The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Anyone seen this air horn?

A neighbor gave me this air horn. It's a Hadley and he purchased it new in 1966. It has an air pump (works off of a vacuum line) and a storage tank. There are 2 horns that work off a 6V solenoid.

Yes, I've tested it. I did not run the pump off of the intake vacuum yet, but did try it from a hand vacuum I had and the pump does work. It has an internal regulator that keeps the pressure about 80-100 lbs in the storage tank. I did try the horns with compressed air and YES they are VERY LOUD.

I have not taken it apart for cleaning and not sure if I will as long as it works. Also, I haven't looked up the mfg to see if they were even still in business...

Here's a few pics..

Comments welcome?

hadley horns
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Not sure where to mount all this at yet. I also might keep my old horn and just add a switch to go to the air horn since they are loud.

Enjoy!

I got a set of horns from a salvage yard with the same set-up as yours. I don't know if they are Hadley brand, but the vacuum pump and the tank look exactly the same. Although my pump did work off of vacuum pressure, I could never get enough pressure out of it to blow the horns. I tried for a long time, but I think the diaphragm was too brittle or something. My horns also had mud-dauber nests in them that needed cleaning out. You're right - if they work, no need to take them apart.

I used the tank, horns and electric solenoid and added a 12v compressor with a pressure switch to turn it on/off.

And you are right - those horns are LOUD!

Good luck with yours.

Craig

Interesting. How did you control the pressure in the tank? Does the compressor have a pressure sensor on it to tell it to kick on and off. I see Hadley still sells horns. Mine's a model 964 and retails for about $350. I have the orginal box and instructions with parts list and scehmatics and drawings. In 1966 the cost to completely rebuild them was $14.50.

I used a pressure switch off of a household well water pressure tank. Got it at the local plumbing supply store. I used a pressure switch that turns the compressor on at 40 psi and off at 60 psi. For now it is hooked up to a little compressor that came inside of one of those roadside assistance kits, but I'll save some pennies until I can afford a "real" 12v compressor. But that's the fun of this hobby - making stuff work using whatever (safe) means possible.

That original box and instructions is way cool too.

Craig

I'm confused. You guys keep talking about vacuum pumps, but then say you ran them off compressed air.

??????????

Yeah, wierd little thing. . .It makes this sucking/slapping noise as it is working. The vacuum pulls on a diapragm inside and moves a valve that lets it back to the starting position. If I remember correctly, the diaphragm movement also is pumping a bellows or valve that fills the tank with compressed air. It really does sound cool when it's running, but I don't know that I want to listen to it for the duration of a road trip!

Mine just never built up enough pressure to make it worth the time to fiddle with it any more. Hopefully David's works better.

Craig

I had a set and got it all setup using the 12 volt system for the air pump. I used it but when I did it a lot the air pump would just pull a lot off the electrical (generator) system. So I pulled it off and went to a "Volo Air Horn" system . It is just as loud, has a varying tone and is no problem at all now. The draw is 4 amps when in use. otherwise it uses no amperage.
Normbc9

Boy that would work great for those eggheads that continue to sit texting when the traffic light has turned green. Chrome em'.