DrRCC

So I spent an afternoon talking C3's with an old corvette mechanic (Felix at AZ Corvette Authority). Cool guy and he said when he saw my steering wheel that the horn ring was pretty rare. Apparently mid production the brushed aluminum horn ring was recalled due to the sun reflecting and disturbing the driver. Some of these still show up on CL and such but since they were a recalled part, they are for "show and non drivers". I thought the story was cool and wanted to know how many of my 77 buddies have the same thing on their cars.

udornf4

You are correct - very rare for '77. i bought a 77 new (and it was early). Didn't have this (even earlier) horn button.

I'd like to have my old '77 back. Black/Black ; Blackwalls/ L82, 4 Speed...

etc.

Oh well.

Brooklinite

My 77 had it.

3JsVette

1st one I've seen. It looks real nice but you can even see "glare" in the picture.

markids77

Many owners apparently ignored the recall... I've seen several here since I got my 77. I do think it looks better than the replacement piece!

gbvette62

The recall was issued in July 1977. The horn button failed to conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Standard No. 107, "Reflecting Surfaces". The reflectivity of the buttons was about twice what was allowed by the standard.

The number of cars built with the "recalled" horn buttons was 15,484, so they were not originally particularly rare. The question is, how many owners returned their cars to get the replacement button. I'm guessing, not all that many, because I've seen quite a few of them over the years.

The recall only effected cars with the optional tilt/tele column, as straight column cars used the 4 spoke "Vega" wheel, with the color keyed plastic horn button.

daanbc

I'm still looking for one! I have not been able to find any for sale.

ctroadster

I have the exact same wheel in my 75 but it has the plastic color coded horn button. I was wondering what year it was from. The po must have changed it along with installin a remote horn button. but that doesnt really bother me. It will be repaired at somepoint

DrRCC

The guy I was talking to had one for sale but CRAZY expensive. He bought it years ago for $350! He has the silver ring around it as well.

daanbc

Yeah that is a way bit high. I'll hold out. Sooner or later one will pop up for the right price. Thanks for lookin out!

77custom

Wow. Mine had that center piece as well... and it was made Aug 3. 1977. bummer that I threw it away along time ago!

What I wanted was this:


I just had to make my own.

Dream... Think ... Design ... Fabricate ... Reality.

NUf said..

Robert

MrJlr

mine too....and yes - It did glare in yer eyes at times !

Easy Mike

Interesting, yes. Rare. Possibly not. The aluminum horn buttons were recalled. A PO of your car was supposed to have turned his in for a painted version.

They still pop up.

Daanbc: check the For Sale section. I think someone had one listed there.

AOS_L79

Back in the late 80's some guy was selling them at Bloomington and I don't think they were very expensive. He seemed to have quite a few NOS. They may also have been advertised in Vette Vues around that time.

qwank

One of the old timers I used to work with had a hand full of them in his toolbox. he would keep them after doing the recall. That's probably where the ones on Ebay and CL come from.

My question is, what is the correct button for NCRS judging? THe aluminum one, or the replacement ones?

vanice

I had one in my 77 and I get more glare off the spokes then you do the cap. I have some around some where.

daanbc

Yeah he wanted $250. To me anything over $75 is high for a horn button.

vanice

The telescope ring is the hardest to come by. I only had one and that went with my 77 I gave to my daughter. I have one horn cap left if anyone is interested. $125.00+ shipping

Hardway

They are out there but do not come up very often. See Ebay auction 350520736815. It had a $52 buy it now. Seemed fair for the condition.

daanbc

Already sold. But thats exactly what I was talking about price wise.