary, to receive valuable answers to questions in this automotive matter.
How to restore a car dashboard with your own hands?
A torpedo in a car is damaged as a result of an accident, from constant contact with the hands of the driver and passengers, or from various objects that are carelessly thrown at it. If the front panel of the car has lost its appearance, it can be replaced or restored. These parts are expensive at salvage yards and in stores; moreover, it is not always possible to select suitable components for older car models. There are several methods used to restore the instrument panel with your own hands, let's look at them and dwell in detail on the most popular option - painting.
Torpedo
Torpedo or torpedo?
Just don’t ask Spartak fans with this question. Jokes are jokes, and the unusual jargon has caught on well. Today they call it the front panel of a car. But many people don’t know how to pronounce the word correctly. However, in Dmitry Ushakov’s Explanatory Dictionary the word “torpedo” means the same as “torpedo” in the sense of “a cigar-shaped car with an open body.” The fact is that at the time when Dmitry Nikolaevich was working on the dictionary (1935–1940), the “dashboard” was not yet associated with the front panel of the car. This happened a little later. In the middle of the last century, the German company Torpedo was engaged in the production of devices for cars. Over time, “torpedo” became a household name. At first, this was the name given to instrument panels, and later to the entire front panel. So the submarine’s self-propelled combat projectile, the torpedo, has nothing to do with the front panel.
Cockpit
About the term
Today it is a very common situation when the name of a brand is used to designate certain things. For example, sweatpants are often called “adiks,” instant noodles are called “doshik,” and all baby diapers are called “pampers.” Probably everyone can remember a lot of similar examples.
If we return to the car panel, the designation comes from the name of the German brand Torpedo, which appeared in the middle of the last century. As you might guess, he was engaged in the production of various sensors, modules and devices for automobile panels.
@namonitore.ru
Most manufacturers put a company logo or their name on their products. The German company Torpedo did the same. At that time, many cars were equipped with a dashboard that bore the manufacturer's name on it. It is not surprising that over time this word was “imprinted” in the minds of drivers, and they simply began to use it to name this element of the interior.
Cockpit
The English word "cockpit" appeared in the 16th century and originally meant a cockfighting arena. Later, this name began to be given to the enclosed but open space on a sea vessel where the helmsman was located, probably due to its similar configuration to a cockfighting arena. Subsequently, the term migrated to aviation and the automotive industry, in particular to motorsport. Today, the cockpit has become synonymous with the cockpit.
Oars
Manual window lifter (paddle)
Over time, this jargon began to be forgotten, but just a couple of decades ago there were oars in every car. But not so that they can be used to row them to the shore if the car suddenly falls from the bridge into the river. This is what the handles of mechanical window lifters were called. Although many of today's car enthusiasts have never seen such handles. Cars these days are usually equipped with electric windows, while manual ones can only be found in basic versions of budget models.
Tie
This is interesting: How to remove the front bumper
Functions and purpose
The driver communicates with the car through the dashboard. Its main function is to inform about the main indicators while driving: fuel level and consumption, speed, engine speed, battery charge and more.
As a rule, it is located directly in front of the driver, slightly below eye level. In some models, individual instruments are located in the middle of the center console.
Car dashboard
A modern instrument panel is a unit that combines a number of instrumentation, warning and control lamps, as well as an on-board computer. On average, there are about ten devices on it. A larger number of them will only distract the driver, and a smaller number will have a detrimental effect on the information content.
Kenguryatnik
A kenguryatnik is a tubular structure that is hung in front or behind the car to protect body elements and optics from mechanical damage. Once upon a time, American farmers attached gates to their pickup trucks to disperse livestock. The Russian-language version of the term “kenguryatnik” or “kengurin” came from Australia, where similar designs “roo bar” (literally translated “kangaroo bars”) were hung by truckers to protect the vehicle from animals crossing the road. In particular, from the kangaroo, common in Australia. Today, the kenguryatnik has turned into a fashion accessory and is more often used for decorative purposes and for tuning. As a result of the struggle for the safety of pedestrians, amendments were made to the “Technical Regulations on the Safety of Wheeled Vehicles” that greatly limit the use of such a design.
Overdrive
Why is the front panel of a car called “dashboard”
Did you like the article? Follow our channel for new ideas of useful car tips. Subscribe to us in Yandex.Zen. Subscribe.
Torpedo tube or torpedo attack are phrases that have long been used in military interpretations, but if we talk about a car, then a torpedo is an instrument panel where everything is conveniently and practically located. But still, many people wonder what exactly a torpedo is in a car, and what specific features can be highlighted here for the practical performance of work tasks.
The front panel in a vehicle is a simple and accessible concept that does not require a detailed description, but from active motorists you can hear different descriptions: torpedo, dashboard, and so on. But what became the basis for the appearance of such a non-standard name?
