Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I'm preparing my S130 for the road after years of pointless hibernation. As it is difficult to get an MOT these days without a working horn, does anyone have an original Harry Moss Maserati twin air horn compressor which is surplus to requirements and which they'd like to sell?
I have one but it is missing some parts including the long bolts which hold it together so even a tatty one to be used for bits would be fine.
If you can help please post a reply or send me a pm.

Many thanks,

Si

Just put an ordinary cheap car horn on for the purpose of the MOT, sort out the air horn later.

I actually have both on the car at present, because an air horn takes a significant time to make a sound and an ordinary buzzer horn is almost instant.

So a brief push just makes a short beep for in-town use and a long push runs up the louder air horns for use on a Motorway etc.

Clever!

Salut Si

The original type is also scarce and expensive - if you look on eBay, anyway. Ebay does have lots of new and cheap similar type horns, though.

@+

Vernon

Both air horns and the electromagnetic type draw a lot of current, so if you have both I would give each it's own relay and fuse, to be on the safe side.
regards
Richard

Thank you for your replies,
Other than a braided fuel line and the absence of the two radio suppression plates there are no obvious under bonnet deviations from original on my car so it is important for me to retain the Maserati twin air horn set-up.
Bill, a trawl of the net suggests a delay in the Moss / Maserati compressor's operation could be due to a lack of lubrication, not wiring it though a relay with a good earth or air hoses which have become soft and inflate slightly when pressurised.
I could probably make do with the long bolts if anyone has any spare but another compressor, even a tired one, would be wonderful.
Is the Hammerite shade of blue originally used on the compressors still available? (It isn't at Halfords).

Thanks again,
Si

Simply by design an air horn must be slower than a buzzer horn, unless you used a high pressure reservoir and an electric valve, using the compressor only to pump up the reservoir.
Like this:
http://www.amazon.com/4-Trumpet-Train-A ... B00AA1JQ0O





Anyway, don't be put off getting an MOT by waiting for air horn bits, put a buzzer in for the MOT and take it out again when you get your air horn or bits. Otherwise you are wasting the summer weather, ideal for croooozing in your Elan.

An MOT inspector is not a Concours inspector.

billwill wrote:Just put an ordinary cheap car horn on for the purpose of the MOT, sort out the air horn later.

Great advice Bill - It only needs to go toot - doesn't matter what it sounds like only costs a fiver.... MOT passed Smile on face.

Then spend as long as you like finding the correct compressor, bolts, paint, screws, oil etc.

Sadly a working car horn is not all that stands between my +2 and an MOT and I do apologise for not making that clear in my first post. It will be a few weeks before I'm ready for the MOT man and if a compressor becomes available in that time I would love to have it.

Si

I prefer the integral compressor/horns that are quicker yet still get attention. Check the unit on RD Enterprises web site. Compact, neater and they work great. I will be converting my Elan to one of these and that will make the original red compressor, red tubing and red trumpets redundant even though it works.

I've not seen that RD device before. The compressor part looks like an American Alpex one I have. The integral unit is neat and should be reliable but I'd still like the original one.

Are you in the USA Jeff?

Si

It just struck me that with a few extra bits of plumbing, our air horn compressors might be able to be used to pump up the tyres.

billwill wrote:It just struck me that with a few extra bits of plumbing, our air horn compressors might be able to be used to pump up the tyres.

Or with a bit of re-plumbing they could blow the headlights up!