My search for a replacement horn ceased when I stumbled across an inconspicuos date code I hadn't seen prior. Yet another part I did never realized was date coded. I decided to open up and repair the original horn to keep the date coded one on the car. While documenting the info cast in and stamped on the horns and getting educated, I noticed two single letters and aren't sure what they mean. One is cast into the air horn part above the Delco name and the other is very small beside the date code stamp. Does anyone know for sure if one of these letters designates the specific letter music note of the horn or do they reference something else? If you look close at the pic you can see a letter B above the Delco Remy name on attached pic. Also, what exactly determines the note of the horn? Is it the curled air horn section or the electrical magnetizing coil inside? Appreciate any enlightening info on horn part numbers, ID , etc Thanks
From what I have read on-line I beleive it is the horn note. Most cars had a high note and low note. Here is some information I had on notes. Check out http://www.delcoremyhistory.com/Products/horns.htm Hope it helps Terry [TABLE] <TBODY>[TR] [TD="width: 117"]Lo-Tone "F Note"[/TD] [TD="width: 129"]Hi-Tone "A Note"[/TD] [TD="width: 147"]Deep-Tone "D Note"[/TD] [TD="width: 139"]Penetone "High C Note"[/TD] [TD]Alarm Tone "High F Note"[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 117"]Buick[/TD] [TD="width: 129"]Buick (except Skylark)[/TD] [TD="width: 147"]Buick (optional on Electra, LeSabre, Riviera)[/TD] [TD="width: 139"]Buick (optional on Electra, LeSabre, Riviera)[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 117"]Cadillac[/TD] [TD="width: 129"]Cadillac Seville (all others optional)[/TD] [TD="width: 147"]Cadillac (except Seville)[/TD] [TD="width: 139"]Cadillac Seville (optional for all others)[/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 117"]Chevrolet (except Corvette, Chevette)[/TD] [TD="width: 129"]Chevrolet Chevette, Camaro, Nova, Malibu, Corvette, Monte Carlo[/TD] [TD="width: 147"]Chevrolet Caprice[/TD] [TD="width: 139"]Chevrolet Corvette[/TD] [TD]Chevrolet Corvette (optional on Van)[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 117"]Oldsmobile[/TD] [TD="width: 129"]Oldsmobile Cutlass, Omega[/TD] [TD="width: 147"]Oldsmobile98, 88 Toronado[/TD] [TD="width: 139"] [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="width: 117"]Pontiac[/TD] [TD="width: 129"]Pontiac (except Sunbird) (standard LeMans)[/TD] [TD="width: 147"] [/TD] [TD="width: 139"] [/TD] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] </TBODY>[/TABLE]
OK now I have seen a Q marking on a friends Olds horn so I do not think the letters are notes. Maybe some weird date code?
After I posted that data I went and looked at my horns and a couple others I had and they don't match the data from the website. I think I seen an "i" and "B" which are not on the list - Must be a production number like you suggested. I went back to the website and it stated they only made 5 notes. ?????? Terry
The chart above is from 1978 so code markings may have changed from the 60s. I too have determined the single letter marking above the Delco name is not the note. I've seen too many variations on same horn. Perhaps a month date code? I also can't correlate the small cast letter beside the date code as being music note either since both my low and high note have an F....... but I have another low note that has an H. o No: Still trying to determine if the magetizing coils have different ohm readings between different notes. Problem is horn must be dismanteled to check because any resistance in the internal contact will give a skewed reading if checking without disassembling horn. This contact is normally closed until the horn is activated.
Can't tell you about the ohm readings, but the internals do look identical. I had a low note horn that was dead, so figured couldn't hurt to take it apart. Did that and discovered it was melted inside. Took apart a spare high note horn (have a couple so picked the worst one), transferred over the "horn" part or whatever you want to call it, and now have a low horn that works... Go figure. Temp assembled with screws, will rivet it back together eventually. These ones all have date codes like 1H3, etc. The classic "L" and "H" are on each plus the smaller letters you talk about. I would guess those are probably factory markings for the individual parts before they are assembled?
