Question re: Caterham horn tones

[SCH]

Hi all,

 

A quick question for the Caterham owners (and knowledgable enthusiasts) regarding the OEM Caterham horns:

 

According to the Caterham assembly instructions, their cars/kits come with two horns. However there is no mention whether one is a high-tone and the other is a low-tone, or if both horns are the same tone. So I was hoping someone here can clarify whether the supplied horns come as one low-tone and the other a high-tone, or are they are both the same tone (either both low or both high tone)?

 

Thanks very much in advance. Cheers!

[Croc]

To be honest I cannot answer your question. But the Caterham horns were so pathetically quiet that I replaced mine with some Hella Supertones. Now everyone hears me when its needed. Probably better to follow a solution like this for safety reasons.

[xcarguy]

Mine are scrap yard dual tone Crown Vic; louder than my car.

[bigdog]

It's always been my understanding that all dual horn systems are dual tone. I have personally never seen a dual horn mono tone system.

[SCH]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

bigdog - you're logic makes complete sense, so following your comment the original Caterham horns were likely one low tone and one high tone.

 

Croc - So did you replace the two Caterham horns with only one or with two Hella Supertone? Was there a particular model number?

[Croc]

Hi Michael

 

I used this Hella Supertone dual horn kit:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hla-003399801?seid=srese1&gclid=CMDgwLjA5LwCFcdQOgodtDsAGg

 

I would shop around as I bet you can find it cheaper elsewhere without much effort.

 

Cheers

mike

[Klasik-69]

Oh, come on, quit fooling around. Aren't you tired of sounding like a little kitty cat when you can roar like a big friggin lion !

 

Try this;

 

http://www.hornblasters.com/

 

That will send a message to anyone around...............for about 1/2 mile radius. It will blow the feathers off a full grown chicken in less than 2 seconds. It will absolutely dry up the depends on your grandpa !

 

Actually, I went down to my local China junk import store (Harbor Freight) and for about $10 or $15 bought one of their ultra loud horns................and it is very loud. When I use it, people look around for the big truck that may have done it and all they see is my little 7 sitting there. If you get the big air horns above, you will need a trailer to pull behind for the air tank or you could mount it on the top of the roll bar and it would look like a torpedo or surface to air missile, maybe scare the crap out of people without even using the horn. One of the local guys here put one of the horn blasters in his 1970 VW bug and loves to scare old ladies walking their little dust mop dogs.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Klasik-69

[TurboWood]

The two horns in my kit were not identical. One was high and one was low (marked on the original packaging). I haven't actually tried them to confirm, but they should be different.

 

Daniel

[coffee break]

Then, there is always the PA type speaker with the sound of machine gun fire.

[scannon]

I have air horns on both the Caterham and the Miata. I don't have a picture of them on the Cat because they are mounted low and only visible from the bottom of the car.

 

The horns have 15" and 12" trumpets and are very loud. These are not the typical high pitched fruity Italian air horns and they scare people when I demo them in the shop.

 

A few years ago I was driving about 70 mph on a two lane in Western Colorado when an 18 wheeler pulled out from the trees in front of me. I hit the horn and the brakes and he locked up his brakes and shuttered to a stop leaving me about 2' of pavement on the other side of the road. I managed to keep two wheels on the pavement as I went by at about 50 mph.

 

Another time I was sitting at a RR crossing and the engineer blasted his horn as he enter the intersection. I laid on mine and his head popped 90* with big wide eyes. I doubt he connected my little car with the horn blast.

[Croc]

...they scare people when I demo them in the shop.

 

I will vouch for this. When Skip showed off his horn to me a few years back I was nearly embedded in the rear wall of his garage from the air pressure alone! They are LOUD! :rofl: :seeya:

[Klasik-69]

I have air horns on both the Caterham and the Miata. I don't have a picture of them on the Cat because they are mounted low and only visible from the bottom of the car.

 

The horns have 15" and 12" trumpets and are very loud. These are not the typical high pitched fruity Italian air horns and they scare people when I demo them in the shop.

