Bosch horn id, please

[Ron]

Hi, my 230SL has the right horn missing.  The left one has:

HO/FSA12/9

marked on it.  It works very well, but is lonely.

Is this left horn the "hi" or "low" note horn?  I want to find a proper mate for the right side.

Thanks, Ron

[mdsalemi]

Ron,

Decoding the horn tag:

HO: Horner=Horn
FSA: ?  For "Kraftwagen"
12: Voltage
/9: Frequency:  9=290Hz, or the low tone. /10=345Hz, or the hi tone.

Now, further to the information you provided: according to the Bosch catalog page with this information in it, a horn with codes:

HO/FSA 12/9 and HO/FSA 12/10 would be a matched set, and were designated for FRANCE.  There are other combinations, some with slightly different frequencies (such as 325Hz for the hi tone) and others designated for certain marques like Lancia (HO/FSA 12/25).

I've attached the proper descriptive page here.  Hope this helps.

What you are looking for based upon your information would be a hi-tone horn with a designation of /10 (France); good luck with that.  Alternatively, you can more likely find one with a tag /4 which would be more common; good luck with that too.  Not easy to find.

Keep in mind that many horns today (I've seen plenty) have been dressed up with horn tag kits provided by Stoddard (a Porsche parts house); these have an incorrect voltage designation of 6 but they look nice.

Also, later cars--particularly late 1969 through the end had different horn tags altogether; somewhere I have a photo of them (they look a little more modern and with more detail) but couldn't find them this morning.

Thank me later for totally confusing you.

However, unless you are going to show your car--in an MBCA Concours in Show Class--you can buy a set of newer sealed horns from a variety of places and simply be done with it.  Do a search for horns here, there have been some pointers to sources.  Both Bosch and Hella still make horns they just don't look like the old ones, they don't sound exactly the same, and they are not the same size--but they work and they will last.  Here's one source:

http://www.rallylights.com/hella/horns.asp

Here's the page from the Bosch catalog of yesteryear; note you have to enlarge the attachment to read it.
Download Attachment: Bosch Horn FSA 2.jpg
257.74 KB

[Ron]

Thanks Michael,

My M-B dealer has the horns listed as "low" and "medium", so I'm guessing they are the two frequencies you have posted.  Now he knows which I have and which I need.  He will order one horn for me, as I need, but cannot say if it is Bosch and matching the other in style.  If I order, I prepay and no return, as it comes from Germany.  Do you, or anyone know if it will be the proper Bosch horn?  If not, then I should just get the Hella set, that's a good deal!  

Thanks for all the info, you did a great job in presentation, I was not confused.

Ron

[mdsalemi]

Ron,

For certain--100% confidence--it will NOT be the same horn.  Those have not been available for some time.  It will be a smaller, "sealed" style of horn made by Bosch that you can pick up at any Bosch dealer or most imported parts stores.  It will look something like this and be somewhat smaller in size:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/BOSCH-HORNS/GP_2018690_N_111+10201+600015247_10101.jcw

They work fine but they are different frequencies and don't sound the same.

IMHO, I'd get a set of the Hellas, at least they look the part.

[Douglas]

If I were in the market for a horn, I'd hunt around for a used one from a W108 sedan. It's the same part as a 113, but you're more likely to find a 108 parts car. The new horns are not nearly as "majestic" as the originals. :-)

[Naj ✝︎]

Bosch New Vintage style horns


http://www.automotive-tradition.de/en/teile/media/Product_profile_Horns.pdf

naj

[mdsalemi]

ONLY in chrome??

[babo]

Hi there,

were you able to find Bosch New Vintage style horns? If so would you please let me know these are the same as the old vintage ones?
I can find were to buy these?

Please help!


http://www.automotive-tradition.de/en/teile/media/Product_profile_Horns.pdf

naj
[/quote]

[Naj ✝︎]

PM sent

naj

[regierytyznll]

 

[babken]

Hi there,

What is the price for the bosch horn
Set 12/9 and 12/10
Ste 12/3 and  12/4
Where and how can I buy them?

Thanks!
Bab