Miata Mailing List: May 1994, Message #21
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   From: buck@claude.ma30.bull.com (Kenneth J. Buck)
Subject: air horns
   Date: Mon, 2 May 1994 10:49:48 -0400

Review of dual Air Horns:
(made in Italy and available from Automation and
Griot's Garage for $39.95)

We recently installed 2 sets of these in our 2 Miatas,
so thought I'd share my comments about the experience.

My reason for trying them was that the stock horn,
while nicely suited in character to the car (beep beep)
is way too quiet to make other people notice when you need
them to (as the tractor trailer runs you off the road and
over the banking and down into the trees... *blam!*).
I rarely use my horn, but when I *do* use it, I want
it to be noticed!
The replacement air horns seem to be the answer,
they're LOUD and to me, they sound great.

The kit consists of two plastic horns, connected by
flexible tubing to a small air compressor.  The
compressor attaches where the existing horn is located
(under the hood at the front of the car) and the horns
hang from a metal strap bracket down in the mouth of the car.
Installation is relatively straightforward, although the
instructions supplied by Automation are poor at best
(the 2 photocopied pictures are all but indecipherable).
If I recall correctly, all you need is a 10mm wrench
(a socket wrench helps). Everything connects using existing
bolts and wires, except for an additional ground wire,
which is supplied.  The horn strap attaches to the hood
latch bolt, but due to the nature of the latch bracket,
you either have to bend the horn strap around the latch
bracket, or else loosen the latch bolts so you can attach
it behind the latch bracket, allowing it to hang straight
down. I chose this latter approach since it looks a little
neater..

The mounting bracket for the plastic horns is flexible,
and in my opinion, too flexible, allowing the horns to
vibrate and bounce around over bumps, etc.  i'm looking
around for a thicker gauge equivalent to replace it with.

I noticed what seems to be the same horns listed in the
Griot's Garage catalog for the same price ($39.95),
although I assume they don't include the Miata-specific
installation instructions (big deal) and might not include
the ground wire (?).  I don't have Automation's address
with me at the moment, but they advertise in the Miata Magazine,
and I can post it if anyone wants.


Conclusions:
I like the sound of the new horns, it's distinctive and tuneful,
the price is reasonable, and installation only takes a few minutes.
I'd recommend this product to anyone that feels the stock horns
are too quiet for safety's sake.

(Now to find a way to add a 3rd horn and tune it to the others... :-)

--                                             
Ken Buck                                          /|
Internet: k.buck@ma30.bull.com                \'o.O'    ACK!
Mail:     Bull, MA30-833A                     =(___)= THPTPHH!
          300 Concord Rd, Billerica, MA 01821    U