Thread: Oversized 1932 california plates

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Got my 1932 plates sunday ). didn't realize they are quite a bit larger than new plates, so my current license plate frame will not do.

I have not been able to locate someone who sells frames with built in light for the oversized plates - can you guys point me in the right direction?

Here's a pdf of the Bob Drake catalog, go to page 25. Though it's not a combo, frame/light (that would be extremely rare), you can buy a vintage style light, and correct size frame as separate pieces.; http://www.bobdrake.com/pdfs/sampler23-sm.pdf

I agree with Bob... Your roadster is an awesome nostalgia rod, I would think you would want to go with vintage parts rather than any of the newer styled "billit" stuff that has the built in lights...

Just my 2¢...

Dave Brisco

Talking about getting vintage parts for my old school rod, I need a horn and want to buy an older one. They usually are 6 volt. Will a 6 volt horn work with a 12 volt system? Some told me it will and some said no...



Also do I want to get the black steel ones or the ones that have silver metal with black metal? I suspect the silver/black ones are more recent, but none of the ebay seller ever really know how old their stuff is so my guess is as good as theirs... ... Any guidance appreciated.

In short, what do the really old horns look like? (how can I tell an OLD one from a somewhat old one)
Here are a few exemple of horns I found on ebay:

Hiboygal, I have a similar problem trying to get a horn for my '29 fendered roadster. I attach a picture I took a few days ago at the Richmond NSRA National Meet of a fendered '32 because it shows a clever way to cover up the hole in the side of the radiator shell when using a dropped headlight bar. My problem is that with a dropped bar the horn won't fit in and yet I have that hole in the radiator shell. I don't know if this idea can be used on a highboy but if the horn is small and light it could be bolted through the hole that would have held the flex cable to the stock horn. I was amazed recently to learn that the price of any of three authentic reproduction OOGA horns for a Model A is $240 in the Bratton Antique Auto PArts catalog. You can get a lookalike OOGA horn from several aftermarket parts with a plastic megaphone for about $30 but you will have to paint the cheap looking plastic. I am tempted to try one of those little $7 horns bolted through the hole but it might be necessary to add some sort of metal bracket bolted through the side of the radiator shell.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Sorry, I forgot to upload the picture. I also looked at 1929 VA plates at the NSRA meet and for Virginia they are the same large size as the 1932 plates so I don't understand how the fender bracket on Model A and B Fords could hold those plates back in the day when they are wider than the rear fenders. I guess on your highboy you are not using such a bracket. The 1929 plates were offered at $235 but I could not go for that since the plates are too wide for me anyway. I did see one '32 VA plate that was the regular size and I asked how that could be done. It seems that once you get an old plate number you can have an artist or some shop to make up a standardized modern plate with the number painted on it and then you can use the standard modern size plate holder.

Here is the picture of the horn on a fendered '32. The question is how much can you dent in the can around the electric motor inside to make a flush bolt mount to the radiator? Here it looks crooked. The rest of this car was/is beautiful but you can see that the dropped headlight bar makes a problem for the horn. In the E-bay pictures the middle one with the silvery horn is most likely a modern reproduction and may be 12v, the other two look old and may be 6v. The 6v horns should work on 12v but for how long? This type of horn actually has a small electric motor in it with a wavy disk to vibrate a metal membrane and I suppose if you beeped the 6v horn for a long continuous "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOGAH" you could eventually burn out the motor using 12v, but for just short blasts it might live for a long time? Get the reproduction looking one which is set up for 12v, in my opinion.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Don,

Thanks for taking the time to go over everything, and the photo was very helpful. I think my horn is going to be bolted under the frame though, but in case someone was to look under there I want them to see a nice, old horn, not a plastic $30 one.

Oh my lasy question (here I go again) is your horn hooked up to a horn ring on yoru steering wheel? Or??

Hiboygal, I have a relatively inexpensive Grant wheel on top of an '83 Camaro steering column with a regular horn button in the center. The top part of the column is painted the body color as is the '32-style dash because in a roadster the inside is the same as the outside and the body paint just continues on (along with rain water). The lower part of the column has a black plastic cover from Speedway designed to hide all the wires and I will leave it black. I have not finalized the universal joints on the steering connection so if this non-tilt steering column does not work out I will have to get a tilt column, but I will keep the same wheel and the center horn button. You have helped me realize that I probably will have to mount my horn somewhere else on the car and I have checked hardware stores for a chrome plated plug for the hole in the side of the radiator shell; a number of plumbing plugs are available to fill unused holes in kitchen sinks. You asked a similar question on another thread and C9x gave a good answer with a picture of a VW horm mounted inside the engine compartment. Maybe I will do what C9x has done; he has a fantastic '32 and I have learned a lot from his pictures. I agree, the plastic megaphone horns look really cheap, probably even after adding paint. As far as your horn button goes, I would think that the addition of an aftermarket wheel to a '32-'48 steering column was solved long ago and kits are available for that case. On a Model A the original horn button should work with a wire down the hollow shaft and I think that design continued for many years on early Fords. In my opinion it is worth a little extra effort to put the horn button in the center of the wheel and a separate button has no nostalgia value to me; maybe if your old car had a side button it might be nostalgic to you so that is your judgement.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder