Horny

Keith Webb · #1 13-03-11, 10:44

This must have been the horniest Chev blitz around!

Robin Craig · #2 13-03-11, 14:23

Keith,

in that photograph you posted, there are 3 horns. The right hand one as we look at it, that is rusted around the outside and bare metal in the centre, is that original to that vehicle?

Robin

Rich Payne · #3 13-03-11, 14:53

The right hand horn, with a bezel fixed by fillister screws rather than acorn nuts looks to be a military spec Lucas HF1234 'Altette'. Certainly a common fitting on British vehicles.

Grant Bowker · #4 13-03-11, 15:10

There's also an empty bracket for a 4th horn, lower right of the grill when on the vehicle). It has to be Australian (land of endless sunshine) - no one in their right mind in Canada would mount a horn exposed with the mouth pointing up to collect ice.

Robin Craig · #5 13-03-11, 17:58

Rich,

you have partly hit the nail on the head about that horn.

I have a thread running on www.hmvf.co.uk about what is the longest continuous usage of a British Military vehicle part.

This item, is one of 3 contenders that I have identified. The others being the venerable convoy light which is still used, and the red rear reflective disk that came in post war.

Currently that horn is still used on active service vehicles such as CVRT and 432 and Stormers.

It is an incredibly long time for a single part to have been used wouldnt you say?

Robin

Rich Payne · #6 13-03-11, 21:29

The original Altettes date back to 1930. As the standard Lucas horn, they probably appeared quite early on MVs. They were certainly in use by the mid-1930s.

There were various small changes over the years, particularly to the body. They seem to have changed for the final time during the early 1950s when they gained a 'corrugated' tone disc. As far as I'm aware, the motor industry replaced them with something cheaper to make during the mid-1950s.

They're certainly heavy enough to give the mounting brackets a hard time. I can imagine why this one's been welded on.

Robin Craig · #7 13-03-11, 23:49

Rich,

hate to burst the bubble but that horn has been in CONTINUOUS usage in UK vehicles.

To name a few, Daimler Dingo, Daimler Ferret, Saracen, Saladin, CVRT Scorpion family, CVRW Fox, Stormer HVM vehicles being still in service with two of them per vehicle.

R

Rich Payne · #8 14-03-11, 01:41

No bubble to burst Robin. Perhaps I should have said "mass-production motor industry"

What do you calculate to be the latest date that the horns were supplied new by Lucas to be fitted to new production vehicles ?

Robin Craig · #9 14-03-11, 04:24

Rich,

according to various sources the last build of Stormers was 1995 so I would say that was the last supply date, or very close to that.

I have not found out what other vehicles since then have been fitted with it but time will tell.

Im not quibbling that there may have been upgardes to the horn over the years with internal components being upgraded or improved.

The basic unit externally has remained unchanged over all that time.

I have a contact within a UK defence company whom I will pose some questions this week to see what supply there is available and what part numbers there are etc etc.

Robin