The color of the horn?

[Nielsen]

Hi
On pictures of sandcasters I have seen black and grey horns. Witch color is correct for my WIN 2155?

Nielsen
Denmark

[Steve Swan]

Yours is a great question, Nielsen.

I am not sure we have an answer.

Would be nice if all who have grey horns would post on the BB

Doing a search of posts on this topic does not yield any conclusive information.

You might try pm'ing Chris Rushton or KP, they both have a better memory for remembering some of the grey horn bikes we have discussed.

I would hazard to guess not many bikes were fitted with the grey horn nor was the grey horn fitted on a consecutive vin run. Rather, these grey horns were fitted at random.

I would also guess there were more grey horns fitted to earlier vins and as the vin became higher, fewer grey horns were fitted. I do know of seom very early vins who have black body horns fitted, and some vins shortly there after with grey body, again suggesting random fitting of the horn.

I know later non-CB750 models, such as up until approximately 1971, CB350 and CB450 bikes had grey body horns, but i also know these horns were not exactly like a CB750 horn and would not fit without some tinkering.

Anyone who can do a better job of answering Nielsen's question, PLEASE post !!!!

[cb7504]

Nielsen:
I have one sandcast with vin #1849 and another sandcast vin #2435 both are unrestored original bikes and both have the black plastic on the horns along with black sheathing for the two wires. Beings your vin is in between my vins I would think your sandcast horn should be black also. Also note Honda would install like items of parts not necessarly the same color or pattern when the need arose to get a product finished and ready for sale/shipment. Marty K.

[Steve Swan]

Marty is exactly right.

The factory was interested in rolling complete machines off the assembly line and the color of a horn body or the smooth vs webbed oil lines would not make a part unuseable or not meet spec for production use.

Neither of these distinctions are noted in any Honda literature, such as parts manual.

As far as what or when vin grey vs black body horns were fitted, there is no rhyme nor reason, at least as far as vin sequence, that i am aware of.

It is a matter of conjecture as to why the two different horn body colours were used. Honda did not manufacture these horns, Honda provided the specs for the horn to the manufacturer (Mitsuba) to meet. The specs Honda provided most likely did not include body color. The specs would have been for voltage, decible minimum and fitment requirements and general appearance, i.e., plain horn v.s. chrome cover.

As long as the part met the spec for production use, a horn was a horn was a horn as far as having complete machines ready to roll off the assembly line into dealers hands.

I would go with Marty's observation, given both his 1849 and 2435 vins have black body horns.

Let's keep updating this thread with more info !

Who has the latest LH horn mount frame which came with a grey body horn  ?

[hondasan]

#302 is still fitted with its original, factory fitted, black body / black sheath horn. #1120 and #1256, believed original, also have black body / black sheath horns fitted.

Chris R

[Steve Swan]

I may be wrong, but i seem to recall Eli Sentman's vin 1290 had a grey body horn.