Have a 1941 Master Deluxe with a single horn. The wiring for the horn and lights was mostly missing so I am attempting to figure this out as I go. I have the horn to the point that I can run a wire to the battery and make it honk. What I need to know id was did this horn originally use a relay or did it just run full power through the firewall to the horn button?
For now I am attempting to get the car to the point that it passes inspection to be on the road this spring. Unfortunately was told that it will require a horn.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
The single horn does not use a relay. The power goes to the horn first. The wire from the horn to the steering column is the downstream or grounding side of the circuit. When you press the horn button you ground that wire.
If the horn blows when you touch a power wire to one terminal then there is an internal ground fault inside the horn.
Then I did not mount it right or I put it together wrong. It disassembled in a box of parts when I found it. It was not on the car so I was guessing on how it worked and went together. Or the horn is from something else. I grounded it to the chassis. Then I ran a wire for power to it. I thought it would need a button to allow power to make it honk.
I attached a photo of the horn after it was assembled and painted. I was badly rusted when we received it.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
The stock horn would have two wires. A hot wire from the ammeter to the horn then a ground wire from the horn to the horn button. Like Rusty says, the horn button is the ground. If the horn you have has only one lug it's not the correct horn for your car. http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/electrical/wiring/pdf/41car.pdf
VCCA Member 43216 Save a life, adopt a senior shelter pet. 1938 HB Business Coupe 1953 210 Sedan
I have a single lug. I could also have the right shell and wrong internals. Like I say it was in a box of parts and we guessed our way through making it work. It is mounted in the car and seemed to fit in the proper location. For all I know a prior owner modified something. Thanks for the help.
I have found that having an old car is a constant project that is never done. I think that is a good thing. Keeps me learning new things. Having two from different eras is just a form of higher education.
Use an Ohmmeter on low Ohm setting. Check each terminal to the case. A single terminal horn will need 6V applied and will show very low resistance from one terminal to ground. The other terminal open. The connection described, grounding by the horn button, will need both terminals connected to the horn coil. You should see a low resistance between the terminals and open circuit to ground on both. If it's easy to open, you can look. Wilson
