AC Aceca Bristol: Wiring for the horn button - Thank you wiring is now sorted!

[Glen Smytheman]

Follow up to the below - the Aceca is same as the Ace - the wire for the horn goes right up the middle of the steering tube.  I found it much easier to thread the wire from the steering box end.  and out the steering wheel end.  Another item is now ticked off the list! Thanks all!

Hi all and greetings from New Zealand.

Following the recent purchase of BE655, I only have a few items to do before the car can get a warrant of fitness and be used on the roads once again after many years.

One of the very few jobs remaining to do is to wire in the horn, which for some reason was never wired in when the car was restored.  When I look at my Ace the wiring for the horn looks to go right down the centre of the steering tube (sorry there is probably a better technical term) and comes out the front of the steering box. 

Is not apparent if the Aceca is exactly the same, if someone can let me know if this is the case it would be greatly appreciated.  Many thanks, Glen Smytheman email glen@wbb.co.nz

[B.P.Bird]

Glen,
The horn/turn signal wires go down the Stator Tube. I would be very cautious about feeding the wires up the tube, rather than down, as that means they are detached from the switch/hub assembly which is not what Lucas intended: The problem being that they cannot be reattached without disassembly of the whole device. Sadly many a horn/turn signal switch has bitten the dust by reason of us enthusiastic amateurs trying to get them apart by unbending the metal tags on the base. These generally seem to break when so treated. It does look like the obvious way to go, but it ain't - start at the other end by prising off the horn push when you will find the screws which actually hold it all together.
Of course you might have cut the wires and re-joined them inside the Stator Tube - quite tricky and only possible if you stagger all the joins so that the cable doesn't end up too fat. It certainly is a problem as our switches are all six or seven decades old now and I am rather suspicious of the quality in the imported replica replacements. Does anyone have any experience of these ?
Barrie

[Glen Smytheman]

Thanks Barrie.  I will pass your recommendations onto my father who is sorting the horn and is a retired electrical engineer who bought his first Bristol in the 1960's and still owns two and a half Bristols today. We are very lucky to have Bristol enthusiasts in our family ranging in age from 16 years to 84 years of age.  Best Regards, Glen