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Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 8:23 pm
by James Davies
Matt, yes. These were used at least through early 1957. See below for an original-paint '57 coupe with these horns.

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2018 1:25 pm
by Matt Kreeve
^^^ thanks James!

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 11:41 am
by Joris Koning
Reviving this thread. Working on some early '56 horns. Google search so far has not resulted in a source for the correct data plates. If required I will have some made. Any people out there who also need some?

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 2:39 pm
by Jim Wayman
My early '55 was originally delivered with the fan fare horns. I have been trying to find someone who could make new data plates with no sucess. In addition to being bi-level on the surface, they are slightly convex.

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 2:43 pm
by James Davies
Jim, those horn tags look nice and original. Use them. =)

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 2:43 pm
by Joris Koning
JIm, PM me

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 9:51 pm
by Victor Ingram
Fanfare horn

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:20 pm
by Jim Wayman
Victor

There is a red dot showing in your picture in the second horn grille opening from the bottom. What is that?

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:13 pm
by Victor Ingram
Reflection of the photographer

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2022 12:52 am
by Tom Wavrin
My 11/1955 manufactured '56A Coupe's single hole data plate looked like the one on the left:

download/file.php?id=29913&mode=view

Tim Goodrich showed me how to restore the tags. He had just finished restoring a set for the car he was working on. Tedious, time consuming.

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2022 8:42 am
by James Davies
Tom tell us more about tag restoration. I suspect it would be useful also for Reutter chassis tag restoration as well, as the process that made these tags is the same.

356 horn evolution

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2022 4:29 pm
by Tom Wavrin
It's been 20 years and I wasn't as successful, or as patient, or derived as much satisfaction as Tim did. It is difficult to describe the process and one has only 1 chance to get it right because the horn badge aluminum is so soft. I cleaned the badges with Simple Green and Q-tips with special attention to the pitted areas of the bare aluminum. Most important observation is the smallest printing is the least embossed and most prone to sanding down to the painted surface and ruination of the badge. Use the finest emory available in a single layer applied to a narrow, somewhat flexible piece of plastic. You have to be able to see what you are doing; Tim used a bench top, lighted magnifying glass. I used shaker can satin black enamel applied in the lightest coat possible. The more paint applied, the higher the chance you'll ruin the badge. All you want is the contrast of clear aluminum against the black background. You may end up having to use a very small detail brush for touch up. I didn't finish with a clear coat but that might be a consideration. There will most likely be defects - resist the urge to make it perfect.

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2022 4:25 am
by Harlan Halsey
Where is the horn relay mounted on a 1955 Cabriolet? And what does it look like? I assume that because of the current draw, all 346s had a horn relay.

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2022 5:35 am
by James Davies
Horn relays were only used on cars with 2 horns, which became standard for the 1954 model year. The relay is mounted under the dash on passenger side. It's the standard Bosch SH/SE 11/1 relay. There should be 2 holes for it already there for mounting.

Re: 356 horn evolution

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2022 4:19 am
by Harlan Halsey
Thank you, James,
Perfect answer.