Stang70Fastback Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 As some of you are aware, I now have a set of train horns that I am installing the on my vehicle. They will be mounted on the roof, with an air line running into the rear hatch (potentially simply through the gap at the top. However, I am not about to have a set of train horns visible on the roof of the car... For several reasons. My plan is to fabricate some sort of low-profile roof rack that will house these horns, and have sides of black, woven mesh to hide them but still allow sound through. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what material to use, and how to construct this contraption? I might end up building it in Auto desk Inventor first, just to I can figure out what I'm doing. It will likely be about 6" tall. Potentially tapered at the front (or rounded) to reduce noise and drag a bit. Any input at all would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyposeur Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Why not run the air line underneath the headliner, and up through one of the holes that mount the roof rack? Either through one of the existing bolt holes, or drill a new one? It would be underneath the roof rail and invisible. And if you removed the horns later the new hole would be protected underneath the rail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twisty Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 id say light steel or aluminum mesh with some nylon screen material lining the inside to obscure visibility, welded with angle material for stability. cant get more simple than that, and you can use a piano hinge at the front, making it open to the rear with a nice locking handle. there are lots of recessed handles you can get for industrial cabinets, shouldnt be too hard to get it working on a home job box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WESTcoast Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 get a roof rack fairing then turn it into a small trapizoid box to house your horns, cut the front of the fairing to make a window for the horns, then grab some chicken wire, paint it black (paint your horns black) and vola no one will think you are thomas the tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 I wish I knew how to / had equipment to do welding, because I could easily fabricate something out of some steel bars... poo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subikid90 Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 If you cannot weld, I think you maybe limited to a nylon/plastic mesh, it could be epoxied I bet. Check around on mcmaster carr, I bet you could find something that would work well. -Subikid90 1997 Legacy GT 5spd & EJ251 w/EJ25D heads ~10.5CR 1998 Legacy GT Limited waiting for EJ22T hybrid swap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WESTcoast Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 I wish I knew how to / had equipment to do welding, because I could easily fabricate something out of some steel bars... poo. why do it out of metal why not abs plastic, or somthing light and easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 That's a great and obvious solution. Maybe just pvc pipe it, lol. The horns don't weigh that much. I just don't want something that's going to flop around a lot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Donated broknindarkagain Posted September 14, 2012 I Donated Share Posted September 14, 2012 trapizoid lol wut -broknindarkagain My Current Project - Click Here COME AND TAKE IT "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subikid90 Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 lol wut http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/4084/trapezoid.gif -Subikid90 1997 Legacy GT 5spd & EJ251 w/EJ25D heads ~10.5CR 1998 Legacy GT Limited waiting for EJ22T hybrid swap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Donated broknindarkagain Posted September 14, 2012 I Donated Share Posted September 14, 2012 I know what a trapezoid is. -broknindarkagain My Current Project - Click Here COME AND TAKE IT "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecBamf41 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 thats make two of us! BNR18g on 93oct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 Okay, so for anyone (no-one) who is interested, here is what I've come up with so far. I used 1/2" PVC piping and joints to form a basic frame. Then I used some aluminum bars (with a U-shaped cross-section) to form a frame on which to mount the air horns. Everything is bolted together that can be (even the PVC joints) because I hate making things permanent. I've then cut some chicken wire to protect from large debris, and to provide a supporting mesh screen behind what will first be speaker cloth - though I doubt it will stand up - until I can find a more durable material. The top and bottom will be a solid board... of some sort... because it will add rigidity, avoid from flopping up and down in the wind, protect from falling debris, and help contain the sound so that it projects out to the side and not up or - more importantly - down into the cabin. So far it's coming along rather well. It's rock-solid right now (I wouldn't be afraid to toss it.) It's designed to fit between the two roof rails, and the two crossbars. Not entirely certain as to how I will mount it to them yet. Also not certain how I will run the air line - though I'm still thinking I could run it through the hatch without an issue. http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/251034_3778341980379_1926995539_n.jpg http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/62049_3778431942628_1738320987_n.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joelwatts Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Me Likey. I'm a native of South Carolina. I am a dying breed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Finished. It now awaits a seamstress for the sewing on of the final cover. I ended up just going with chicken wire on top, and I'm actually going to leave the bottom open. The final cover will be a layer of speaker fabric, which will block out a lot of the light and make it mostly difficult to see in. Then on top of that will be a... vinyl or nylon or whatever... black screen door mesh that will hopefully add a layer of protection and durability to the speaker fabric from debris and bugs and the like. We shall see what it looks like when my friend gets done with it. http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/560300_3779562570893_556481255_n.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twisty Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I've then cut some chicken wire to protect from large debris, and to provide a supporting mesh screen behind what will first be speaker cloth - though I doubt it will stand up - until I can find a more durable material. go to home depot or lowes and look at the screen material. there is a vinyl or nylon mesh that is used for screen doors and window screens that should hold up much better than the speaker cover. edit: should have read the last post, hehe. nevermind, you already are using screen mesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 So, I'm thinking about how to run the air line to the roof, and I came to the dramatic realization that this IS a 15 year old car. To that end, I think I'm going to take it to a shop that has a lot of experience installing aerials on cars and have them drill a hole just inside the rearmost left rack mount. I will have them permanently install a push-to-release air line fitting on each side (in the roof and in the headliner.) That way when I don't want to use the horns, I can just disconnect them, and plug the hole. I don't trust myself enough to make a clean cut and not **** up the paint or dent the roof in the process, but the car is old enough that I don't mind making a hole in the roof as long as it is done properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightspeed98 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I now have a set of train horns that I am installing the on my vehicle. Still don't get the "why" But to each his own... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twisty Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Still don't get the "why" But to each his own... for giggles, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gargamel Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Cool mod! train horn ftw! I remember back in the days, a guy installed one on his Alero, he hid the horn in the back bumper cover by removing just enough of the rear plastic crash absorber to fit the horn. No signs of it and plenty of surprise without compremising the look of the car.. Still he had only two horns, not 4 lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stang70Fastback Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Still don't get the "why" But to each his own... I suppose the video would explain it, and it isn't in this thread, sooo... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAQGBg0Z25I]Subaru Outback - Train Horns - YouTube[/ame] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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