Hi guys, Well I’m sure some of you guys will get a good laugh out of my lack of knowledge but this is my first truck and I have two brackets on the firewall and cannot figure out what the heck they are for. I tried to google 48 gmc trucks to see if anybody else has them and could not find one other truck with them. I’m thinking I’m going to remove them but then again I didn’t want to if they actually do something, anyway any help,would be much appreciated!
Look like horn mounts to me but in the wrong place. Someone who knows will be along shortly.
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I'm with you Martin. They sure are styled like horn mounts but on the passenger side firewall?? I know very little about the trucks of that era so If it's not factory it could be a PO modification from sometime in the truck's distant past. Stranger things have happened.
Last edited by Tiny; 02/15/201911:15 PM.
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My horns are mounted right there on the passenger side. Mine's a '52 Canadian GMC. I always just assumed it came like that from the factory, because as far as I can tell there has been very little modification to my truck.
Where else are horns mounted? I think I've seen some on the manifold.
all my Canadian trucks from 50-53 have 2 horns, a high and low, i don't know about 49 and older yet one of my trucks does have a 1 manifold horn and 1 horn up on the firewall all the others (5 instances) have 2 firewall horns with those brackets
my theory: is that it's possible the local laws required both the high and low horns up here and that's why there is always two (and if you don't have an oil filter, then only one goes to the firewall) since most Canadian trucks have the bypass oil filter which interferes with the manifold horn location both horns would find their way to the firewall oil filters are so common in Canada that it wouldn't surprise me if the factory was putting in the oil filters.
one of my trucks with both horns up on the fire wall has the manifold horn wire still present inside the wire harness tapped off in what appears to be original factory tape holding the wire unused in the harness, non of the original owners would have cared or had disposable income to make unnecessary modifications of this type to a work truck. to me this vehicle looks like the strongest evidence that the factory put both on the firewall with a relay on at lease some canadian trucks -s
Tim, The matched horns have both high and low tones, that together have an awesome sound. I mounted an NOS set on my 1950 COE just as MT has pictured,using the enclosed instructions. One horn has an "H" stamped on the body and the other an 'L". I assume these stand for high and low, so I think it is OK to refer to them as High-Low horns. The correct location shown in the picture is sort of important as the kit comes with wires to connect to the relay and directly to the positive post on the starter. The wires have just enough length to go in the stock location and if you customize the location as the previous owner did on Jim K's truck you would have to use your own wires. Kent
Thanks guys for all the info, but if I want to use them (providing I can get the proper horns) it seems they are not in the correct location. It appears they have been there awhile since the bolts, nuts and brackets are all severely rusted together. What would you guys suggest, should I move the brackets to the right location? are the proper horns available? The one pic of the horns does look pretty cool!
All GM Delco Remy seashell design horn elements were virtually identical as far as fitting the mounts on your firewall so... don't limit your horn search to truck horns only.
Buick, Pontiac & Cadillac were just a few of the models in the era that used those seashell horns also.
It has been my experience that the Cadillac horns have a unique deep sounding tone to them.
Looks like the dual horn kit was moved from the firewall to the radiator support for 1953 & 1954 & it went from an accessory kit to a factory "ad on" option only.
The second horn was available as an accessory in 1954 (see link in post above).
The 1953 dual horns were mounted on the intake manifold or the firewall. I doubt they would fit on the front of the radiator support with the 1953 grill. Do you have documentation that shows otherwise, Greg, MT, Brad, others.
Also, I’ll try to remember to post photos of some car sea shell horns that have mounting posts in different locations on the horns, compared to the truck sea shell horns.
Sorry guys I probably should have pointed out my truck is a 48’ Joe is the pic from the manual you posted showing both horns on the firewall correct for my year? Also do you have any horns available?
MT, that 1954 illustration show three horns. I have never seen that before.
Is that diagram from the add-on horn kits for 1954? Did that kit come with two horns?
Thanks
The option for 1954 only came with one additional horn as far as I can tell. The diagram covers different mounting locations on the radiator support based on model number of truck.
The 1953 dual horns were mounted on the intake manifold or the firewall.
That is correct Tim.
Only one extra Hi note horn was mounted on the firewall for 1953. The standard production Lo note horn was still mounted on the intake manifold per the 1953 accessory installation book.
What would you guys suggest, should I move the brackets to the right location?
I guess that's entirely up to you--however much you're into "correctness" or whatever you think you can live with. It's your truck--you can do it however you want.
So you would know better than anyone else I know...Does that make the 54 radiator support different than the previous years? Just in those drilled holes?
Here's a pic of my horns mounted as yours were. Maybe different due to Canadian truck, maybe due to customization when turned into Fire truck as no spot for horns on engine due to auxiliary cooler. I'd have to look close, but by sound one is high one low. No reason for me to doubt original or at least before delivery change, mounting, wiring and even relay seemed untouched.
Yes, the 1954 radiator support was different that in earlier years - not just for those mounting holes, but also for slightly different size/dimension radiators.
So, 1953, the standard "seashell" horn mounts on the intake manifold. And, the accessory "seashell" horn mounts on the firewall.
Now, I hope I will remember to go to my garage tomorrow, to see/show that there were "seashell" horns that had mounting posts on them, that are in different locations compared to 1953/1954/1955st truck horns.
My latest 50 3600 had 2 trumpet horns mounted on the passenger side of the firewall above the heater control valve. One was about 10" long and the other about 12" long. They were mounted side-by-side on 1 bracket. Each horn was insulated from the bracket. There was a relay mounted close to them. I removed them since I couldn't get them to work. I wish I had a picture. I don't know if they were aftermarket or a dealer installed accessory.
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