VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Wooden steering wheel?, where, who, yes or no??

Gidday fellas,

Well I have been waiting since November for my new timber 1928 spec steering wheel to be made here in Australia and I have just about had enough of the waiting to tell you the truth.

Does anyone have an old spare timber section in good condition that they want to part with and post over to OZ and make a quick dollar, if you know my old Chev it does not need to be all nice and pretty, just round and sturdy would be fine...
If you do then just PM or email me.

Have a great day, oh and here is a photo of what I have now and yes cornering can be a little tricky at high speeds as the 2 x short sections can spin freely around and give my a good wacking where it is not needed...




http://montythe1928chevrolet.blogspot.com/

Hi Grant,

Gez I hope you get a wheel soon. I would had to read in the local paper one morning.

"Prominent local business man Mr Grant ***** was admitted to the local hospital after sustaining an horrific injury in a suspected bout of road rage. Speaking in a very high voice, much like his younger days as an alter boy, Grant told our reporter that he was just going for a quiet Sunday morning drive, when he was assualted by a yet un named person weilding the remains of a vintage steering wheel. Local police are talking to a long time resident of the area, a Mr Monty, who is assisting them in their enquiries regarding the attempted castration of a local business man. So far Monty is facing charges of dangerous driving, driving an unregistered vehicle, and 2 charges of having no visable means of support. The first being exposed seat springs, the second being a lack of suitable timber under ones feet.It seems that Monty had been in custody since about 1969, when he was found under a tree in a local farm. Since being released on parole last year, Monty has come to the attention of the local Police on several occassions. The matter is expected to be resolved by mediation in the local garage."

Cheers

Ray

Ray
It' not quite that easy as there are two totally different versions of steering wheel spyder and wood rim used on 1928 models.

The early series has the same spyder and rim as a 1927 model.
Early 28. The rim is a smaller diameter than the late one, has a smaller diameter for the woods cross section and the spyder has a curved arm with an inverted cup which holds the rim where it screws on.

Late 28 . The rim diameter is slightly larger, the rim cross section smaller, the steering wheel spokes are flat and has a obverted end and the rim has a concave section machined out of the wood rim for obverted end to sit in.
By the way, they were painted black so you don't see the wood.

From your photos I note that yours is the early version.
Drop me n email and I'll give the details of a reliable person making repro wood rims, identical to the original.
Chris

Ray
And by the way, DO NOT lose those rubber rim covers as they are original and in 40 years of mucking around with Chev 4's I've never seen one.

Are repros available from the US
Chris

I have been fighting the steering wheel problem on my 28 for several months.
The late wheel is 17 inches, is made from walnut, and is painted brown. This information is contained in the Sales Data book.

Hi Chris,

The Wheel spoke covers are available from Gary Wallace in the US. I paid $50 something for the set about 4 years ago. They are brown in colour,made from plastic. But they look ok.

Cheers

Ray

Gidday Ray,

HHHmmmmmmmm Have you been eating to much of that fancy liqueured chocolate mate? :)

BTW I gave that "alter boy" bullshit a very wide berth in my younger years, a none believer here my friend

Hey Grant I can get you some wheel bits or make you a new one, send me a pic next to a rule and I'll get the right one, I'm only up in Sydney, say $10 per piece fro old but good ones no borers etc, send pic to info@raycycled.com

many thanks Ray, I will do that tomorrow and email up some pix

Ray
I have 27 steering wheel rim that had a leather cover stitched over if from new, where the stitching has parted the colour sure looks like black, also on my very original unrestored 28 coach it had the remains of the colour around the where it screws to the spyder, and it also look black. It could possibly have been brown, but if so it is so dark it looks almost black.
The one on my 28 cabriolet I've had stained a very dark brown but thin enough to see the wood grain through the colour, not 100% correct but looks fantastic especially when the light gets on it.
Chris

If this helps any......the wood steering wheels on the 1929 and 1930 Chevrolets were painted black at the factory.

If you don't have access to the Sales Data Book, let me know and I will copy and email the page.

The following information is taken from the 1928 Chevrolet Specifications, dtd, June 8, 1928.

So there are two different publications that carry the same information.

When trying to document a Convertible Sport Cabriolet the source must be mid year or later. With that being said, the Sales Data Book page is dated 1-28, which predates the CSC, but contains basically the same information as the June 8, 28 publication.

Hey Chris, Grant, and all, the 2 original steering wheels I have are dark timber in colour, but all timber oxidizes as it ages and goes black, esspecialy as the original coating on the wheel will have worn off in a few years and the grease and sweat from the years of driver handling will cause the wheel to go a dark colour as well.And finally all this will depend on the species of timber used. RAYCYCLED