1939 Buick Special Horn button parts

[39Cdan]

Hello My Friends.

Many years ago the previous owner of my '39 Special (an Uncle with a fantastic sense of humor) cut the horn button wire at the steering column contact point.

I have wondered why for 12-ish years, yesterday I found the answer. After rewiring the horn circuit and poised to make this last connection - to the column contact - the horns blared with pride.

I disassembled the button assembly and must conclude inadequate separation between contacts. Ref Figure 12-51 in the '38 Shop Manual.

So, I would be pleased to gain from another's experience in this subject.

 

Thank you,

Kevin

 

 

[markewebb '39 Buick Team]

My horn had a "hair trigger", slightest touch and she would honk.  Replaced the horn button separator and all is well.  Bob's sells them  "1937-40 Horn button separator, sponge insulator all models with banjo steering wheels  HS-370 $4.25"

[markewebb '39 Buick Team]

I read somewhere those horn button separators are prone to melting and or hardening.  My old one was hard and had melted a bit.  Replacement from Bob's was soft, like a computer mouse pad and about as thick as a mouse pad also, whereas my old one had only about half that thickness due to the melting and hardening.  

 

 

[39BuickEight]

Mine was touchy when I put it back together.  It's just a process of getting the separator/foam/rubber whatever you use to keep it from honking in the right place vs. where the contact is made with the horn ring when you press it.  I put it together "correctly" with clean and new parts where needed, and it was way too touchy.  It would try to honk if you just accidentally hit the steering wheel.  The way I ended up doing mine, one of the rings (bottom when wheel is straight) doesn't honk without some wiggling persuasion.  I left it like that since I don't plan on ever using the horn in real life, especially pressing on the bottom.  My hands are never on the bottom when driving.  I hold the top parts of the steering wheel.  The top parts work well.   My ring also has a hairline crack, so I put it so that was on the bottom and I wouldn't make it worse.

[39Cdan]

Thank you Gentlemen!

 

True statement - repaired with duct tape :)

Tried constructing a separator with various material, paper and gasket cork.

Stared at it for a bit, with a glass of red.

Inserted a layer of duct tape where I believe the separator should fit.

I must admit, in this "configuration" the horns are not wired to a hair trigger.

 

Thank you again.

Best to all,

Kevin