1968 standard horns

[mikefam]

Has anyone tried the aftermarket horns? Do they sound correct and loud? I tried to rebuild my original horns with a rebuild kit but they came out making a low volume sound that reminds me of a cow.

Any recommendations?

TIA, Mike.

[vtfb68]

Mike,
  Double check your grounds, the horn itself needs to be put back together with all the same contact areas as before to ensure its integrity.
     VT

[mikefam]

Connections are all good. I rebuilt both high and low note and bench tested carefully and neither of them work well.

Mike.

[mikefam]

bump

If nobody has tried aftermarket horns then has anybody here ever doen business with drclassic.com? They have a set of horns that I am considering.

[1968RSZ28]

Mike,

Have you considered sending your original horns to The Horn Works?

http://www.carhornrestoration.com/

"At The Horn Works, each car horn is blueprinted and truly restored inside and out. Many hours are spent on each
horn to improve life and achieve the best possible sound and appearance."

Paul

[mikefam]

Thanks I'll check it out.

[mikefam]

Thanks I'll check it out.

Mike,

Have you considered sending your original horns to The Horn Works?

http://www.carhornrestoration.com/

"At The Horn Works, each car horn is blueprinted and truly restored inside and out. Many hours are spent on each
horn to improve life and achieve the best possible sound and appearance."

Paul

I'm hesitant to send the horns out for rebuild because I fear that it may lead to complications. I don't want to spend shipping money and time only to find out a week or two later that the cores are no good and that I still need to buy new horns. It would be nice to just bolt on a new set.

Mike.

[1968RSZ28]

I assumed you wanted to keep your original horns with the proper date codes and welded brackets, but if this doesn't matter to you, yes buying a replacement set is much easier.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Paul

[mikefam]

Paul

Could you tell me how to read the date codes on the horns? I can't really be sure that they are original being that the car was 20 years old when I bought it.

Mike.

[1968RSZ28]

Sure, the part numbers and date codes are stamped in the corners of the trumpets.

Horn date code format: ymw

y = year
m = month
w = week

For example, a horn dated 8A2 = 1968/January/Week 2, so the horn was assembled the second week of January, 1968.

All GM production line horns have spot welded brackets. Horns with large nuts holding the brackets on are replacements. There are no NOS horns. Production horns have the welded brackets and replacements do not.

Paul

[mikefam]

Thanks

I have a 214 7k1 that has a very nice cabinet where the numbers are all easy to read but doesn't work and two 477 horns that I can read only the 77 in the part iumber and pretty much nothing of the date cods except that one starts with an 8. So now I know that I have a good oem pair I'll sleep on it and decide if I'm going to send them out for rebuild.

[68camaroz28]

Thanks

I have a 214 7k1 that has a very nice cabinet where the numbers are all easy to read but doesn't work and two 477 horns that I can read only the 77 in the part iumber and pretty much nothing of the date cods except that one starts with an 8. So now I know that I have a good oem pair I'll sleep on it and decide if I'm going to send them out for rebuild.


The Horn Works restored ours and they are one of the best. Not inexpensive but you can depend on them 100%

[mikefam]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Not inexpensive but I do appreciate the time and skill that it takes to do a good job.

I just grew up in the 60's and 70's and live a little in the past. I have a hard time spending a couple of hundred dollars on horns. My car is not a concours restoration and has a donor engine and it is just hard for me to justify so much for something that doesn't even show. On the other hand I appreciate saving a part that has survived for almost 50 years.

I also just sent a set of rally wheels out to be powder coated and have to spring for new tires so my mood is a little tighter than usual.

Mike.

[mikefam]

I went with D&R Classic's repro horns and they sound loud and clear. I can't say if they are the same notes as original but at least I have horns now. I may have the OEM horns restored down the road if the mood strikes me but I'm pretty happy with the repros.

Mike.