Speedster center horn

[mbstude]

Some friends of mine bought that '55 Speedster center horn that was on eBay. (Thanks for the heads up JP!) Well, they are not sure as to which way the horn is supposed to face. So, if anyone has a picture of the correct mounting and location, it'd really help a lot. This car is a nice one, and the owners want to keep it 100% correct.
Thanks in advance! [8D]

___________________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT



http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/
http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[JDP]

It faces down, and mounts in the center top area, behind the radiator.


JDP
Arnold Md.
Studebaker On The Net
http://stude.com
My Ebay Items
http://www.stude.com/EBAY/

64 GT hawk
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk (Black)
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk (Black) #2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert
63 Lark 2 door
63 Lark 2 door #2
62 Lark 2 door
60 Hawk
59 3E truck
52 Starliner
51 Commander

[mbstude]

Thanks JP, I'll pass it on.

___________________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT



http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/
http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[klifton1]

It,s an L shaped bracket that mounts it and I don't think the bracket will let face down. I took the one off my Speedster and it had the bell facing left. Was it changed around in the last 50 years????
Klif

55 Speedster
42 Champ Coupe

[mbstude]

Thanks klif. Now, just to be sure, is that Left from sitting in the car or standing in front of it? [:I]

___________________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT



http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/
http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[JDP]

Crap, I mounted mine down, but I guess I did it wrong.


JDP
Arnold Md.
Studebaker On The Net
http://stude.com
My Ebay Items
http://www.stude.com/EBAY/

64 GT hawk
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk (Black)
63 R2 4 speed GT Hawk (Black) #2
63 Avanti R1
63 Daytona convert
63 Lark 2 door
63 Lark 2 door #2
62 Lark 2 door
60 Hawk
59 3E truck
52 Starliner
51 Commander

[55studeman]

Hmm, down, up, left, or right?

I've got a speedster and it's definitely not pointing down, unless the car jumped a ramp and landed on its side.

The bracket holds the horn so that it is horizontal, not down. The "L" Shaped bracket is secured by two screws. Those 2 screws are 2 of the 3 that hold the floating "V" in the center grill (horn uses the front screw and one back screw), you can see the screws by looking from below the center grill.

I finished the restoration of my Speedster in 2000. Before the dang horn fell off the car and got ran over, I had installed it so that the horn points to the right, as in towards the passenger side. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you if that is 100% correct, since I didn't make notes about the horn during disassembly but I think I had lined up the surface rust marks and so it should be correct.

To be sure, you should give call one of the leading speedster experts, Rene at Phantom Autoworks -tell him Eric "The speedster Kid" from California told you to call. Also, if my friend Cliff is out there he might chime in and set us straight, he's a 55' expert.

Last comment, that horn is long and attached on one end which means it tends to vibrate...a lot...with the road bumps and vibes. My horn fell off not too long after sticking it on. My friend's center horn on his 55' also fell off. We had a good chuckle about it, our horns both looked the same....mangled from being ran over and by the way, they were also unsalvageable. So my wise advise is this, attach it well, use new lock washers and use thread lock compound...or else your friend may loose that very expensive horn -which, by the way, I was watching as it went sky high on ebay.

[A better alternative to the screws would be to make up studs to replace the screws. Set the studes in the floating "V" with thread lock, then install the horn bracket and use new lock washers, nylon lock nuts, and thread lock on the nylon lock nuts -overkill, yes but worth it.]

Whatever way you choose, check the horn attachment often for looseness.....b/c NOS replacements or rebuildable cores are rather difficult to get.

Oh, if you really need a pic of the horn and mounting, let me know. I'm a bit tired and lazy at the moment or else I'd do it.


E. West
"The Speedster Kid"
Sunny Northern California
Where the roads don't freeze over and the heat doesn't kill you.
And an open road is yours to have -only during non-commute rush hours 9am-4pm and 7pm to 7am (Ha, ha, ha)

[klifton1]

To the left, Drivers side. That bracket mounts as discribed, and it is special. There are 3 or 4 spring steel inserts in it, so the horn does move a small amount. Part #536784 Support Center Horn Bracket.
Klif

55 Speedster
42 Champ Coupe

[mbstude]

Thanks everyone for their reply. I'll pass it on to the owners.

___________________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT



http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/
http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[N8N]

I think the center grille on my car came from either a President State or a Speedster, I'll look and see if I can find a "rust trace" from the bracket and if so I'll try to take a pic of it if that will help.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[N8N]

Matthew,

I looked under the grille of my car and it is very clear from looking that my grille (not original to car) did indeed have a center horn. Unfortunately the batteries in my camera were dead and I can't think of a good way to describe what I saw. I don't have a horn/bracket to hold up so that I can say with certainty which way it pointed. If you can wait until after xmas I will try again. (camera is fine, I just tried it with fresh batteries. It was kicking around in my briefcase and I think it inadvertantly was turned on and left on - I really need to buy a case for it)

See, one instance where not sweating the details pays off! (if I were truly obsessed, I would have cleaned the underside of the grille with steel wool and there'd be nothing to see there...)

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[mbstude]

Thanks everyone. Nate, you didn't HAVE to crawl under the car. [:I][)] Thanks for doing so anyways.
I sent the owners of the car a link to this thread, so maybe they can get enough info from it to place theirs in the correct position.

Thanks again! [8D]

___________________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT



http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/
http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[N8N]

I had the car in the driveway with the hood up anyway and was wearing clothes covered in gear oil (seems to be my natural state on a Sunday afternoon,) so it was really no big deal.

BTW I think I am one step closer to a leak free Stude; I R&R'd the heater control valve AGAIN because water was leaking down the firewall. I took a big ol' handful of strip caulk and wadded it up into a big fat rope of dum-dum and squished it in between the heater valve and firewall. It seems to be the only way to keep it from leaking. It looks... inelegant, but it doesn't leak anymore.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

[mbstude]

Well, thanks anyways.
A leak free Stude? That's gonna be a life long project. [)]

___________________________________________

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, Georgia
'59 Scotsman PU
'63 Daytona HT



http://mbstudebaker.blogspot.com/
http://thestudillac.blogspot.com/

[motive]

Does anyone know what the overall length of the Speedster Center Horn is. I was watching the ebay one as well, but it got way too pricey for my wallet. It was hard to tell how long it is from the picture. Is there a Sparton part number stamped on it? It would be good to know in case one happens to be hiding in an old box at some local swap meet.
Thanks,

Mike with Speedster (with no Center Horn)