Air Horns

Thanks everyone for your comments. From the sounds of it, the problem with a vacuum pump is the 6.1 compression, even if it worked, refilling would be slow. The Buell electric seems like the trick, with a good plumbing system. Has anybody seen one for sale? (smile).

Marcus

A Buell pump running off a belt is the only way to have a quiet system to my knowledge. A Buell electric pump is basically a decent sized air compressor - it is noisy and vibrates through the entire car - even on an isolator system. You do not hear it over the engine, but you can feel vibration in the car over all speeds when it is on (the flip side is that it only takes about 7 minutes though to build up a tank and if you have non-leaky fittings it will hold a tank of air for days - so I never have it on all that much).

They are more fun than a barrel full of Monkeys ! And, sort of your own home version of "Pimp my Ride."

Thank you John. Curt had suggested I talk to you about the subject. I have Jack Wolff's old set up, but it was not working, so I am trying to figure out how to get the horns working again. Non-working items I am proud I got going again are, dome light, standard horns, all of the wiring and the engine , great thanks to Jason and John at Fremont.

I think your faint of heart advice is very sound. Jack's installation has the rubber hoses in the hood, 3 types of hoses on the tanks and a valve under the dash. I believe he used a vacuum pump for the system, as there is one in the 'stuff' I got with the car. It includes a rebuild kit he suggested I used to get the pump working. I believe the vacuum pump system is pretty reliable, but it can be noisy. It is the system I think truckers use. I can see the valve is a requirement.

Going through trans and axle this week. It will be good to have the big red girl back on the street.

Copper is what all the plumbing was made of (the same high pressure copper tubing as the brake lines) - 1/4 runs from the compressor to the air tank, 5/16 runs from the tank to the pressure release valve, and from the pressure release valve to the horns as you must have something in a flexible tube to work in conjunction with the hood (I have Buell PVC tubing in the 851 Phaeton, though the original tubing on the 851 Sedan looked to be like Columbia vacuum rubber tubing - very thick).

As mentioned the tank has a pressure safety release valve that goes off at 140lbs (the sedan had an electric safety release valve and the Phaeton has a manual). Tank also has an air hose take off - you can pump up a tire with it, blow out a fuel line, or can manually fill pressure tank. Also, takes some very beefy wire to run the pump (wire core is about 3/16 to 1/4 inch in diameter - power comes directly off battery and on dash is a switch operating a solenoid on pump). Pump is on some serious isolators as well - and let's just say you have no problem telling when it is running. This is not a project for the faint at heart.

Marcus, if you'd like to look at a few installations, you should come to Auburn for the Reunion this year. Of all the cars mentioned, I think they're all at Auburn annually. (And if they aren't, I can think of another two or three not mentioned that are.)

Are you thinking of using copper line for 140 lbs. air preasure?
CORDially Mike

All my cars have had Buell tanks under the passengers side front fender. They all have had blow off valves on them as well - basically it is a bomb. I believe the tanks are about 2.5 gallon. PVC tubing works well for the blow off valve to the hood plumbing - the original car had same rubber tubing as the Columbia. You need a good copper 5/16 line from tank to blow off valve.

My car came with the horns that Jack Wolff, the previous owner, put on the car. He has 2 small tanks under the front left fender, a valve just inside the dash with a pull string. He gave me a vacuum pump with the car that was not attached. Originally, did they put a tank under the car?

I am planning to plum the system so that there is a dash button to actuate the horns and I want a system that maintains fair pressure. I know horns can use up air fast. I am leaning toward installing the vacuum system on the car now, because I think I can get it to work.

I may eventually switch over to an electric or a belt drive when I eventually find such a thing. I will be interested to look at other installations in Auburn.

Marcus

I have heard discussion that Grover brand horns were used on the West Coast cars - do not know more than that.

I have Buells on the 851 Phaeton - they are the best thing since sliced bread. I added them when I bought the car and they are driven by a rare 6 volt electic buell pump. I also had a set on the 851 Sedan now owned by Craig Birkhold - they were original to that car. The sedan was also driven by an electric buell pump.

They are high and low note and one is 30" while the other is 36" long.

I will say - you have to have a pretty decent gauge power wire to run the pump (otherwise it just does not build up the pressure it needs). They blow off best at about 140lbs.

2 methods...

Buell had an electric compressor, and also a belt driven compressor. Both are period correct, but the electric is more difficult to find. The electric uses a pressure switch to turn the compressor on/off. Belt drive runs all the time, and uses a pressure relief valve on the tank.

I have seen 2 different models of Buell belt driven compressors, neither one has an advantage over the other, IMHO.

I have the belt driven model on my car, and works well.

I do know of an L-29 that has a vacuum operated compressor on it, but not period correct (from mid 60's Caddy).

In 1935 what system was put on to an Auburn so that the air horns had air? Was it a vacuum operated air pump, like trucks used into the 1950's?

Thanks,

Marcus