Well, I finally did it. I went out an bought the FIAMM Air Horns from Harbor Freight for $15 (they were on sale), six feet of extra tubing, 6 feet of red 14 gauge wire, 6 feet of black 14 gauge wire, a metal corner bracket, a handful of nuts and locking washers, a selection of cable ties, a grommet and some crimp-on quick connectors. I spent another $10 to get these other parts together.

I then used the Moss Mini installation instructions (http://www.mossmini.com/graphics/pro...ns/100-324.pdf) combined with this description (http://216.109.117.135/search/cache?...icp=1&.intl=us) (which appears to be defunct and available as a cached version only) to guide my work.

Basically what I did was mount the air horn motor on the passenger side air well where I found a bolt sticking out. I used the grommet to feed the tube out through the plastic well wall (drilling required) and down to the where the stock horn was installed on the passenger side. I took off the front bumper cover to get easier access to everything(http://mini.uglydoris.com/archives/cat_howto.html - August 7, 2003 listing). I then removed the passenger side stock horn (low tone) leaving the driver side (high tone) in place. I cut the horn connector and exposed the + and - horn leads and using the crimped on quick connects and the lengths of 14 gauge wire ran the + and - back to the air horn motor. I stuffed the air horn trumpets down in the cavity where the stock horn was just behind the passenger side front turn signal. I liberally used the cable ties to secure the tubing and wiring with the wiring routed to the signal and fog lamp. I also used cable ties to bind the two trumpets together and to secure them in the horn cavity.

The good news is that it didn't take too long (about 1 hour or so - but I'm basically a slow working incompetent) and it works.

I will soon post some photos of the final installation. The price sure beats the $80 cost of the Moss kit. However, this takes a little longer and involves more dis- and re-assembly than the kit. It will however allow you to use the air horns in cars with the headlamp washers (which the kit does not) and also puts the air horns in the same place as the stock horns meaning that the sound will not be muffled by bonnet insulation.

Keeping the stock horn in means that a light tap on the horn button will just sound the high tone stock horn and a push and hold will get the stock horn followed quickly by the two tone air horn. It's rather cool, really.

 

neilgi:

Thanks for explanation of your air horn install I have been considering doing the same thing only I was not aware that the Moss kit prevents the use of the headlamp washers. Not sure why you think you are "a slow working incompetant" the amount of work you described certainly led me to believe the install took longer than that. I know if I do it it will take twice as long as your install. Now what we need to do is to get NAM to install "sound option" on the NAM site so we can hear those puppies! I look forward to seeing your final install photos if they are good it will certainly encourage me to go through with my installtion. Good work and enjoy the horns

 

Im curious. When you say 2-tone horn, does it make some odd sounds, or is it just a louder sounding horn than whats on the stock mini?

Thanks

 

Each "horn" has a different pitch so that when the horn button is depressed you actual here two separate tones in harmony, very cool

That said the system also has it's own sort of "power amplifier" so the sound is enormous when compared to the stock set up.

 

The fine print on the Moss kit indicates that it won't fit when you have headlamp washers. I believe that this is owing to the fact that the location that in which they attach the horns corresponds to the location where the tubing and washer motor housing rests when the bonnet is latched.

 

neilgj:
Owe I see that makes sense. So if one were to mount the horns in places other than where they recommend then the problem goes away yes?
However, is there anything in their kit, once the mounting location has changed that makes it a value worth buying?

 

Site is down/ gone http://www.vinceandjessica.com/mini/horn/

 

I can't really answer that one since I didn't get the kit, but besides the mounts which cannot be used, I expect that it comes with longer wires, longer tubing and the crimp-on connectors but as I indicated that's $10 or so worth of knick knacks. It does however save you the time of running out and getting them. Is your time worth $50 + shipping - that's your decision.

 

I have print outs of the pages, I'll post some scans later.

