Technical Horn/ horns a often overlooked item on a hot rod

I'm guilty of not installing a horn on my old beater for more than 30 years, when I bought the original car it had the original Spartan horn mounted on the drivers side front fender below the headlight bar but I chose not to use it because it just didn't fit my idea of a hot rod.

Over the years there has been times I wish I had installed one because the middle finger is often unseen and not near as effective, so last year when I was installing a interior and adding some creature comforts I decided this would be the ideal time to add a horn.

My first thought was to use the original Spartan horn that had accumulated three decades of dust but then again it just didn't fit my idea of a hot rod, so the hunt was on, I dug through a swap meet box and there was a couple of horn's, both were big and ugly and then it occurred to me that years ago when I was building HD panhead's and they had pretty unique small round horns.

Knowing that finding a old 65 to 70 year old Motorcycle horn would be pricey and after perusing ebay looking for that special part the reality set in that these things are now rare and expensive.

I then found a new aftermarket chrome horn, I took it apart and sandblaster the chrome and painted it black, exactly what I was looking for, I could easily mount it in the firewall,

Small & simple and loud enough to be heard. HRP

 

After 30 years, it doesn't make enough noise

 

one of the reasons I like Drag Week is that as part of the tech inspection, they check for the horn being operational. So my Drag Week cars all have working horns.

the other ones, not so much. But I did get an old horn working on the T before I sold it.

 

My car has two huge trumpets that mount on the bottom of the hood. Talk about loud! I guess big, expensive car, big horns! Of course they are 6volt + ground hooked up to 12 volt - ground, so I don't just lay down on them for fear of burning them up. Just a short bump is enough to get attention! They may actually be louder than my semi truck air horn, and for sure sound better.

 

I have a habit of mounting aftermarket 12V Aaaooogah horns under the fenders off the fender brace . most people these days , don't recognize the fact you're honking at them . but the kids like the sound

 

Yup, gotta have a horn. A couple or three times, at car shows I've been in a position to need to get on the horn to prevent someone that isn't paying attention from backing into my car. Full disclosure, someone had to do the same for me one day as I was backing where I wasn't looking.

I think a working horn is a good idea, even if you just use it to say hi every now and then.

 

Clarence hasn't had a working horn since the 70's. However during reassembly after paint I plan to rectify that. No one can see a horn between the grill and the radiator on an F-1 so I figured to snag a pair from the boneyard or the parts house. Anyone see anything wrong with that idea?

 

I bought my 1950 Chevy truck 2 years ago and I opted to get the "classic" plates because with them I can drive anywhere, anytime. The "vintage" plates only allow trips to car shows and maintenance/repair trips, no cruising.
So with my classic plates, I have to register and safety inspection every year and display the windshield sticker. After getting my new Texas title, my truck failed the first safety inspection because the horn didn't work. No horn, no bueno.

 

In my somewhat off-topic shop truck/car trailer puller.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

The air valve is on a pull cable - A gentle tug gives a friendly toot.

My custom has 2 horns from a 1986 Ford F150 (what I could find in the shed).

Russ

 

I kind of liked the twin trumpet horns,had those in my custom. But my fav. was my JCWhintey Bermuda Bell. Some were a long the years I lost the bell,in one of those gaps between taking stuff apart,an getting around to putting it back together ! I'd replace it,but they all seem to be made of Gold now !

 

With the roadster being so small, I wanted a horn that could be heard so when the teenage girl texting on her cellphone drifted into my lane I could stun her back into reality!
While perusing Pick-N-Pull one day I found a '60s Ford Country Squire wagon. I grabbed both horns, took 'em home, cleaned 'em up, installed 'em in the roadster and ran them off a relay so they got a full 12 volts. They're so loud they could probably wake the dead!

 

I've got a couple of sets of Horns out of 70's Cadillacs that are three trumpet horns with relays that are usually tucked up in front of the right front wheel well under the fender. They have a voice of authority. I bought one of those allegedly super loud horns of FB a while back that I need to get stuck on my OT daily driver that has way too polite of a city horn. That wimpy thing won't get the attention of man nor beast.

I sure like the looks of Russ's air horn though.

 

A mandatory non discretionary safety issue here.

 

Yep, same here.
Compulsory !

 

...Oh, you mean the ones that make noise!

 

Hid a set of 442 horns behind the headlight grille. Pretty loud '60s sound.

 

I’ve always installed my horns inside the passenger wheel well in a backward direction to keep it dry.
Last two still working after 10 and 20yrs.
Ones a Spartan and the others a repo.

 

I got one of those ahooga horns on the coupe. Ain’t worth a crap. I think that’s next on the list to upgrade. Snowman

 

My favorite horn sound is the Mopar Roadrunner "Beep Beep" never put one on anything, not traditional I know, just my opinion on horns. Wolf whistle, ahooga, seem to be popular on old iron and I've seen/heard some air horn deals that will adjust your hearing for a while.

 

............Love it as well. You always know what's coming down the road when you hear it.

 

I have twin horns which I think are from a BMW. Small and tucked down low inside the front frame rails just behind the front cross member. Loud as hell! I keep blowing them by accident when I get my turkey stuffed ass in and out of the roadster!

 

Got a vintage Hutchins ah-ooo-gah horn on my 36, mounted up under the front grill, plus a repop siren for like cruise ins and such to play around with.

 

If you want to scare the crap out of deer and wildlife. I’ve found an ahoogah horn is effective. The different sound gets their attention.

 

I have never used a horn period and take them off!
I find people use the horn instead of the brakes, last night is a good example.
I was almost home with a 53 Chevy body I stopped at the intersection (two way stop flashing red light North/South flashing yellow East/West in the middle of town) about 100' from my street I stopped made a full stop headed south checked for traffic and turned left as I was turning someone driving west about 60 or 70 M.P.H. in town almost T-Boned my trailer!
Their first reaction was to lay on the horn not to get on the brakes! When they finally got on the brakes they were about 10' or less then hitting my trailer with my 53 body on it!

 

1994 Buick Roadmaster horns on my '56 New Yorker. Beautifully tuned pair, and loud enough that a woman walking along the road actually fell down when I honked to let her know I was approaching.

 

The only thing around here that we have to blow a horn at is the stupid squirrels and the simply do not know what to think if them...

 

I wanted a small and yet loud horn on my roadster. I googled "loud motorcycle horn". It is everything I hoped for.

 

The way they drive around here........a horn isn't optional!

 

I have the original 47 chevy horns with 12v going to them. Plenty loud.

 

I have the traditional AAAHHOOOOGAAA horns on both of my T's. The kids love 'em.