New Mahogany Grant GT & ...

[Gray Ghost]

I got this from a local seller and it had no horn button, so I set out to make my own. My horn is a button under the dash so I could make this one any way I wanted. I picked an exotic wood called Kwila [fropm Papua New Guinea] for the center and here's how I did it.

I first found a piece of 1/4" Oak plywood for the backer plate [takes the place of the horn button plate]. I made it big enough so that the allen screws would locate it on the hub and thin enough so that it didn't push the wheel any further in than it already is. The mounting bowls are so deep on these wheels....sure wish someone could make a shorter one!

I got the plywood down to 3/32" thick on the tablesaw, then headed to the drill press for the core cut. Drilled the five allen head holes and mounted the hub and wheel on the truck. Then I got out another holesaw and cut a 1 3/4" diameter x 1/4" thick 'button' out of the Kwila. A bit of glue on the back and some pressure by hand and it was on.

I always finish wood with clear natural stain and clear gloss marine varnish. The shifter knob was found at a swap meet in Garland this last year. It says SS cause I had sold my El Camino SS to buy this truck so it fits for me. That shift knob was made in old growth antique mahogany much like the 50+ year old dowel I had rescued from a friend's kitchen redo in 2002. So replacing the turn signal lever with the dowel made perfect sense. I drilled it a bit smaller than the ribbed spike on the end of the lever and hammered it gently until it seated.

I know most of you can't do this cause your horns are controlled by the wheel button, but for those who have theirs on buttons like a couple of us do, this is a good alternative.

I've got five coats of poly on the knob and the lever....here's how it looks...

[Evans]

Looks very nice !!!

[Yukon Jack]

Nice work!