 

A few years ago I was driving about 70 mph on a two lane in Western Colorado when an 18 wheeler pulled out from the trees in front of me. I hit the horn and the brakes and he locked up his brakes and shuttered to a stop leaving me about 2' of pavement on the other side of the road. I managed to keep two wheels on the pavement as I went by at about 50 mph.

 

Another time I was sitting at a RR crossing and the engineer blasted his horn as he enter the intersection. I laid on mine and his head popped 90* with big wide eyes. I doubt he connected my little car with the horn blast.

 

Wow, is that a nice engine bay !! Do you polish it every night ? It looks great.

[coffee break]

Wow, is that a nice engine bay !! Do you polish it every night ? It looks great.

 

Just sound the horns to blow the dust off.

[scannon]

Wow, is that a nice engine bay !! Do you polish it every night ? It looks great.

 

Nope, it gets cleaned up about twice a year. With all my other cars that one is only getting around 3k miles per year and rarely gets wet. The car currently has 133k miles on it.

 

That's the 3rd of 4 engines in in the 17 years I've owned it. That 1.6 engine blew up and it and the turbo system got sold to a fellow in Canada.

 

The current engine is a 1.8 bored to 1.9 with forged internals, head work and a larger turbo system. Last dyno was 288 WRHP and 265 torque. It looks like this:

 

http://usa7s.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=3195&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1309874031

[xcarguy]

I know I'm stating the obvious, but that's a fantastic looking engine bay! Two thumbs up on that one.

[scannon]

I know I'm stating the obvious, but that's a fantastic looking engine bay! Two thumbs up on that one.

 

Thanks!

 

Here's the Caterham engine bay. There have been a few changes since this picture. The battery is now down along the frame rails where the windshield washer tank used to be, the Link ECU was replaced with a Hydra Nemesis unit and is inside the passenger footwell and a tank for the methanol/water injection system sits where those two used to be. All the nice ceramic coating burned off the turbo, manifold and downpipe in the first session at the track. It's now black high temp paint. A cruise control actuator now sits between the coolant pressure tank and the heater.

 

http://www.britishv8.org/Other/SkipCannon/SkipCannon-BA.jpg

[S1Steve]

Nope, it gets cleaned up about twice a year. With all my other cars that one is only getting around 3k miles per year and rarely gets wet. The car currently has 133k miles on it.

 

That's the 3rd of 4 engines in in the 17 years I've owned it. That 1.6 engine blew up and it and the turbo system got sold to a fellow in Canada.

 

The current engine is a 1.8 bored to 1.9 with forged internals, head work and a larger turbo system. Last dyno was 288 WRHP and 265 torque. It looks like this:

 

http://usa7s.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=3195&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1309874031

 

That looks nice Skip.....

[xcarguy]

Thanks!

 

Here's the Caterham engine bay. There have been a few changes since this picture. The battery is now down along the frame rails where the windshield washer tank used to be, the Link ECU was replaced with a Hydra Nemesis unit and is inside the passenger footwell and a tank for the methanol/water injection system sits where those two used to be. All the nice ceramic coating burned off the turbo, manifold and downpipe in the first session at the track. It's now black high temp paint. A cruise control actuator now sits between the coolant pressure tank and the heater.

 

http://www.britishv8.org/Other/SkipCannon/SkipCannon-BA.jpg

 

 

Skip,

 

That's another excellent example of superb craftsmanship! :hurray:

[JohnK]

Technical note (no pun intended) - the two tones should give an "augmented fourth" and with that,you'll get the most reliable response from the bozo who's drifting into your lane while they're occupied with their cell phone. Ask a handy musician to demonstrate. 'Course VOLUME always seems to be pretty effective, and there' s something about air horns...

[Kitcat]

Skip: Now that I have seen your Caterham's engine bay, I am never taking my car's "bonnet" off again! I think it is worthy of posting on the ''Best Seven picture ever'' thread.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Kitcat