1938 Horn Wire

[joeceretti]

I know I read in a post some information about how to route a new horn wire in my 38 steering column. I can't find it.. but I know that there is supposed to be a wire, under the connector plate, soldered on. I understand I am supposed to fish a new wire in and solder it on that spot.

All I see under the plate is a brass/copper looking ring around the steering shaft and no wire. I know the wire is in there and connected because it is under the horn button. Unfortunately it is shorted in the column. Can anyone give me some tips on what I should be looking for, how to solve this without taking the column out?

Much appreciated. 

[Fred Pennington 25635]

The wire is soldered to the copper riing.
Have someone rotate the steering wheel and watch for the connection.
Evan if the wire is broken there should be remnants of the old connection

Hope this helps

[Steve Passmore]

As Fred said rotate the column and you will find it.    It may have been my post you were looking for. The wire feeds down inside the tube and exist through a small hole just above the copper ring, it is soldered to the surface.       Feed your new wire from the bottom UP.  I found best results were a tiny gas torch with a hot flame to solder it back on as an electric soldering iron couldn't get it hot enough.  One of the old type heated irons warmed with a bigger torch or on the stove could work also.  On  the top  is an insulating collar then the wire is soldered to a brass fitting.

[joeceretti]

Yes, it was your post. Thank you! It will be nice to have the horn on the wheel like it should be!

[Doug Houston]

I have changed several of those wires. The original ones do get a bit ragged!
\
I had some #16 AWG high temp wire, and used it. Before you do the installation, clean out the hole in the slip ring. When you feed the pre-stripped wire down there, it should slip right into the hole in the slip ring.

[joeceretti]

Thanks Doug. I changed it. What I ended up doing was pulling the old wire back and realized that it was actually, surprisingly in pretty good condition except for the spot where it goes through the rectangular hole into the tube inside the column.  I cut the wire and left about 1 inch of it soldered to the collar. Then I crimped a small butt connector onto it and the new wire and then soldered the crimps, slipped a heat shrink tube on it and then fed the whole thing up into the tube. The heat shrink tubing combined with the plastic shroud around the butt connector should offer some measure of protection against the sharp edge there. Much better than what just the fabric did. It works great now!

THANKS!

[Rich Iannelli]

Thank you for this post.
My insulator is broken! What can I use to replace the original piece for my 1937 Lasalle?

Thanks,
Rich Iannelli
#27675

[Steve Passmore]

Thank you for this post.
My insulator is broken! What can I use to replace the original piece for my 1937 Lasalle?

Thanks,
Rich Iannelli
#27675

Do you mean the insulator on the top of the column under the horn button?

[Rich Iannelli]

Yes, that is the piece.

Thanks

[Steve Passmore]

These may be available from Bruce separately I don't know.      Mine was missing on my 41 so I found a piece of plastic rod from somewhere about 1/2" half round and filed and shaped it so it had a small collar around the top and fitted into the small hole in the top of the column, then drilled a hole through the centre for the wire. A fiddly job but it worked.  You have to un-solder and re fix the brass connector on the top to slide the insulator over the wire of coarse.

[Rich Iannelli]

Thank you for the advice.  I will try to make the piece.

Thanks,

Rich Iannelli

[Fred Pennington 25635]

Bob's Automobilia has a complete wire and insulator for Buicks. I don't know if it will work on Cadillac / La Salle.
The only difference I see is the spring.

Fred P.

[joeceretti]

It looks like it would work to me but would be a pain to feed in from the top.. I think you would have to feed a fish wire from the bottom and then pull it in that way from the top.

Even his horn cable contact plate looks correct for our cars.