356 horn evolution

For those who obsess about exactly how their 356 left the factory!
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Ken Daugherty
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356 horn evolution

#1 Post by Ken Daugherty »

I have three different styles of 356 horns.
The first is for the early 356's (Pre A's) and has an open face (#1)
The second has a grille and a noticeable ring under the grille (#2)
The third also has a grille but no ring (#3) and I believe the third is for the C and possible B's.

Can anybody help put a use date on them?

Thanks
KenD
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Mike Smith
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#2 Post by Mike Smith »

Fanfare Horns (Snail Shell) were also availalble, probably as an option, thru 1953/54 (?)
Mike Smith (Essex - UK)

Julian Hardy
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#3 Post by Julian Hardy »

Ken,
As Mike said ,Fanfares were 1952-1954

Your # 1 you know as Pre "A" 1954 into "A" 1957 with just the band around the outside
Your # 2 is for years 1963-1965 "C" with the cup behind the grill
Your # 3 is for 1958-1962 "B" flat disk behind the grill
I have not gotten into what parts of the year when they started to use each one.

The Bosch Horn guy
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Julian
 

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Paul Hatfield
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#4 Post by Paul Hatfield »

If you carefully remove the paint on the horn, you may be able to find a date code stamped into the housing. Mine was on the back side of the horn, on the outer "rim". In the second picture below, you'll see 406 stamped there. This represents June of 1964. Be gentle in the paint removal and then inspect in excellent light.
Good luck!
Paul
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Alan Hall
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#5 Post by Alan Hall »

'53 and '54 used the type you show as no. 1 as standard, not sure about earlier. The fanfare type may well have been optional but were not standard. 1953 was an interesting year as the factory was apparently trying to reduce costs as volume rose and I believe most '53 cars came with only a single horn.

Alan

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James Davies
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#6 Post by James Davies »

I'm reviving an old thread here.

Anyone know when Bosch changed the writing on horn data plates for the early single-hole horns? The two styles of data plate are pictured below.
Early horn data plates.  1953 plate on the left.
Early horn data plates. 1953 plate on the left.
The data plate on the left is from an early 1953 Super coupe. 1953 model year cars came standard with just one horn as Alan mentions above. I suspect the data plate on the right was produced later - sometime between 1954 and 1957. Anyone know when the change occurred?

Many thanks!
Last edited by James Davies on Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Joris Koning
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#7 Post by Joris Koning »

James,

Interesting stuff. I was always under the impression that only the left style plates were produced. As such I always judged the reproductions (which are the early style) to be wrong. Interested to hear from people who have access to accurate reproductions of the right style (later) horn plate
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James Davies
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#8 Post by James Davies »

Joris,

Yes interesting! You'll notice in the photo that starts this thread, that the horn on the far left has a data tag like the tag on the right above. Both types of tag are original Bosch items. Just don't know when the change occurred. We need a Brett Johnson-esque poll.

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Rick Albro
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#9 Post by Rick Albro »

I have a horn like number one on 50199 and One like 3 on my 57, My 57 has a date code of June of 56. The horn for my 53 does not have a legible date code despite a very intense search. The data plate on the early horn is like the first one.
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Last edited by Rick Albro on Sat Mar 29, 2014 1:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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James Davies
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#10 Post by James Davies »

Rick, does the '53 horn have a data tag? If so, is it like the left or right one above?

EDIT: Ah, I see the attached photos. Cool. So '53s so far are consistent.
Last edited by James Davies on Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Dennis ODonnell
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#11 Post by Dennis ODonnell »

"# 3 is for 1958-1962 "B" flat disk behind the grill
I have not gotten into what parts of the year"

My early '57 came with this version.

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James Davies
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#12 Post by James Davies »

And Joris, just for fun, here's a few photos of an early horn with the later style data plate and mounting bracket. The plate is original, i.e. the black is etched into the aluminum at a lower level.

Anyway, I'd be interested when Bosch changed from the earlier style pictured in Rick's photo above to the newer style data tag pictured here.
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20140402_4img_1417ff.jpg

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Matt Kreeve
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#13 Post by Matt Kreeve »

apologies for the dead/sleeping thread bump ... but to be sure is the non-grill version JAMES posted above this post ^^^ correct for 1956A?
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John Wurner
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#14 Post by John Wurner »

So what type of horn is this? 911?
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Mike Wilson
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Re: 356 horn evolution

#15 Post by Mike Wilson »

The bracket suggests 911 or 912.

Mike
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