 

I have scans of the web pages from vinceandjessica.com. I can email them to you if you want them. I struggled for about 15 minutes trying to squeeze them into the 800X600 size restriction of NAM. Maybe I'll try some more tomorrow.

 

OK. I put the vinceandjessica.com page scans in my gallery. You can find them here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...cat=500&page=1

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...cat=500&page=1

 

A great idea to keep the stock horns too. I've always stayed away from air horns because I didn't like waiting for the compressor to spool up (turbo lag for a horn makes as much sense as delayed brakelights). Did you keep the stock Low horn also (stock has both high and low horns), and how does it sound with all four notes going?

 

the compressor takes no time to spool up, its instant on, theres not even 3 feet of line to fill up!

once you use it once, the system stays pressurised and its even quicker to make noise. they are MUCH louder than stock horns and i have mine the way Moss has them, although, i got chrome ones from JCW for 20 bucks.

i wouldnt ever go back to the crap stock horns (although, they are FIAMM also!)

 

I removed the low horn to make room for the air horn trumpets. If I had purchased the Moss kit or attempted to mount the trumpets somewhere under the bonnet like the Moss kit I could have had all 4 horns. As it is now, I have 3 tones. the stock high and the 2 notes from the air horns. I think it sounds pretty good.

 

If you're concerned about spool up, there are two things you can do to minimize it. (Although, I've installed probably 75 or so of these things over the years and never really had a problem with the compressor spooling up...)

ONE: Use a relay, mounted close to the compressor, to power the compressor. This ensures the full voltage gets to the compressor as soon as possible.

TWO: Mount the compressor as close as possible to the horns and the horns as close as possible to each other. A shorter amount of tubing the air has to travel results in the horns sounding off faster .

 

All right, I finally got my installation photos up. I put them in my gallery with explanatory comments. I should note that the air hose tubing is clear even though it looks silvery or dark in the photos. Let me know if you have any questions. You can look at the photos here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...medium&cat=500

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...medium&cat=500

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...medium&cat=500

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...medium&cat=500

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...medium&cat=500

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...medium&cat=500

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...medium&cat=500

 

I just installed the 400Hz/500Hz PIAA horns in my MINI. They sound GREAT - PIAA was right, they are "Euro car" sounding! I had the other PIAA kit installed (500Hz/600Hz Before when they first came out but it sounded like a Ford Focus - blan american car sound.) I was going to mount them on either side of the bottom opening of grill - but not enough room.

The wiring was the hard part - I used the crimps from the auto store as well as the heat-shrinking sleeves to go over all connection. I did not realize how hard auto wiring could be and I am a big-time DIY'er. Well plus removing front bumper was no fun either - but that was not hard, just time consuming.

I bought mine at autobarn.com they seemed to have the best price according to my searches.

 

I considered the FIAMM electric horns before settling on the air horns. The electrics do have the benefit of not requiring the compressor and the hose connection and running the wires from the OEM location back to the compressor. They also can fit in the exact same spot as the OEM horns (which are also FIAMMs) and be secured using the existing hardware. Basically, I'm saying they're an easier install than the air horns. But, the air horn sound is a little more cartoonish which appealed to my inner child :smile: .

 

We need sound clips!!!!

 

i'll post some sound clips and a video if i get my car back today

 

thanks, can't wait to hear it!

 

they said either about 6:30 tonight or early tomarrow morning.....i'll try my best to get some clips for you guys

 

WOO HOO!!!

New Decals and a new Horn Test Vid!

http://www.sbtontheweb.com/forum/sho...187#post114187

 

Man that is so bad-***! Great...now another mod to put on - lol!!!

 

I was looking at harborfreight.com and I didn't see any FIAMM horns. Just Signaltone and some ones that didn't have a name attached to them. WOuld you happen to have the part number for the ones that you ordered? I showed your video to my wife and I think she wants these horns instead of spending $300-$500 on some massive air horns to wake up the neighbors!!!