The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Original Horn for a 1953

I have a 1953 Chevy 1300 (Canadian 3100) on 6V. I was trying to troubleshoot some horn problems and got to figuring out that I have an Autolite HAB-60 hi and HAB-61 lo set. I'm not sure these are even 6V horns which might explain why they sound a little anemic. Can anyone definitively identify them as 6V or 12V horns? Were these the original horn on the truck? Especially interested if any Canadian 1300 owners have input!

Autolite is a manufacture for Ford so it raises suspicion that they are original. I found one on eBay that said it was 6 volt and another on the internet that said 12. If you already tried it on 6 volts, momentarily try it on 12 volts. The old horns are pretty robust so I don’t think it would hurt to try it.

Good Luck!

Autolite wasn't acquired by Ford until 1961. Prior to that, Autolite manufactured parts for all automakers.

Thanks both. Gave Autolite a call this morning to see if their technical folk could dig up any information but all they could do was search the forums. Threw the horns on 12V this morning and found the high note functions about as well as it did previously, just a little bit louder. The low note actually functions on 12V but doesn't on 6V.

In the attached picture, there appears to be a wire soldered in to bypass what looks to be a broken resistor (I think it's a resistor at least!). Anyone have an idea how I can figure out what resistance it should be? I assume whatever it is will have to handle at least 50W.

My GUESS is that the horn could be used on a 12v system if the resistor was used and on a 6v system if the bypass wire was installed.

That’s good to know, thanks!

That could make sense. Odd that the high note functions without a bypass and the low note doesn't function with or without the bypass in place.

I do not have that style of horn on my 1314. Mine is mounted on the intake manifold, 6v.

I have similar looking horns in my truck, which was originally 6v, fastened to the firewall. With 12v now, those horns are awesomely loud.
TOOT TOOT !!

Trevor - are you able to figure out the manufacturer and model of horn on your 1314? Really curious what the 1300s might have originally come with.

To wrap up this thread for anyone reading in the future... I got my horns working very well on 6V (negative ground), so the Autolite HAB60 and HAB61 are definitely 6V horns. Removed the bypass wire from the low note horn, hooked each directly to a 6V battery, and the more I honked them the better they started to sound. Tuned them with the armature screw and then cleaned all electrical connections and grounds in the system. My wife was pretty annoyed that 15 minutes of honking destroyed her nap, but the two-tone symphony my truck now produces was well worth it.

Glad you were able to work it out. Good job!

Just wanted show the types of horns on my '52 Canadian model 1783, totally different style. Also 6V, but works extra loud on 12v