Adding a Wolo Bad Boy (air horn)
I just installed a Wolo Bad Boy air horn. http://www.wolo-mfg.com/air.htm
On sale at Harbor Freight for $39.99 http://www.harborfreight.com/bad-boy...orn-94117.html
When I first set up the XK for being towed, I added a set of cheapo air horns while things were apart. You know the kind, the $19.95 red plastic crap. They worked pretty good until lately. I think the little compressor sucked up dirt and whatever since I mounted it down underneath and behind the bumper. The trumpets were down there too, and blasted into the bumper's sheet metal, reducing the noise.
On this last coast trip, some idiot crossed 2 lanes to make a left and cut me off. The stupid things were so weak, I could barely hear them myself, even with windows down.
The Wolo is a small self contained unit, and is pretty darned LOUD. I mounted it right behind the grill with its openings aimed out thru the grill itself, so there's nothing in the way of the blast.
It was really easy, as there's enough room to hang the Bad Boy from the upper radiator support piece. I used a piece of aluminum angle and mounted it with two 1/4 x 20 bolts, then the Wolo's 5/16'' bolt from the horizontal part of the angle. It's rock solid that way.
You can reach from behind the support to install the nuts. I used aircraft locking nuts. The horn hangs nicely, with about 1/2'' clearance on both sides. I could have just put a 5/16'' hole thru the support, but the horn's cast aluminum (or pot metal?) body is slotted for the bolt, but has a more solid hole for the other mounting angle. That's why I opted for the angle piece - I thought the horn's slotted mounting might be too weak.
The XK's grill comes off easy with a half dozen plastic rivets. (Reusable rivets) I painted the horn and wiring flat black because I didn't want it to show. I tried it without, but the horn's round chromed cover piece bugged me. Now, it's all but invisible.
Another reason for a unique horn is a different sound when the alarm goes. With an air horn pulsing, you know it's YOUR rig that's getting messed with instead of a gazillion other cloned car horns.
I was lucky this time, because I could reach the old air horn's wiring from the front. To install the Bad Boy and replace the factory horn, you'll have to remove the air cleaner housing to reach the wiring. You might be able to get to it from underneath. Just splice onto the wire so it'll reach up to the new horn.
I didn't have a camera handy last night, but I can pop off the grill to get photos if anyone gets lost with how I did it.
