Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello peeps. Another of my 'idle questions' - is it possible to alter the pitch of the old snail shell type horns? I ask because I have found a spare in the back of my garage and wondered about fitting it in tandem with the existing horn, which is also the snail shell type. It would be nice to tune them so there is a pleasing interval - a third, a fifth, or even a minor third (no pun intended!). A third sounds more pleasing to me than a fifth (on the piano) for some reason, and a minor third a little 'edgy'.

There is an adjustment on the side but I think this is only to set the predetermined tone. I suppose your idea would be nice but how often do you need to sound your horn ?

I think Les is right and there is little you can do to alter the note. It was an option to have twin horns fitted - and the wiring was already in place on some early Minor 1000 models. If you look inside the "mouth" of the horn you will see a letter "L" for low or "H" for high. If you can then find the opposite to what you already have, you will have an enhanced sound such as the wealthy owners of Wolseleys and Rileys experienced!

I have fitted a pair of 'twin tone' horns, I salvaged many moons ago from a Humber Super Snipe I think and they sound - loud and wonderful!
I think you will find the tone cannot be altered, the adjustment is for making the horn function properly - as it's adjusted you will hear a change to the quality of note.

Alan

There is no adjustment for Pitch or Tone.
The purpose of the adjustment screw is clearly detailed in the manual.

Thanks, chaps.

ManyMinors wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 7:46 pm If you look inside the "mouth" of the horn you will see a letter "L" for low or "H" for high. If you can then find the opposite to what you already have, you will have an enhanced sound such as the wealthy owners of Wolseleys and Rileys experienced!

Unfortunately, having checked, they are both 'low' horns........ Can't see much point in doubling up the volume so will keep the other as a spare. Many years ago, just for laughs, I wired a Minor horn up to the house bell push - unfortunately it was sooo loud, even after stuffing a cloth in the bell, that you would jump out of your chair when anyone 'rang' the bell!

If you get a "High" and "Low" you can blow them alternately and pretend to be a police car
Don't insist on me telling you how I know this.

Phil P

He he, well that is interesting as it suggests the interval between the two horns is a minor third. Of course, some of the 'scariest' horn sounds are some of those found on American locomotives - real banshee wails!