MTFCA Forum

I took a chance on this horn off of ebay. I don't know what it is. It might be a faux reproduction brass horn. I tried 6 volts and 12 volts on it and it hums. I don't actually think it is brass, I think it is a kind of paint that looks like brass since when I open it up it looks shiny steel. Can anyone identify it and how I might get it to operate?

Appears to be a AC magneto type or perhaps a DC 6v buzzer horn.

The disc diaphragm vibrates to make the sound is rusted out on the edges, so that is all it can do is hum, the coils are trying to pull the disc but can't.

Check the horn bell with a magnet, seems like brass, a magnet won't stick to the bell.

Photo below is the std. Ford magneto buzz horn apart, this one has a rusted diaphragm, so it likely didn't buzz well either.


Sketch of simple buzz horn innards.

Looks like a battery type buzz horn. When the magnet pulls the diaphragm down the points open. It may be missing gaskets that went on one or both sides of the diaphragm, putting it too close to the center part so it does not have room to move in and out. The diaphragm could be home made, which why it is not round, they used what they had. It should be spring steel.