Air Horn discussion

Post by **jif** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:18 am

One of my numerous projects that I'll prob never get around to is to fit some electric horns... these are those snail-shaped electric ones, more compact and less "laggy" than the air horns. Has a nice European sound to it.

Gaz - I have a set of Infinity components (think it's 6.5", 2 way) if you want to check it out...

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:36 am

Jif......the Hella electric horns are dual tone, significantly louder than OEM, sound great (and dare I say it, 'European')

Bif......hey, no sarcasim on this site please but then again, if the washer nozzels are lighter, you may have a point

poison · Post by **poison** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:19 pm

Life and do cosmetic lights make you go faster….???

May I quote the once great David Lee Roth – in fact a rather an apt time for quoting him given that Van Halen have just announced their reformation and a world tour.

When you play the game of life, play it for all it's worth
It's a full contact sport and no one gets out alive
Because in the end it doesn't matter if you win or if you lose
All that matters is how good you looked….

Never a truer word has been said… so all you BRG owners are screwed from the start….lol

And do cosmetic lights make you go faster…??? Who cares they look good.

Horns… are they red plastic one's?? I saw some at Repco but didn't know if they would be loud enough?

Another problem with airhorns,… my old MX5… sitting at the lights, on a small incline when the car in front (driven by some very large fellows I believe to be from some Island not too far from New Zealand) started to roll backwards towards me, I couldn't back up as there was a car behind me… so I tried to give a nice small subtle toot with my air horns.. but nothing… so another go but longer… and a huge blast comes out unfortunately just as the light goes green. Needless to say these jolly fellows decide to exit their vehicle and physically discuss the matter further with me. It's at this point I made a mental note to sell my car and never own a convertible again…. Second mental note, F**k the law I'm getting a machine gun (still can't find one).

As luck would have it, one of these rather verbal pleasant fellows had noticed they were rolling back and believed my quivering explanation and managed to dissuade his fine associates from "beating the crap out of me just for the fun of it". The kicker was these guys turned out to be on the way back from church… and were on the way to visit my neighbour who works for this certain church. I discussed this matter with him later and he would not believe these gentle members of his church could ever have behaved in such a way.

Religion… another form of Glaucoma.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:46 pm

I have Fiamm air horns on my 1998 MX5. The trick to keep the delay to a
minimum is to mount them so the length of plastic tubing is very short.
Very little delay and definitely loud. The trumpets are red unfortunately
but can't be seen so they don't clash with my rather elegant GREEN!
My Nissan Terrano has a pair of the Fiamm dual tone electric horns (sort of
snail shaped). Much better (louder) than the OEMs and have the advantage
that they connect straight in with no extra wiring as required by the air
horns. I assume these are similar to the Hella ones. Would be very simple to
install on any MX5.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:08 pm

PO1SON.........

Thanks for the dissertation! You made my day..(how sad is that?)

No, Repco don't sell Hella (on the Mainland, anyway)
The Hella horns I refer to are black (Part Number 6005)... - although I have seen them on a website in red/black.
One is 500Hz , the other is 400Hz and have a combined Sound Pressure Level of 110dB. Power consumption is 2 x 72W.
My guess is that they are at least twice as loud as the standard feeble horn and they are a much more strident tone...in fact could be mistaken for airhorns!
Mine were old stock, priced at $56.20...so I gave the guy a $50 note and we shook hands!!
$6.20 towards my first set of strobes......

Euen · Post by **Euen** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:43 pm

The TG has quite a bit of chrome but no illuminated washer jets. Gazza, the red horns at Repco are Narva ones. They are quite effective, I have a set on my Legacy.

As far as the project is concerned, if I can get a couple of jobs finished next week I am hoping to give the TG its first serious run at a Pukekohe track day next Friday. Needs wheel alignment and a tune. I won't be going too crazy as it still has less than 5Km on the engine.

On the subject of silicone wiper blades, does anyone know if they are available in 8" or 9" or am I just going to have to cut down longer ones.

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 5:58 pm

i have some fiamm air horns..the secret is to keep them well oiled and use them often to keep the "on " time small..theres no worries about under use in Tauranga....
Totally off topic...our friends just had a Little old lady smash through thier fence(and the neighbours) and turn thier Toyota Prado around 90 degrees because she freaked out when a car was turning in front of her and she floored the gas pedal.........WHY WASNT IT ON THE NEWS???OH THATS RIGHT BECAUSE IT WASNT A "BOY RACER" If it had been it would have been on the front page of the paper such is the Hysteria in Tauranga regarding "boy racers"

Post by **zorruno** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:50 pm

This topic split from the recent topic about general modifications:
http://www.mx5forum.co.nz/viewtopic.php?t=8512

Post by **zorruno** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:02 pm

Grant wrote:I have Fiamm air horns on my 1998 MX5. The trick to keep the delay to a minimum is to mount them so the length of plastic tubing is very short. Very little delay and definitely loud. The trumpets are red unfortunately but can't be seen

I too have the fiamm set. Actually I have two sets for added effect...

