1950 Champion horn button

[Lothar]

I am getting far enough along with restoration of my 1950 Champion that I am able to start working on things like the horn. My horn(s) work, but the previous owner must have had some sort of problem with it, because he disconnected the horns from the relay. Another problem that I have is that the contact terminal at the steering wheel is gone. I just have a wire.
My theory is that the horn pad finally got compressed and dried out to such a degree that it didn't hold the horn bar up far enough to break contact with the terminal. I bought a replacement pad from SI and it looks about 1/3 thicker than the old part.
Anyway, neither the service manual nor the parts manual give me a clear picture of what the horn wire contact terminal looks like. Could someone describe it to me or post a picture? Since I'm missing that part, I would also appreciate any ideas about how to fabricate, or where to get, a replacement part. Could it be as simple as just crimping a bullet terminal on there? If so, what would keep the terminal from slipping down out of the ferrule and cup?

1950 Champion 4 Dr.
Holdrege NE

[BobGlasscock]

The wire in the column should have a 'bullet' shaped contactor on it. About 1/4" in diameter and 1/2" long. If you can get another contactor with any length of pigtail on it, it should be easy enough to connect the existing wire in the column with the pigtail. Between it and the hole in the column is a spring that pushes it toward the horn button. Not sure what you mean by 'horn bar' as mine has a button in the center of the wheel. If you have a bar that fits along the wheel spokes, it is different from mine. If you want more info, I will try to take pics Saturday or Sunday. Do you need info on the relay wiring, also?


'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[Lothar]

Bob
As I understand it, Regal Deluxe Champions have a bar with a half-circle. Deluxe models like mine just have a bar that goes over the spokes, although it does have a round hub with the domed plastic cap. The parts book calls it a "Type B" steering wheel. There might even be a third style, I'm not sure.
Anyway, what you describe sounds similar, but maybe not exactly like mine. I have the metal cup and spring, but I also have a brown fiber cylindrical "ferrule" (thats what the parts book calls it) that (I think) encases the contact and insulates it. Does yours have that?
I would appreciate pics of the horn button and the relay. Thanks for your willingness to help1


1950 Champion 4 Dr.
Holdrege NE

[BobGlasscock]

Horn button on wheel-


Take ring off just to make it easier to grab button for removal -


End of steering column showing wheel nut, wire-end contactor, and button base -


Between my thumb and finger is the copper contact button, you can see a little of what I believe is a non-conducting sleeve about 5/8" long, and the top end of the spring that pushes the contactor out against the horn button -


Backside of horn button. The contactor must be pushed into this cup by the spring to make contact all the time. -


Horn relay -


The left side connection is the 2 horn wires (my car has 2 horns, assume all do), the center connection is the column button wire, and the right side connection goes to the ammeter.

Maybe simply put, (if I don't get carried away), the wire in the column travels through the spring, the insulated sleeve, and ends at the brass or copper button contactor. That contactor is pushed against the steel cup in the horn button. The spring not only provides constant negative (on a postive ground) source to the button, but also is what keeps the button pushed 'out'. When you hit the button, it contacts the wheel nut and a noise comes out from under the hood.







'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[Lothar]

Bob
Thanks a million for the pictures! Thats just what I needed! Your description of the electrical function confirms my thought process. My only remaining question is about the contact. Does it have a mushroom-shaped head, a flat head or no head at all? I can't see a profile of it in your pics. Thanks again.

1950 Champion 4 Dr.
Holdrege NE

[Lothar]

By the way, your horn is the same internally as mine (except for the foam rubber pad), but the chrome cover is different. Is your car a W-1 sedan? I think they call that the custom trim?

1950 Champion 4 Dr.
Holdrege NE

[Roscomacaw]

Chrome cover is different, how? Yes, Bob's setup is for a Custom. And when new, the rather flat area around the S & shield was painted a medium-dark silver color.
If you have the foam rubber with the three screws and insulators, you must have a chrome ring or bar with a plastic emblem insert.
The contact has a mushroom head on it.

Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[BobGlasscock]

You're welcome, Lothar. I've gotten SO much help here that when I actually know something, I really want to share it.

My car is a W-3, Deluxe.

Mr. Biggs, does your statement about it being a 'custom' mean my dad got scr***d 59 years ago? Just kidding. It's a joke! Like a horn button matters......

As long as I carrying on, what did a Deluxe horn button look like? (But, that really IS the button that came with the car from South Bend).

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[BobGlasscock]

Thanks for the info, and I'll look for that article in TW.

My car came off the line 11-18-49, might that mean the wheel and button may have been a left-over from the 49s?

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[Roscomacaw]

Well Bob, if all goes according to plan, my article detailing horn button applications and desriptions will be in the August TW. A Deluxe would have a chromed horn bar that extends halfway out the two arms of the steering wheel and has a pronounced raised center section capped by a transparent dome of an emblem with an "S" inside.
The 50s were a truly goofy year in many ways and there were mid-year changes in steering wheels and their horn buttons-bars-rings!

Edit... SEE! I got it wrong when going on memory alone! The Deluxe cars DID have the button your's has until serial# G566835. After that, the Deluxe got the bar I described above.

Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[BobGlasscock]

Like, wow, man. We're typing at the same time.

Yes, my serial # is G524450.

Geesh, you and a couple of others here just amaze me!!! ( thanks for being you )

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[Lothar]

I don't have the build sheet for my car (yet-what a nice Father's Day gift-hint to family), but I know that my car is a late-production Champion (G-621434). It is a W-3 4-door sedan. Here's what my steering wheel and horn bar look like:





Under the bar is a circular foam rubber "donut". The cup, spring and spacer (ferrule) that I have appear identical to yours.
There is a third style for Regal deluxes that is like my horn bar, but with a half-ring spanning the bar. There may even be two different plastic hub inserts?
1950 Champion 4 Dr.
Holdrege NE

[Lothar]

By the way, as you can see in the pictures above, I have a couple notches in my steering wheel (at 12 O'Clock) from a suicide knob. What can I use as filler? Do I need to take the wheel off?

1950 Champion 4 Dr.
Holdrege NE

[BobGlasscock]

Thanks for the pic, Lothar. That is a very pretty dash. Your wheel is totally different than mine. As for the filling, there has been discussion about that, so a search might answer that. Or someone will jump in with suggestions before you have time to search. Is that the original upholstery? Looks like what I remember my car had in my childhood. What is the T handle control on the far left for? (You really need to get a Studebaker keyring.)

'50 Champion, 1 family owner

[Lothar]

The levers areleft to right) "W" (I assume stands for water?), which is the heater valve, "H" which is the hood latch, and "OD" the overdrive lever. Yes, the upholstery is original. There is only one rip in it, which is at the top corner on the driver's side. This fabric isn't particularly pretty, but it wears like iron. I wish I could replace it with the same stuff, but I don't think there is any NOS 1950 fabric out there, at least not that I have been able to find.

1950 Champion 4 Dr.
Holdrege NE