Who Repairs 1935 Ford Horns?

35 Woodie

35 Woodie

Member
I just finished installing a horn relay in the woodie because the original horn button contact will no longer take the load. The passenger side horn works fine but the drivers side horn will only sound if remove the dome and ground the wire to the horn base. No amount of tweaking the points, adjusting the armatture, or playing with grounds does any good.

Is there someone out there that rebuilds these horns? Please give me a phone no. or email address. Thanks!


www.WoodieGear.com
 
35 Woodie said:
I just finished installing a horn relay in the woodie because the original horn button contact will no longer take the load. The passenger side horn works fine but the drivers side horn will only sound if remove the dome and ground the wire to the horn base. No amount of tweaking the points, adjusting the armatture, or playing with grounds does any good.

Is there someone out there that rebuilds these horns? Please give me a phone no. or email address. Thanks!


www.WoodieGear.com
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Nobody in the great Ford Barn world repairs horns???? OK, who out there might have the good guts of a horn they might be willing to sell???
 
you have found the problem! it is with the grounding of the horn and not the horn itself. The horn button seems to work properly since the pass horn is working. check the wiring to the horn at the frame and at the horn connection. One of the wires to the horn is Neg. all the time and the other only becomes grounded + when the horn button is pushed
 
Terry said:
you have found the problem! it is with the grounding of the horn and not the horn itself. The horn button seems to work properly since the pass horn is working. check the wiring to the horn at the frame and at the horn connection. One of the wires to the horn is Neg. all the time and the other only becomes grounded + when the horn button is pushed
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Thanks, gents! I'll re-check the grounding on the drivers horn and if I throw in the towel, I'll contact The Horn Shop. Always good to know that these guys are out there!:)
 
35 Woodie said:
I just finished installing a horn relay in the woodie because the original horn button contact will no longer take the load. The passenger side horn works fine but the drivers side horn will only sound if remove the dome and ground the wire to the horn base. No amount of tweaking the points, adjusting the armatture, or playing with grounds does any good.

Is there someone out there that rebuilds these horns? Please give me a phone no. or email address. Thanks!


www.WoodieGear.com
Click to expand...
I found an elderly auto electrician who did his trade working on our cars when they were still "new".!! He has since passed away but my point is I like to get people who know their stuff when I have to get anything done. He re-wired them to 12-volt since I was running them on 12v at the time. When the roadster gets restored again in a couple years time it will go back to 6v. I know this doesn't help you any but it sure is getting harder to find these old school great old tradies who know and love our cars too. Good luck locating your wiring gremlins, Dan.
 
I am revisiting the '35 Ford horn issue. I'm helping a friend sort through some wiring issues on his restoration ('35 coupe) He has installed new repro wiring and (I think) a new horn/light switch.
PROBLEM: Driver side horn "beeps" when button is pressed. Passenger horn "gronks" when the wires are attached, button not depressed. What I have diagnosed thus far:
1. Both wires to either horn are 'live' with horn button up.
2. Driver's side horn shows ******** points, armature, terminals, and sound quality adjustment all visible when dome cover is removed. (BTW, tone quality deteriorates when the cover is installed)
3. Passenger side horn show only the terminals and sound quality adjustment (and "gronks" when wires are connected).
QUESTIONS:
1. Both horns have the same external appearance but are different internally - are these horns from two different years?
2. Do I have a wiring/switch problem? (I'm thinking only one wire should be live, the other grounded through the horn switch)
3. What needs particular attention when attaching the wiring harness to the horn switch?
Any help would be much appreciated.
 
I had the same problem with the horn blowing. After a lot of searching I found a connector had somehow came in contact with the radiator support.
 
1 The 35 horn is the Sparton CL-6 (marked on the cover). There is a slight difference in the diaphragms (for two tones) but the basic appearance is same. If the two horns have different appearance internally than one has probably been replaced. This does NOT mean they can not both work together and function properly.
2 Since the drivers horn is working properly, the wiring to it is OK, this includes the source (the light switch under the steering box) You have the power correct. One of the wires is hot and the second is grounded through the light switch and the horn button. Again that wiring is OK since the LH horn works. The problem is either the wiring from the LH horn to the RH horn, as FLA48 mentions above, or the horn on the Right is already grounded.
Check both of the wire terminals on the horn on the right without any external wiring and both should be clear of ground, as the LH horn is. If they are clear of ground then check the wires at the horn, again one is hot and the second is grounded only when the horn button is depressed.
The horns have a sound adjustment at the contacts. Loosen the lock nut and make very slight adjustments of the slotted screw for max volume.
 
Check Hemmings Motor News for someone who may do horn repair work. Look in early Ford V8 classified section under 'services offered'. I have repaired them myself in the past...they are not that difficult to understand and repair.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and the reference to the vanPelt website for a very clear wiring schematic. I think what we have here are horns from two different manufacturers (or years). From my experience with dual horn systems, the sound emitted is a pleasant soprano/alto tone, not the soprano/gronk sound coming from these two horns!
Both wires to the horns live? Didn't seem right. I've never had to sort out electrical problems on '35 Fords before, but because of you fellows, I have a clearer understanding of what is going on with this car. I have a good understanding of DC electricity operation, but wondered if 1935 FoMoCo engineers had devised a system of operating horns that I was not aware of. It is pretty straight forward. Thanks again.
 
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