Horn rebuild information wanted

dave s
dave s Senior Contributor, Moderator
edited January 2011 in HUDSON
Has anyone ever had set of exterior horns rebuilt and plated?

If so, by whom? Thank you

Comments

  • Richard E.
    Richard E. Senior Contributor
    I took mine apart and had them replated. It seems to be impossible to get the end of the trumpet off, which makes replating the interior of it almost impossible. Remember the upper part of the trumpet is painted black. I just gently wire brushed the horn mechanism and mine work. I guess that you could take them all apart. I had Escondido Plating do the chrome work. They do a pretty good job. I had the bracket that hold the horn to the headlight base powder coated in a dull silver color. I will see if I can post a picture.

    By the way, I had a number of sets of the horn grills reproduced and KGap has them. If they are out we can get more made here in Escondido.
  • Richard E.
    Richard E. Senior Contributor
    Here is a pretty good picture of the finished product!
  • Richard E.
    Richard E. Senior Contributor
    Here is another!
  • Jay_G
    Jay_G Expert Adviser
    I had mine done at El Monte Plating. The trumpet should just unscrew and the top pops off or has a screw. They also got the dents out of the top and the majority of the dents in the trumpet. The trumpet is tough. Then I painted the base black.

    Mine ar on a 37. I will try ond take some pics.

    Jay
  • Marconi
    Marconi Senior Contributor
    As far as getting them gong, There's a pair of points inside, double up a piece of sandpaper and run it thru several times till the points are clean. If they won't work, there's a screw with locknut that adjusts the points loosen locknut and turn screw slowly til horn sounds right, then tighten locknut. I've been able to get about 95% of 'em going by doing this. Good luck.
  • Richard E.
    Richard E. Senior Contributor
    The horns in question are E.A Premier Twins from E.A. Laboratories in Brooklyn, NY. used on '34 - '36 Hudson products. These came with either a long narrow trumpet, which seemed to have been reserved for the convertibles and coupes or a short fat trumpet (see my car above) which were used on the sedans and cheaper models. Actually commercial vehicles like the pickups and your delivery van didn't come with exterior horns, nor did the lower priced sedans. However as with all things Hudson, the customer could pick what he wanted from the list of accessories. The trumpets on my horns are press fit on. I have tried heating, beating and other treatments and they won't budge. I have even had other club members give up on them. As such when they were chromed the interior of the horn did not come out well. I actually have a 2nd set that I hope to be able to get a better job done on and then they will replace the current pair.

    I'm pretty sure that '37 horns are different. The 1937 Hudson was a completely redesigned car and almost nothing from the earlier cars is interchangeable. Or as Scott likes to say, "except the spark plugs!"

    This is just what I learned in restoring my '36T sedan.
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    edited January 2011
    It seems to me that it was just a process of removing a few screws and the chrome parts came off with no problem. I did have to adjust mine a bit after I sanded out the points.

    I did the chrome plating myself (I went with the whole unit plated) using the company I work with. If you would like a bid on the plating drop me a note with some photo's at browniepetersen@readytek.net.

    Richard, I ordered a set from Kgap and they were much too small. Is there more than one size? Or, could you measure your and let me know some dimentions? Makes we wonder if the folks over in England used a different horn, or perhaps made their own? Anyway here are a few photo's.




  • Richard E.
    Richard E. Senior Contributor
    Brownie, they sent you the wrong set. We had two sizes made. The horns on your car take the big grills, you have the short fat trumpet. The small grills are for the long narrow trumpets that are used on the convertibles and coupes. They had some of each? I may have one extra set if you still need them.
  • Richard E.
    Richard E. Senior Contributor
    Wow, where was your car when that picture was taken? By the way, I think your car is beautiful. I had seen the picture of the one other British '36 that is still in England. These are really handsome cars.
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    edited January 2011
    Yes, I still need them (2). Let me know the cost and shipping. Email me at browniepetersen@readytek.net and I will get a check out to you...

    Last year I had the car at the Autorama right after it was painted. Since then I have been having the interior put in. I should get it back in about a week--or two. I need to do a bit of detail and some wood installation inside and it should be ready to go. I'll add some photo's once it is ready for the road....

    Thanks for the kind words. It should be ready in time for the Western Regional in San Diego so you should get to see it up close and personal...

    Edwin L. "Brownie" Petersen
    8071 S 1000 W
    Willard, Utah 84340

    435 279-6930
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