I have two compressors mounted one on either side at the front of the radiator, going to two sets of horns, mounted underneath the popup lights (in front of the wheel wells) facing forward & slightly angled down.

Some other tips as well as the short air tube advice:
- I used a piece of stocking around the front of each horn. It stops larger foreign objects entering.
- Spraying inside the horn with WD40 occasionally seems to help longevity
- I use large electrolytic caps mounted with horn relays right beside each of the compressors. This minimises impedance & volt drop to the compressor giving quick compressor starting and lessens the sound delay.

....This setup is only because I haven't gotten around to building a compressor/air storage tank and truck horn setup yet. Anyone know if Diesel train horns are electric or use compressed air?

poison · Post by **poison** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 12:17 am

Yes the hose length thing.. but I'm looking for something loud, but not so loud that when I do wish to give just a wee TOOT, it comes out as a wee TOOT and not a great big "WHAAAA.."thus making the the previously mentioned rather large and jolly fellows (from the Islands close to New Zealand) in the car in front less inclined to get out and have a pleasant discussion about the matter.

Gazda

Post by **zorruno** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:28 pm

poison wrote:.. but I'm looking for something loud, but not so loud that when I do wish to give just a wee TOOT, it comes out as a wee TOOT and not a great big "WHAAAA..

two sets of horns and a switch?

Shermio · Post by **Shermio** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:03 am

Haha I hope this isn't going to end up like the trend in the US where people fit massive train horns and scary the crap out of people...

YouTube is your friend

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:10 pm

Due to xtra's 'upgrade' it appears my posts aren't making it to the board!
If you leave the OEM horns connected and also leave some hose to the airhorn trumpets, then a short poke of the horn button will result in the OEM beep. Hold the horn button and the OEM beep will be drowned out by the lovely sound of the airhorns.

Dez · Post by **Dez** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:41 pm

One could also purchase a Stebel Nautilus & instal this compact unit. It IS
loud, but a quick tap on the horn button will result in a lower tone. Better
still, buy the Nautilus AND do what Grant suggests.

Post by **jif** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 1:29 am

On 20/08/07, zorruno <mx5talk@mx5forum.co.nz (mx5talk@mx5forum.co.nz)> wrote:

....This setup is only because I haven't gotten around to building a compressor/air storage tank and truck horn setup yet. Anyone know if Diesel train horns are electric or use compressed air?

Hornblasters anyone?
http://www.hornblasters.com/products/ca ... hp?class=8

agent99 · Post by **agent99** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:46 am

Do you need to tow the train around to power that lot?!!

SLYDIT · Post by **SLYDIT** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 4:37 pm

Maybe you could set up a relay system using an RC time constant theory so that when you hit the horn, the standard electric horn will sound for around 0.75 seconds, then it switches to the air horns...so you can easily do a "toot toot" with the electric horn but if you mash the horn button down for a longer time, the air horns will kick in and raise mary hell...

Or you could easily set up a two way switch for "town and country" so that the electric horn goes on daily drives but flick it to the air horns for open road driving...

Post by **zorruno** » Sat Aug 25, 2007 7:24 pm

SLYDIT wrote:set up a two way switch for "town and country"

Switch? Bah. Automate the location by hooking it up to GPS.

poison · Post by **poison** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:31 am

zorruno wrote:Switch? Bah. Automate the location by hooking it up to GPS.

Yeah but you'll convince us all to use an open source Linux code and we'll have to reload the firmware every week....

I'm liking some of these two horn idea's. Sometimes you want a give a polite little TOOT and other times a great big GET THE F*** OUT OF THE WAY blast. But I guarantee if I did it with a switch I'd leave it on the wrong one.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 9:12 am

How about a pressure sensitive switch?
Gentle push = gentle toot.
Aggressive push = aggressive PAAAAAARRRRRRP.

WRW · Post by **WRW** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:50 am

I want a second set of airhorns on a different switch. The ones I've got go ' BLAAAAAAAAAAAAT'

The second set I want sounds like the old Ford model T: 'AAOOOOGAH'

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:52 am

They're available on TradeMe. Just search under oogah!

poison · Post by **poison** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 1:18 pm

WRW wrote:The second set I want sounds like the old Ford model T: 'AAOOOOGAH'

I thought about this too but there are always lots on TradeMe
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 6.htm?p=40

Sometimes called a claxton horn.

Ian · Post by **Ian** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:25 pm

Checked out Repco...The Narva twin electrics ($66) are 112db, two more than my Hellas.

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 6:09 pm

But is that at the same distance?!