My horn croaks.

Jon B
Jon B Administrator
in HUDSON
While my '37 Terraplane's dual horns (in the engine compartment) never broke any eardrums, over the last few years they have gradually dwindled to barely audible croaks.  Even when I bypass the horn button and relay, and run power directly to either of the horn terminals, all I get is a feeble squawk. 

So humiliating...

Is there any adjustment I can make (or burned contact I can sand) that will restore the mighty blast of my horn?

I want to raise the dead.

Comments

  • charles4d
    charles4d Expert Adviser
    Try taking  the round backs off and clean the relay  contacts that should make the wake up the dead also check the wire for dirty ends
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Turn up your hearing aids!

  • charles4d
    charles4d Expert Adviser
    If it croaked dose it make it a frog horn
  • dholck
    dholck Expert Adviser
    On a related note; what I would like to get out of this discussion is the name of somebody who fixes up horns. There was a guy/some guys making reproduction trumpet horns that I bought several years back. All I get out of them now is a feeble 'toot', certainly not the 'ah-oogah' klaxon sound I am looking for. I don't see anybody offering anything like that on EBay these days. I see one fellow on the internet at klaxonhorns.com who looks perfect for the job, but he is in Australia - shipping can get very expensive.
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Seriously though, if both horns are low volume it must the voltage to them, Jon.  it could perhaps be an internal short in one of them  causing the low voltage.   Disconnect each horn individually and see how they sound.  Run a wire from each one direct from the battery.   You can clean the vibrating points in the horn, and check the grounding.   Good luck
    Geoff 
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    dholck, you may be thinking of Cecil Nuxol, now in his mid-90's, who reproduces chromed trumpet horns for cars, out in Washington state. http://trumpethorns.blogspot.com/
  • Toddh
    Toddh Member
    You need to burnish the contacts on the horn.  Use some fine emery paper to do so.  
  • ken1962
    ken1962 Member
    YouTube have some good guides on how to pull horns apart and clean repair them 
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Alternatively if it still croaks you could kiss it and see if it turns into a handsome prince!

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