Does anyone have a horn switch/buttton on their floorboard?

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 7:47 pm

I found this post of an aftermarket horn on a Stella on the StellaSpeed forum that had the button on the floorboard; has anyone seen this done on a Stella?

I like to idea of the floorboard since it's not always easy to hit the current button on the Stella since the grip turns and places the button in a slightly different place most times.

I have this horn:

PeterC · Post by **PeterC** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:45 pm

I have a floor-mounted horn button on my Stella, as I did on my 1980 P200.
Just one caution: put some sheet rubber insulation between the horn button and the floorboard, or you may very likely blow the fuse.

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:20 am

Why haven't I thought of that!! Genius. I honestly have never seen that before, but it makes total sense. I had a '67 Cadillac that had foot operated high beams, AM radio seek and cruise control, but a horn? That would be pretty sweet.

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 12:59 pm

PeterC wrote:I have a floor-mounted horn button on my Stella, as I did on my 1980 P200.
Just one caution: put some sheet rubber insulation between the horn button and the floorboard, or you may very likely blow the fuse.

Peter, did you just wire it directly from the battery to the horn then to the button without messing with the existing horn wires?

PeterC · Post by **PeterC** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 1:07 pm

Mulliganal wrote:
PeterC wrote:I have a floor-mounted horn button on my Stella, as I did on my 1980 P200.
Just one caution: put some sheet rubber insulation between the horn button and the floorboard, or you may very likely blow the fuse.
Peter, did you just wire it directly from the battery to the horn then to the button without messing with the existing horn wires?

It uses a wholly separate set of wires, plus a relay and fuse. I had an electrician do the wiring, because I am totally incompetent in that area!

Lovelandstella · Post by **Lovelandstella** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:31 pm

PeterC wrote:I have a floor-mounted horn button on my Stella, as I did on my 1980 P200.
Just one caution: put some sheet rubber insulation between the horn button and the floorboard, or you may very likely blow the fuse.

Amazing!

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 11:49 pm

Great mod. I am constantly finding that by the time I find the horn button, it's too late to help someone see me, but just in time to make them feel like an ass. Which is not something I'm interested in.

I think this goes a long way toward using the horn to prevent accidents.

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 12:24 am

That's a neat idea.

A floor-mounted dimmer switch is now a novelty. I'm definitely getting old.

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 6:08 am

Southerner wrote:That's a neat idea.

A floor-mounted dimmer switch is now a novelty. I'm definitely getting old.

Yeah, but........ I STILL stomp on the floor!!

Southerner · Post by **Southerner** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 11:32 am

Me too.

I never got the reason for the change. The stuff hanging on the steering wheel is complicated enough as is. Plus, with automatic transmissions, what is your left foot doing anyway?

The horn makes sense on a shifty scooter. Your hands are plenty busy.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:14 pm

Hehe - I have that very button on my VW Thing to control the a-oogah horn. It's mounted under the left edge of the dash, as some prior owner managed to cut the wiring that runs up the steering column.

In our old Le Car, the windshield washer was operated by the left foot. Not a switch, but a rubber squeeze bulb. We referred to it as 'kicking the pisser'.

PeterC · Post by **PeterC** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:20 pm

PeteH wrote:Hehe - I have that very button on my VW Thing to control the a-oogah horn. It's mounted under the left edge of the dash, as some prior owner managed to cut the wiring that runs up the steering column.

In our old Le Car, the windshield washer was operated by the left foot. Not a switch, but a rubber squeeze bulb. We referred to it as 'kicking the pisser'.

The windshield washer on my 1958 SAAB 750GT was a hand-operated pump on the dash!

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:47 pm

Yep, and similarly, the washer in my Thing, as in most vintage Beetles, is pressurized by air off the spare tire up front. There was _supposed_ to be a valve in the line that wouldn't let your spare's pressure drop below 15psi or so, but that valve was always the first thing to fail, leaving you with a dead spare. One quickly learned to carry a can or two of Fix-A-Flat for either the mounted tire or the spare.

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Mon Oct 10, 2011 11:54 am

That is an excellent idea!
I see you have drilled a hole in the bottom of the glovebox for the cable, what is the best route to get to the inside of the horncast from there?