We are just finishing up a batch of 139 Model T horns. Thought you guys might like to see what the horn bel and flange assembly look like just before they are coated with that shiney black.
My new assistant Angela just finished these up and they sure look nice. There are a bunch more in the room and in the box behind the bench. All of them went to Ted the powder coater today. We will hopefully have more horns in stock by end of next week. Stuff built to Ford drawings just fit together so nice and it takes all of risk out of fit and finish. So far we have had near zero scrap on this batch. If you are thinking of reproducing something - go for it - but get the Ford drawings and do the research first and all will fit like it should.
John, those look great. It sure is nice to have vendors that make things right! Keep up the good work. Dave
Looking good, John, excellent work as always.
For any of you who are not familiar with John's Fun Projects products, they are some of the best available. He makes a wide variety of parts, including wood dashes, dash shields, modern voltage regulators to replace the cutout, diode-type battery chargers for non-electric cars, and excellent replacement bearings for the drive shaft rear bearing. Those are just a few of his products, and all are ones I have used. The only problem I ever had with any of his products was a faulty diode in the mag-powered battery charger, and John was quick to diagnose the problem over the phone and send me two new diodes. It has been working fine for several years now.
Top-quality products and great customer service are a winning combination. If this sounds like a commercial for John and his company, it is. We are all quick to complain when repro parts are not up to snuff; I think the guys who are making them right deserve some recognition as well.
If you buy a part from John, you don't have to worry if it will work! IT WILL.
I bought a horn, VR and an ammeter from John. Everything was absolutely beautiful. The fit and finish are perfect. I just wish he would start manufacturing horn buttons.
John, great looking horns!
In repairing the horn for my 21 Touring project I bought a new bell to replace the rusted out one on my working horn. Did Ford tack solder the bell on the flange or was it "pressed in" or ??
Looks like mine has repaired or has been resoldered over the years.
Thanks for any information if thats OK.
Wow, those are beautiful, and not a bent snout amongst them! I was beginning to think that the factory bent all the snout over to about 20 degrees, cause that's all I seem to see anymore for sale.
I'd like to get several, with bottoms in them, to serve liquid refreshments in when the Ford guys come to my house!
Very happy that guys like you, Bill Stipe, RV and others are making stuff like this that is correct and will fit and work. Excellent.
I'd like to be able to buy just that part...
John Kuehn:
The horn bels were spot welded into the flange. The Ford design (which is the one we use) has a small bead rolled into the bel which then acts as a stop when you push the bel into the flange hole. The bead gives you perfect alignment. The non Ford designs did not have this bead and were pushed in until tight. Both designs were then spot welded in about 5 or 6 places around the perimeter. Look in the picture and you will see the dark spots around the perimeter of the flange where the horn bel enters the flange. To replace the bel it is very important that you carefullycut away the old bel and peel away the sheet metal from inside the flange area without distorting the flange. You can then file down the old spot welds so that the new bel will fit tight into the flange and then you can spot weld the new one in place of the old one. Make sure the seam in the bel is rotated down when the horn flange is in its normal position on the car before you hit the trigger on the spot welder. Yes I have welded a few in place for folks - the usual fee is ice cream when we meet. The prep work of peeling out the old bel and filing the flange area is not part of the welding job ha ha. A 2" diameter sanding drum can quickly surface off the old welds in the flange. I can only do the welding when I have the welder setup to make horns since the same welder is normally set up to weld on voltage regulator covers and at those times it is 150 miles away from the horn building operation.
I just gotta ask .... how much beer will one hold?
Garnet
Thanks John for the information on the horn bell! I can install the bell the right way now. I thought it it was close to your description.
Much appreciated and by the way the pinion bearing assembly that you manufacture worked just fine in my rear axle assembly for my Touring project. Thanks again.
Jay Leno uses some old cleaned out Stromberg carburetors as salt and pepper shakers in his Big Dog garage so I am told.