Title says it.

Magneto

Andrew:

Just to be very clear - it would indeed be a magneto horn as Dave says but it would be of the kind where neither of the 2 electrical connections are grounded at the horn. The later magneto horns starting around 1918 or so have only 1 ungrounded "hot" connection point with the other connection being a direct ground either internally inside the horn or via the thumb nut on the outside having had the insulating washer removed so as to thus connect that point directly to the horn housing for ground. On cars with the single horn wire going up to a single button on the column which operated the horn by grounding it at that point, the wiring is from the magneto to one connection of the horn with the other connection of the horn being then run up the steering column to the horn button where it would be grounded to the steering column to thus complete the circuit and operate the magneto powered horn.

Thank you for info. Could I see a pic of one? Are they easy to find?

Andrew,

Several different suppliers provided magneto horns to Ford for use on the cars. Later 1915 and early 1916s could have come with a brass bell (it would have most likely been painted black) as shown below – produced by Brasco (borrowed from e-bay):





Jim Cook's same family since new Oct 1915 (1916 model year) Oh Henry has a similar horn to the one above.

They could have also been shaped like the one below courtesy of Craig Sutton (Thanks Craig) also shown in Bruce’s “Model T Comprehensive Encyclopedia”. Some folks call that a "top hat" shape. Side lamp shown for size comparison.



They could have also been shaped like the one below from the Jun 1917 “Rip Van Winkle” Ford and found in Bruce’s CD.





If you do not yet have a copy of Bruce’s “Model T Comprehensive Encyclopedia” I would recommend you ask your Santa to put it on their list for you for Christmas. It is available from the Vendors as well as from Bruce at: http://mtfca.com/encyclo/mccalley.htm

Respectfully submitted,

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Thanks Hap for posting the pictures. I could not find any to post. I am pretty sure that by late 1916 (those cars with black radiator) that the more common non brass bel was used. I say that because there were a fair number of 15 cars equipped with magneto horns and yet the brass bel type are just darn hard to find. My son's 1916 T roadster was built in December of 1915 and had a steel bel horn on it but it has a very short bel and the maker was Mansfield as I recall. It is in winter storage already or I would go shoot a picture of it.

John,

Thank you also for adding so much information and details. I agree with you that the brass bell style horns were introduced during 1915 and probably discontinued early in the 1916 model year production. I would like to better document when they were used. So far the latest original T with the Brass bell horn that I remember (that's dangerous) is Jim Cook's Oct 1915 (1916 model year) brass radiator cut off which is still in the same family since new (different owners but same family). What I would like to document is several other items -- specifically:

Who else has a 1916 with the brass bell horn and believes it was originally on the car? What year and month car (engine number and body number if available).

Who has a steel bell horn on a 1915 or 1916 and believes it is original to the car? And what year and month engine serial number and body number if available?

I would assume that Ford had a time period of overlap when both brass and steel bell horns were installed. But I would suspect the steel bell horns were less expensive and quickly replaced the brass bell ones. But that is only a guess on my part.

I have wondered if Brasco made other horns for other cars? Also was the magneto horn unique to the Model T since the other cars of that period used generators or the high tension magnetos? And I wonder if Brasco used the bell and housing from a battery horn they already produced and changed the inside to work for the magneto? And was Brasco the company that Ford contracted for the 10,000 "test horns" ref: http://mtfca.com/encyclo/doc15.htm which states:

"JAN 23, 1915 Acc. 575, Box 19, Ford Archives
Will use 10,000 electric horns. If satisfactory, these horns will be used to replace bulb horns in manufacturing. A note to reduce the stock of bulb horns."

John and others -- when it warms back up or if you have easy access to some of the magneto powered horns -- please take some photos and measurements or put a ruler in the photo. And if you note where the company name is located -- that will help others know where to look also.

Back to Andrew's question -- are they available -- yes. I haven't looked for one because I have all that I need. But they should come up available at the swap meets, on the Model T Swap Site located on the MTFCA web site at:http://mtfca.com/showit1/index.html search on horn .. Dave Huson has one listed as do some other folks. I like Dave's as you can stop by and pick it up and have a front axle for free if you purchase the horn [Dave thanks for helping folks get started -- I wish I lived closer ].

Again thank you all for sharing your information. None of us has as much information as all of us together. And the different pieces we each contribute can help build a more accurate picture. [And yes sometimes we wonder -- did Ford really do that -- but we can label those " outliers" and continue to look for the typical applications.]

Respectfully submitted,

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While reading through Bruce's On lIne Encyclopedia I ran across the following reference:

Aug 19, 1919 Acc 575, Box 11, #758, Ford Archives
Horns made by K-W, Heinze, Garford, Connecticut
Ref: http://mtfca.com/encyclo/doc19.htm

If others find manufacture names on their horns or other references of what was used etc. please add them and/or send me a note. Thanks!

Respectfully updated,

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There were also aftermarket horns, like Klaxon and Stewart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHZCpzrsdEA