VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1938 master horn

My horn sounds like it is only getting about half enough power. The horn is mounted on the intake manifold,about 8" long and has rounded back,6 volt. I disconnected the wires,connected the bottom wire to the manifold and jumped the top wire to the hot wire on the starter. What a difference sounded like a horn not a sick animal. I can't find a horn relay, should I have one. It looks like the positive horn wire is connected to the side of the headlite switch? If I need a relay where does it mount and how do i wire it. I also took the horn button off and sanded the ends of the s wire. 1938 chevy coupe grant

Does the horn come on when you turn on the lights ? Just kidding...Yes , there is a horn relay...No , it shouldn't hook up to the light switch...horn relay taps positive led coming from starter to amp-meter...someone have a wiring diagram for this fella in need...

Try this..........

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1938/38csm259.html

Hope it helps.

There is NO horn relay with the single horn. The horn gets its powerhrough a wire in the main harness. Try adding a seperate wire from the starter switch to the horn. Should be at least 14 gauge. The horn wire is hot at all times and when you depress the horn button it forms a ground and the circuit is completed, If that dosent't help try running a test wire for the ground and see if it sounds better Then you will know if the ground is OK. Just attach the wire to the connector on the horn the the button is connected to and ground the wire -then the horn should work as it should.

Wiring diagram for your '38.

Note the horn gets it's feed from the main wire between the ammeter and voltage regulator and grounds at the horn button. There is no relay with the single horn as Gene stated. It should be easy to trace the wires. The ground will be the wire connecting at the base of the steering mast jacket.

This is true...no relay...positive line off of Battery Terminal on Regulator . The reason relays are used is so all that current does not have to pass through your horn button...with a single horn your probably o.k....assuming the draw is below 10 amps...adding a horn you'd might want to hide a relay up under your dash...I just hate it when the horn button welds itself together and that pesky horn won't stop blow'in and attract'en all that darn attention...just kidding...