Trumpet Horn BLOW OUT

**Bro-Ham** · 11-29-09 03:30 AM

Some of my friends know my distaste for the Toyota Prius and the pious people who drive them. Couple a Prius with the insanity of the typical mentality of a Florida driver and, well, you will start to understand how I was pushed to the limit this evening.

I am convinced this could have only happened to me: While casually rolling down the main boulevard here, 3 lanes in each direction, speed limit 45, minding my own business, not even intoxicated, my majestic Sedan deVille d'Elegance was conveying me to my favorite steakhouse and lounge when, as I was driving in the left lane approaching an intersection, I see a Prius in the center lane on my right cut off the car in front of me attempting to cut across the left lane to the left turn lane to make a left turn. The problem was there was already a Grand Cherokee coming up just as fast in the left turn lane so the idiot in the Prius had to abort the turn lane and abruptly halt and sit in the left lane I was travelling in causing the Jetta in front of me to lock up the brakes, and then, guess what?!, I had to do the same. SCRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEECCHH!!!! Oh there was the smell of burning something...

So, in front of me was the jolted to a stop Jetta in back of the Prius waiting for the opposing traffic to clear so the Jeep could turn so the Prius could then turn. Of course I could not escape to my right because the traffic was thick. The Jeep and Prius could not turn left because traffic in the opposing direction was thick as well. I was beyond upset - - so, not missing a beat I LAIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD on the trumpet horns, and the Jetta followed suit with it's VW horn - - - - I didn't let off until after 15 seconds or so when the Jetta and I went into violent intermittent blasts of horn honking while waiting for the jagoff Prius driver idiot to get out of the way, traffic was still streaming by on the right so I still couldn't escape, so, I continued to beep insanely to give this idiot the message, so - short story long - my deepest bass horn stopped honking in the heat of battle!!! Man, I was already ticked (I'm being nice with my language, as nice as I can).

Anyway, do these horns blow out??

The Jeep finally turned, followed by the nutjob in the Prius, and then the dick had the nerve to honk his pitiful horn two times as he turned! If I didn't have guests waiting for me at dinner there could have been an even bigger scene.

Wisdom prevailed, for me at least. Anyway, the horn did not honk the same all the way home - sounds like only 3 of the 4 horns are blowing - like a Caprice or something less than a Cadillac. What should I do to get my Cadillac's deep musical note back?? How do I find these horns? Test them? Get replacements if necessary?

Thanks for allowing me to vent and please help so I am prepared in the event I need my full strength horn ammo again.

Dave

**Angry Matt** · 11-29-09 10:04 AM

I've always heard that they will wear out if you hold them too long, but have never experienced it personally. You can try adjusting the small screw on the one that doesn't work and see if that helps, if not get one from a junk yard. There should be an A,C,D, and F note in there. They are each marked with the note on the side. I usually keep a small stock for the new cars I buy because not all have all 4 notes, hell I've even got one on my craftsman mower. You can use them from lots of other GM's so they are in no way a challenge to find in a decent yard.

At least the rest of the car is ok, it could have been a lot worse. The world is full of a**holes and more are being born everyday.

**jayoldschool** · 11-29-09 12:25 PM

Cadillac horns are the best thing ever. I grabbed a set to put in my 71 Pontiac.

**77CDV** · 11-29-09 09:00 PM

All 77-79 Cadillacs have the two note set up (D and F) as standard. The trumpet option consists of adding the two addtional horns (A and C), which mount on the radiator support on the passenger side. Remove the cover that fills the gap between the header and the radiator support to access the horns. You can then test each one separately to find out which one burnt out. They are all easy to find, either at a local j-yard or through ebay.

They can be rebuilt, BTW, but the cost is prohibitive. Hope she's back in full voice soon!

Craig

**Bro-Ham** · 11-29-09 10:05 PM

Thanks everyone!! Craig, thanks for being so specific.

I found new horns at Rockauto.com for $37. I will get on this ASAP to figure out which one burned out since I love the sound of the trumpets while honking!!

**Bro-Ham** · 11-29-09 10:09 PM

Where are the standard D and F horns located just so I know?

Thanks!

**77CDV** · 11-30-09 12:15 AM

Driver's side of the radiator support.

**DopeStar 156** · 11-30-09 01:37 AM

Let's not get started on Prius hatred..... Ok fine, let's.....

Coming home from a night out a week ago with the STS, a Prius did the same ****ing thing, jumped across a buncha lanes to try and make a turn. Ended up in almost the same position and laid on my horn too, but went as far as to hurl a handful of pennies at the thing from my ashtray. I'm sure it left a buncha scratches.....

Do somethin' about it......

**Warren_R** · 11-30-09 04:14 AM

What a great idea! I'll be sure to stock plenty of pennies in my change tray!
... especially with all the environmentalist cretins we have in SoCal driving around in StupidCars, Piouses, and other roadway riffraff.

**Lazarus_Rooney** · 11-30-09 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by DopeStar 156

but went as far as to hurl a handful of pennies at the thing from my ashtray. I'm sure it left a buncha scratches.....

thats the most hysterical thing ive ever heard. the clatter it must have made on their (ugly, deformed) window was probably quite noisy and hilarious.

**77CDV** · 11-30-09 11:09 PM

It also qualifies as aggravated assault, so I'd curb my enthusiasm if I were you. Although, I do like the symbolism of it. Well-off Cadillac driver takes pity on the poor Prius-driving prole and donates money to help the guy buy a real car.

**greencadillacmatt** · 12-01-09 12:53 AM

I was at a stop-light with my little brother in my '84, and I was hit in the face with a penny. It was some friends in an X-Terra. I'm not sure how much change ended up in and around our cars that day, but both our ashtrays were significantly lighter by the end of it.

**Bro-Ham** · 12-01-09 08:28 AM

I'm just happy having a trumpet to either aggressively agitate with or gently tap on to get the attention of our fellow motorists, regardless of what they are doing or not doing. No other cars have such effective means of getting attention.

Speaking of these unspeakable behaviors regarding throwing objects at our fellow motorists, I don't do that kind of stuff myself because I'd hate to have it done to me. I owned an absolutely gorgeous 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II, two tone medium red, called Claret, over a very deep cordovan dark burgundy, called Garnet, and it had a classic tan leather interior. I purchased the car in 1999 with only 16,000 miles on it and it was just dazzlingly over the top! Anyway, I recall driving this showboat parade float car on the same parkway in Minneapolis two separate occasions and two different young men, both on bikes, both laid a great big SPIT on the hood of my car as they rode past me! What PIGS! Although I was tempted to drive after them and do something I instead stopped at the safest place and removed their disgusting and pathetic DNA from the hood of my majestic motorcar.

My philosophy is to ignore jagoffs much as possible and not, in any way, act like them.

**CaddyChillin77777** · 12-01-09 12:37 PM

Is it possible to add 2 more horns to the 77-79 models? I just replaced my two horns, and they actually sound pretty weak and lame. I want to feel majestic when I let my car speak for me.