Hi Guys!

New-to-me '81, brought home about a month ago. I'm learning it little by little.

I knew that the horn didn't blow when you pressed the button, and I'm just now getting around to working on it.

I've done a search and have bookmarked several helpful prior threads, but none with my specific issues.

My horns appear to have been removed from the car.

Most of my interior has been restored, including a new steering wheel. I'm assuming that when the old wheel came off, part of the delicate horn guts broke. I'm thinking they didn't replace them before putting the new steering wheel on. Prior owner reported the horn was in a constant "on" condition then.

My AIM shows where they should be mounted, and there's nothing there that I can see, not even mounting brackets or dangling wires.

The AIM doesn't really say much about brackets and wires. It does mention that there are 2 horns, 500 hz and 400 hz. One of my bookmarked threads mentions that one might be for the alarm.

What I'm wanting to know is:

Do I need to purchase both horns, (not interested in the alarm), and which one is the regular horn, 500 or 400 hz?

Where exactly do they mount, and should I be seeing brackets up in there in the nose?

Anyone know where the wiring runs and where I should find it? Colors?

Thanks a bunch for any info you can share.

 

For 1981, there were 2 horns, a high pitch (C note) and a low pitch (A note). Both horns were designed to blow when you blew the horn, or when the alarm went off. In 80 and earlier Corvettes, there was a separate horn, dedicated to the alarm system, but for 81 the regular car horns were shared with the alarm system. I don't know of any reason you would need 2 horns, many cars over the years only used one, the main reason Corvettes used 2 was to have more volumn and a more pleasing sound.

Depending when & where your 81 was built, will effect where the horns mounted. On early 81s, both horns are mounted in the center of the nose, between the headlights. One horn (the A note) was hung from the front surround panel reinforcement, just next to and inboard of the left headlight bracket. The second horn (the C note) was mounted below and forward of the first horn and bolted to the center section of the front bumper support, in the area behind the license plate. On later 81s, both horns were moved outward of the headlights and were bolted to the small triangle shaped metal reinforcements that are in front of the left and right inner fenders. I know that the outward mounting position applies to Corvettes built at Bowling Green, but I don't know if any St. Louis cars had their horns mounted in the outer postion, too. You won't see any brackets as the brackets are part of the horn. The assembly manual shows the mounting location for the first design usage of the horns, but not the later outboard mounting. You may want to look and feel around up in the area forward of the inner fenders, above the side marker lights. Depending on when the car was built, you may still have horns in the car, mounted in this later outer postion!

The wiring for the horns was part of the forward headlamp harness. My 81 shop manual shows the horn wires as dark green.

 

Wow gbvette62! What a great response.

My '81 was a St. Louis Corvette, but I'll inspect the outboard areas anyway.

My AIM shows a separate Alarm horn on the driver's side aft of the fender. I'm gonna go out and try the alarm system and see what I get in a few minutes.


I SURELY thank you for your info!

The hunt continues!

I'll be back!

 

You could just ground the black wire at the harmonica connector or the horn relay and see if the relay blows the horn. If it doesnt you can try jumpering the orange to the dk green to see if the horns blow.

 

1981 horns are mounted in each front quarter panel near the front. The only way to get ot them is to remove the front bumper.

In this picture the left horn is located right above where the light bulb/cornering light is in front of the front drivers wheel. The right horn is on the other side same location.

 

real hard to see the horns .i would look for a green wire ,then trace them out for the horns .but more than likely your horns are there .the problem may be the horn switch under the horn button cover.

 

Look up Jim Shea's steering column articles on corvettefaq.com. There may be assembly diagrams there that will help you. Sounds like the previous owner may have had problems with the nylon rivets up in the horn ring and didn't fix them correctly.



Rick B.

 

I have his posts bookmarked, and am thinking along the same lines as you are regarding the previous owner.

Still trying to be thorough. Tried to trigger the anti-theft alarm. No Joy.

Got on my back and looked up under the front clip with a flashlight.....paying attention to the outboard areas as mentioned in a previous post.....didn't see any horns.

I think I need to eyeball an intact '80 to '82 to see what I'm missing...

Didn't see any green wires exposed anywhere.

 

Really?

 

I agree that is where mine are but mine is a bowling green car!

 

look for a green wire it should be in a harness with some other wires.look in the motor compartment [drivers side].it might be better if you tryed to ground it at the horn ring .see if you have power there.

 

The AIM is wrong. My AIM shows it too, but it was never used on 81s. I have a copy of an internal Chevrolet Engineering Department "1981 Corvette Plan Book" which lists everything to be carried over from 1980, and everything to be changed. On page F7, dated 9-15-80, under item 12A the alarm system is listed with the note that it is a modification from 1980 and the following in the remarks column: "Ignition interrupt system added, to be energized in passive manner. Alarm horn discountinued, base horns to be used." Further down the page under item 12G the horns are listed with this remark: "Dual. Also used in anti-theft alarm."

This isn't the first time that there have been mistakes in the AIMs. The 1970 AIM shows the installation of tri power on the big block, but this was never offered. Usually when something was changed the AIM has a note saying changed or cancelled, but not always. AIMs are great when taking apart or reassembling something, but not so much for authenticating items.

Below is the horn installation page from the 1982 AIM, this is the same location as they are in 81, or later 81s for sure. I'm not sure you need to remove the bumper to get to them. If they are there, I would repair/replace the contact in the steering wheel hub and the horn relay before messing with the horns.

If you do need to remove them, I think you may be able to take them out without removing the bumper. The 2 inner fender reinforcements (what GM is calling brackets in the AIM) are each held in place by 2 bolts, that go into the reinforcement from the tire side of the inner fender. If you unbolt the reinforcements and leave the horns bolted to the reinforcements, with the headlights raised I think you can get the horns out through either the hood openning, or possibly out through the lower air inlet area. Compared to removing the bumper, it sure would be worth a try.

 

thats a good pic of where the horns are.but they are still hard to see them on the car .get a good light happy hunting.

 

Yes sir! and my car is a St. Louis build

 

Bam did you try to trigger the horn from under the dash ? 12v testlight might keep you from removing the front bumper !!!!

 

Thanks, guys.

I'll look more outboard than where the AIM has them located. Nice info on the AIM being incorrect. Thanks for the effort!

I don't think I'm into taking the front bumper off to install the horns.

What do you think about installing a new set where the AIM actually shows them and wiring them up there?

 

Definitely can , now locate that green wire .

 

Rog. Wilco.

Thanks!

I'll get back to this thread when I've had the chance to locate that greenie!

Sitting at the beach right now, enjoying an adult beverage, and the view.

 

What beach ? Pics of the "view" would be nice !

 

Here ya go, brah!

Here's a couple of pics of our beach house, one with a "nuclear sunset" from the view deck. Lincoln City, Oregon.

Tonight it's overcast and gray, with a calm sea. Weekend forecast to be sunny, Corvette weather.