Overdrive
Overdrive is an overdrive gear with a gear ratio below one. Once upon a time, this term implied the use of an additional gearbox in a gearbox. Today this is the designation for the highest level in an automatic transmission. However, this term is becoming increasingly rare. The last time I saw the O/D (Overdrive) button was next to the selector of the Jatco four-speed automatic transmission, which is installed on Datsun cars. When pressed, the highest fourth gear was disabled.
Poker/stirrer
Poker/stirrer
Since we are talking about the gearbox, it is appropriate to remember what the lever of this very gearbox is called in automotive jargon. In common people it is called a poker, for its external resemblance, or a stirrer. The second is more often applied to mechanics, when the lever has to be moved frequently during switching, as if stirring something with a spoon in a cup. You can also often hear about a “handle” or a “stick”.
Automotive words that we have forgotten
Photo: from the author’s archives
Sea mine and instruments
When figuring out the origin of the term, the simplest thing is to associate this popular name with a sea elongated self-propelled mine. This is exactly what the panel of the Zhiguli supposedly looked like if you removed it from the car and looked at it from the side. However, as it seems, the connection between them is very strained.
In addition, assumptions are made that this part of the car interior began to be called this way due to its resemblance to the “Torpedo” body, which was used in sports cars of the 20-30s of the last century. These machines really resembled a naval underwater projectile. But even here there is a tension.
In fact, the dashboard received its nickname in Russian for a completely different reason. The fact is that our grandfathers, motorists, before and during the war had to meet foreign cars of German and French brands. In addition, after the Great Patriotic War, a flood of captured equipment, both trucks and passenger cars, poured into the USSR. There were often devices from the German company Torpedo, which were used on the assembly line of many brands. They were installed as an assembly not above the steering console, as now, but between the driver and front passenger. The first domestic NAMI cars also used imported instrument panels, just like the products of the Gorky auto giant. Soviet Fords were equipped with a metal dashboard.
Lizi tin, black, 15 million and other facts about Ford cars Read more
The speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, as well as indicators for oil pressure, battery charge and other analog analogue devices occupied most of the front space in the cabin of the vintage car. These massive panels had the name of the manufacturer and supplier Torpedo engraved on the back side, which could be read when the entire panel was removed. The products of this company were so widespread that they were found in many cars and became so familiar to mechanics that they became a household name. Much later, the same thing happened with the names “Bendix”, “Xerox”, “Kärcher”, etc.
Do-it-yourself methods for repairing a car dashboard
Self-recovery of a torpedo is carried out in one of three ways:
- Painting a torpedo with your own hands.
- You can cover the car dashboard with polyvinyl chloride film. The advantages of vinyl finishing include a wide selection of textures and colors of PVC films, their wear resistance and strength. The disadvantage of this method is that not all polymers that are used to make dashboards form good adhesion to polyvinyl chloride, so after some time the film peels off from the surface.
- Reupholstering the instrument panel with leather is an expensive finishing method. Leather (natural or artificial) is a durable, wear-resistant material that makes the interior luxurious. Reupholstering a torpedo with your own hands requires experience from the performer, since working with leather has many nuances. In order not to spoil expensive material, it is better to entrust this robot to an experienced craftsman.
A popular way to independently restore the appearance is to paint the dashboard, so let’s look at it in more detail.
Signal and control lamps
These signals are designed to alert the driver about various malfunctions or, conversely, about the correct operation of vehicle systems. Warning lamps also signal the activation of various functions (all-wheel drive, lights, etc.). Most designations have a common standard. Also, when some signals are triggered, sound sounds are also given.
Indicator and warning lamps are illuminated in different colors:
- red;
- yellow;
- green;
- blue
Some types of control and warning lamps
Each color informs about the level of malfunction or simply about the operation of the system at the moment. Typically, red indicates a serious problem. Yellow color warns the driver about a problem. For example, low tire pressure, worn brake pads, an open fuel tank cap, and much more. You cannot ignore red and yellow signals; you must immediately contact service or fix the problem yourself.
Color coding
The dashboard tells the car enthusiast what is happening with the internal mechanisms of the car. Lighting performs an informational function using different colors.
Common colors: red, yellow and green. They are similar to traffic light signals, both in color and meaning. Red indicates potential danger. It can also convey an important reminder that requires immediate action and attention. Therefore, as soon as the driver sees this color, the vehicle must be stopped immediately.
Yellow lights on the dashboard icons usually mean urgent repairs or service are needed. The driver should act with caution upon detecting these signals.
Green (sometimes blue) panel lights usually indicate that the system is turned on and functioning normally. The flashing panel warning light is used to communicate the urgency of action related to the system referenced by the sensor.
The car owner should study the owner's manual for his car to find out the meaning of each specific light indicator in the dashboard. This will help him respond instantly to an emergency situation.
