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DIXCO HT/x Hood Tachometer - Manufacturer DIXSON Inc.
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Dixson Tach starts in May
1958 in Vashon Island
In May 1958,
Bruce E. Dixson
and his wife Louise co-founded a manufacturing company Dixson Inc. in
their garage on Vashon Island (Washington)
Bruce conceived a way to simplify the installation of
tachometers (instruments that display engine RPM on autos, boats and trucks) and
to expand their retail sales potential through a unique electronic system he
devised allowing a single model to be installed on a wide variety of vehicles.
In 1963 Bruce was buying electronic meter movements, key elements in his DIXCO
brand tachometers, from General Meters in Grand Junction. General Meters was in
financial difficulty and its board members convinced Bruce to move his operation
to Grand Junction and take over the failing meter company. Bruce hired trucks
that not only transported his manufacturing operation from Vashon, but also the
household goods of his employees who moved to Grand Junction with him.
Between 1963 and 1987 when it was sold, Dixson, Inc. was one of Mesa County's
largest employers, with over 450 people working at the 110,000 square foot
Orchard Mesa Plant at 287 27 Road and at a 36,000 square foot giftware
manufacturing facility at 304 West Main, Grand Junction. In addition to the
local operations, Dixson, Inc. owned manufacturing plants in Shawnee Mission,
Kansas, City of Industry, California and in Douglas, Arizona/Agua Preita,
Mexico.
The Dixson operation was acquired in 1995 by
AMETEK
Inc. and continues to manufacture instrumentation for trucks, busses and
other heavy-duty vehicles.
The "DIXCO" label in
Colorado was a recipe for success
In the early 1970s, Dixson developed a Hood
Tachometer and gave it the "DIXCO" label. The production of the Hood Tachometers
included numerous brands such as Mopar and Ford, which had offered the HT/x
models for all 69-70 Mustangs and Shelby in the Muscle Parts program.
A very special
version was the Yenko Hood Tachometer, for the Chevy NOVA Deuce. This tach could
be ordered from Yenko Sportscars Inc. in Canonsburg and was delivered with a
gray installation and operating manual (Instruction Booklet).
You find a lot of information’s about these very special Hood Tachometer,
described in the individual “Brand” sections with all facts and many pictures.
Special tachometer was developed from Dixson Inc. for VIP’s such as
Don
Garlits, Bill Hielscher and
Bob Perry.
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In
Memory Of
Bruce E. Dixson,
born November 26, 1917 in Jacksonville Florida, unfortunately died on
October 24, 2011 in Grand Junction (Colorado), at the age of 93.
In memory of his
great products, I dedicate this website to him. Thanks Bruce, for the
great Tachometers, which accompany us for a lifetime!
Read the biography, about
this great pioneer!
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