Fiat 131 Racing air horn

[MarkoH]

Hi guys!

I have a problem and now I need some help.

In the engine bay there is a plastic plate where the compessor of the air horn is installed. The plastic plate is installed next to the radiator (left side). Now I am wondering that what is the right place for the horns? In the horn package there is two horns - a shorter one and taller one.

If someone can send me a picture of correct installation of the horns I would be really happy. Thanks in advance.




Marko

[kev131]

Hi MARKO - This is my installation - I think the brackets may be different on my car but the location matches what I can see from Fiat and roadtest material that I have. Hope that helps. 

[Thotos]

Yes, other than the wrong pipe between compressor and horn  Kevin's installation seems right. But the 131 air horns are single trumpet while you claim to have two Marko  And you also seem to have a large metal bracket installed to the inner wing; what is that for?  Regulations in certain countries meant the cars had different horns for different countries. Air horns were not allowed in certain places and in France cars had to have a 'town' horn (not so loud) and a louder 'out of town' horn. Where only one horn was fitted to cars destined for France it had to be the quieter 'town' horn.

[kev131]

Yes, other than the wrong pipe between compressor and horn  Kevin's installation seems right. 

Do you really mean "non-standard" or perhaps "upgraded"..?

That's interesting on the twin horn story Theo - The only car that I knew that had the dual horn system (which makes total sense to me ) was the Fiat 130. Is it still a requirement in France or has it fallen into disuse..?

Also the point about single or twin trumpets, they are twin horns but with a split in the middle for the different tones..maybe that is what Marko meant although if I had to guess ...and looking at that metal bracket, I'd plump for a bespoke Finnish specification, like the headlamp washers.

[sid131]

Kevin if you really want headlamp washers get some from a scrapped gen 6 celica they are a nice size

[Thotos]

Do you really mean "non-standard" or perhaps "upgraded"..?

I'll have to go with "non-standard" as that doesn't look like an "upgrade"    The air horns on the 131 are connected to the compressor with the green-coloured see-through CAVIS fuel hose. Your hose looks too 'soft' so it probably 'gives' under the compressor pressure and your horn is probably at least 0.1db quieter than a standard installation 

[mirko131]

Yes, other than the wrong pipe between compressor and horn   Kevin's installation seems right. But the 131 air horns are single trumpet while you claim to have two Marko   And you also seem to have a large metal bracket installed to the inner wing; what is that for?  Regulations in certain countries meant the cars had different horns for different countries. Air horns were not allowed in certain places and in France cars had to have a 'town' horn (not so loud) and a louder 'out of town' horn. Where only one horn was fitted to cars destined for France it had to be the quieter 'town' horn.

Thotos may be  right, my car is 100% French and I have two horns :

[Thotos]

Thotos may be  right,

I am always right  (except for when I am not  )

How to you change from 'town' to 'loud' horn? Is there a change-over switch somewhere?

Kevin, I believe this French 'feature' has now gone the way of the French amber lights. The UK is not the only place that looses its tradition to the EU 

[mirko131]

no, no switch on the compressor 

[MarkoH]

Thank you for your help guys. Before 1980 Finnish Racings has had exactly the same installation type than shown in Mirko131's picture. I visited at my grandmom's house where I am storing one of my cars, the 1978 model. It had exactly the same "factory installation".

Since 1980 head lamp washers has been mandatory here in Finland. That has caused some work at the importer because the air horn comperssor didn't fit to its place anymore - the place was taken by the head lamp washer tank.

So, here you can see the solution I ended up. After few phone calls I managed to find out that the installation place for horns was quite different almost every Racing. It was depending who made the changes at the importer.

EDIT: As I told you before, the compressor was already installed to this plastic plate. I just couldn't find the place for the horns....

[Thotos]

So now we know what the bracket in the inner wing is for on your car    That's  a very big tank for the headlamp washer  It looks at least three times bigger than the windscreen washer tank.

[MarkoH]

I was wrong again like usually. There is "single horn" models also here in Finland. Take a look at this - it is from my 1982 Racing:

[kev131]

Do you really mean "non-standard" or perhaps "upgraded"..?

I'll have to go with "non-standard" as that doesn't look like an "upgrade"    The air horns on the 131 are connected to the compressor with the green-coloured see-through CAVIS fuel hose. Your hose looks too 'soft' so it probably 'gives' under the compressor pressure and your horn is probably at least 0.1db quieter than a standard installation 

Theo - You are right - The horn is not at the usual hooligan levels of loudness that I expected - Thanks for the tip - I'll look to replace the hose with a firmer version - Cheers. 

I'm also amazed at the size of the headlight washer tank on the Finnish spec car. I wonder are the blue trumpets made by Flamm as well...?

[MarkoH]

I'm also amazed at the size of the headlight washer tank on the Finnish spec car. I wonder are the blue trumpets made by Flamm as well...?

The tank is BIG and it is equipped with a high pressure pump. The hose from the pump to the washers has 12 mm inner diameter... 

The blue trumpets are not made by FIAMM. The manufacturer is some other Italian company which I can't remember right now. I'll chech tomorrow if you are interested.

[kev131]

I doubt if the washer bottle is heated to prevent freezing but I guess you use anti-freeze to counter that - How about the mozzles though - Do they freeze up..?

Don't worry about the manufacturer's name Marko - I was just wondering if the cars left Fiat Italy with that blue twin air horn system for markets that required them (eg Finland and France to name two), rather than being fitted by the individual importers.