'29 Horn rod restoration
- Thread starter Will N
- Start date
Will - I don't know if the 29 is different from the 30, but on my 30 horn rod I went underneath, carefully straightened the four bent over tabs and then pushed out the ring. It was a tight fit. Button and spring came out. I had to unsolder the wire at the bottom to get the horn contact at the top out, then that left the bare light rod and handle. Then off to replating.
You may want to check with the plater. Yes, you do need to remove the horn button and bezel and strip out the wiring from the rod. But, I'm not sure you need to totally remove the switch lever plate from the rod to have it plated. If the plate is tightly swaged on the rod, you may want to think twice about undoing that area. I believe the plater can isolate the plate without plating anything but the very upper tip of the rod. I say this not from my own experience but from a chance I had several years ago to buy out the inventory of a person who restored many different original parts. He had died and there were still many items "in process" when he passed. Horn/light rod assemblies were among the items I noticed. I noticed because I had always wondered about the process for doing this. There were several rods with freshly plated switch lever plates still attached to the rods, waiting for the wiring, horn button, and bezel to be assembled. See what your plater suggests. Good luck.
I did not remove the lever plate from the rod when I sent it to the plating shop, and they didn't seem to have any particular heartache with that. I haven't gotten it back yet so I don't know whether they plated only the top or the entire length. Either would be fine with me.
Brentwood Bob
Well-known member
Consider annealing the tabs before any further bending.
Why not buy a A3617 repair kit from one of the Model A parts suppliers?
Kit comes with chrome button - chrome ring - spring - and contact positioner.
No need to worry about bending the tabs and breaking them.
Then the only plating that would need to be done is the actual head that is
swedge to the rod.
Kit comes with chrome button - chrome ring - spring - and contact positioner.
No need to worry about bending the tabs and breaking them.
Then the only plating that would need to be done is the actual head that is
swedge to the rod.
Well, for one reason, the originals were nickel plated, not chrome. That's why I went the route of replating.
Anneal before you send the part for plating, otherwise when you heat it up it will discolor your fresh new nickel.