Dear Barb, Jim, and mid-60s Buick caregivers,
Thanks for your input, it makes sense to have safety first. It makes me wonder, if the original horn in the wheel could fail at times would it also make it to be non stop.
I've never had problems with my trusty wagon's horn, but indeed you might need to reassemble your horn assembly as Jim has suggested.
The problem with the design of the 1965 horn bar is that it requires pressure to be applied uniformly so that you can move the entire bar until it makes contact with the switch. You don't need two hands to do this, but at the very least you need to apply pressure at the center of the bar. Otherwise the bar might twist as it starts to move downward and jam before making contact with the switch. With a little discipline, the horn button will always work fine, but you may find it difficult to be disciplined in panic situation.
One other thing for the mid-60s Buick community to ponder is whether or not we could come up with a methodology to restore those bars. They can be taken apart and the pieces sent out to have the chrome restored. So the 64-question is how to put the paint back on the recessed portion of the bar. There are some weathering techniques from model railroading that might solve this problem.
I made my choice for Biquette's steering wheel back in 2013 and i know a whole lot more than I did then. So what seemed impossible at the time, doesn't look beyond reach now. I hope someone who has the time and patience will look into making a quality restoration of these steering wheels, because it is another one of those elements that really makes or breaks the appearance of your car. Once more, the number of our cars kind of forces us to come up with homegrown restorations. At best, we might be able get a group buy. The numbers aren't large enough to make restoring these horn bars a decent business proposition.
Food for thought, . . . .
Edouard