Hi, any of you installed the Mid Fifty horn conversion kit for stock column w/ Toyta steering in there F1 trucks?

 

I did not buy from MidFifty but used a kit I got from a rod shop in CA. The kit allows for the elimination of the horn wiring exiting the steering box. I am in the process of working on getting the horn button to work properly, and hopefully have the horn working.

I have a picture in my "Gallery" under Steering . I was surprised to see is accessible by clicking on my User name. Let me know if you need more info.

 

Nice job on the column and on that 50 F47, getting the horn to work should be no problem fo ya. I like the location on where you installed the kit...... did you have to replace the upper column bearing?

 

Pretty sure I have bearing top and bottom.

I will confirm as I am going to pull the column and do some rewiring.

Might pull it today, if the weather peeks above freezing.

Update:
Pulled the horn kit and the wire that is supposed to go from the brass ring on the shaft to horn button had broken off. It is soldered on and is very delicate. Need to re-solder it to the phenolic brass ring and re-install.

There are thrust washers and bushings at the top of the column that are installed against the aluminum horn housing. This keeps the steering shaft centered in the housing. I do have a bushing at the base of the column where it fits into the sleeve through the firewall. Hope this helps.

Update 2:

Soldered the wire to the phenolic brass ring; not sure it will survive even the re-installation. Looked at momentary push buttons today, which I am considering mounting to the horn button. Wires could exit column just after turn signal mechanism and would be more robust. Time will tell which will be the final install.

 

We had a +10 degree C yesterday so I worked on the steering wheel / horn install in the garage.

The wire on the phenolic bushing enters the inner portion of the steering column then the horn kit assembly goes over the shaft. It is supposed to remain isloated from ground until the horn button is pushed. It was getting pinched, with install of the assembly. Re-worked it with smaller wire and it is good for now. I tightened up the steering wheel, and worked on installing the horn button. I had to shave a little off the inner circumference of the horn button to allow the contact plate to clear. Before I installed the steering wheel I mocked up the horn on it, and it fit.




With the vinyl covering I installed on the steering wheel, the horn button will not seat properly , so I may have to remove the vinyl from the inner area where the horn button fits to allow it to push in further.
If this does not work out, I am thinking about drilling a hole and mounting a momentary push button to the horn button, and run two wires through the column.

 

I agree, if you remove the vinyl from around the button it should work ok. I'm going to run external button for now, maybe try making up something like you did later down the road. Your truck looks good Tom.......I like the speedo & gauges too!

 

I had the old p/b start button mounted on the dash where the choke used to be to actuate the horn. Got motivated to fix the horn kit when I did the steering wheel cover. i worked at it today again and after removing the vinyl from the inner portion of the steering wheel i got the horn button to work.

I'll run wiring to the horn relay and should have one more to do off the list. If this does not hold up I'm going with the push button mounted to horn install.

 

Finally got around to re-wiring the horn button to relay.

I now have a horn operated by the button located in the steering column. Wiring grounds the relay control circuit to the relay. Power to horn is from fuse panel, parallel with relay coil circuit.

 

Glad ya finally got your stock location horn working Tom, might change mine over to what you did someday. Tried to open your Gallery about your gauges but for some reason it's been removed?? Any ideas whats happen here?

 

FTE changed access to galleries a while back so they are no longer available. I was able to open some of the galleries a while ago, but now they appear gone again.

 

wish they (FTE) would fix that and make it easier to post photos also. Anyway, nice gauges, I like the stock look. Are they Ford mid 70's gauges?

 

Yep, late 70's Ford van as I recall. They fit the cluster with very little effort. The ammeter needed a bracket to hold it in the cluster , as it is deeper than the other gauges. Have to add resistors to compensate for the individual senders. The original senders are switches, and had idiot lights as well as the gauges.

 

when i bought my 51 f1 it had a jap horn on it.as i was driving it home from the po i stopped at a junkyard and bought a pair of horns off of a ford f150.i just could not wait to get it home and put a real pair of ford horns on it.