STOCK 67-72 Steering Wheels

[Chevyland]

I tend to like these trucks, original.
And my hands fit just right on the stock steering wheels.
So I always leave them in my trucks.

Really nice ones are out there
But as we know they are all prone to cracking

My belief is that 67-68 held up better, but not sure.
Also it seems 69-72 black held up the best?
Every blue interior truck I ever had the wheel was pretty bad.

Post up your OEM not (re pops )
Let's see what is out there.


I will start. Obviously with my best

[bhemingson]

Mine is blue one major split at 12 o'clock and a thin one a 6 o'clock.

[RodnRudy]

Here's my 68 wheel. It's only taken 49 years to get this comfortable grip.

[LongBox]

Here's my original 69 GMC wheel. Unrestored, and still lookin' good.

[dfwright]

Originally Posted by LongBox

Here's my original 69 GMC wheel. Unrestored, and still lookin' good.

What you have there is the "Unicorn" of steering wheels... wow! I've never seen a sandalwood steering wheel in that good condition. Sandalwood seems to be the worst for cracking and falling apart.

SO.... you obviously need to get you a good Saddle steering wheel in there to match the rest of your Interior, and I'm first in line for that beautiful sandalwood wheel when you sell it.

[hayhauler71]

I paid $25.00 for this one.

[hamjet]

Originally Posted by hayhauler71

I paid $25.00 for this one.

I'll give ya $30.00 for it...LOL

[slikside]

Here's mine...Original '72.

Biggest crack is at about 12:30, and one nearly equal at the lower left corner of the horn button, plus several other hairline fractures that I have noticed just showed up over the last couple years. Not bad considering this truck has been outside for all but about 6-7 years of its life. That's probably the biggest factor in the condition of these wheels...time sheltered, or not.

[Orange67]

67 CST. Minor cracks on all 3 spokes to wheel connections. Not too bad for a truck outside its entire 50 years. OP, I guessed you are in AZ before I looked at your Sig! Man the sun is harsh on these trucks.

[Andy4639]

My Ramp Rat truck had this one when I bought it. I took it out and put a corvette wheel in it for now but have a 2 spoke Impala wheel I'm restoring to go in it.

[special-K]

The sandalwood and blue wheels held up the worst. I think Black did hold up best, but also vans used the black wheel 73-78, so a bit newer ones are out there, more chance for black n.o.s., and many vans were cargo vans (only front glass), or RVs with large overhangs. Here in Maryland they crack up as bad as ones I see from the SW

[Canuckvetter]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1487988826

Just did a refurbish on my 67 steering wheel last year.

[FirstOwner69]

Here are pictures of the original from my '69. Just small cracks. I covered it about 1972 (20,000 miles?) with a lace-on leather cover because it felt greasy when it was hot. I removed the cover in 2010 (118,000 miles) and retired it in favor of a leather wheel from a 1994 S10 Blazer LT because I like the smaller size and fatter rim. The truck was outside its first 3 years southern California and usually outside in relatively cool Wisconsin until about 1990 when I stored it in a garage.

[Chevyland]

I'll take it

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by Chevyland

I'll take it

It's permanently stored in a hermetically sealed package in my safe!

[El Dorado Jim]

Originally Posted by special-K

The sandalwood and blue wheels held up the worst. I think Black did hold up best, but also vans used the black wheel 73-78, so a bit newer ones are out there, more chance for black n.o.s., and many vans were cargo vans (only front glass), or RVs with large overhangs. Here in Maryland they crack up as bad as ones I see from the SW

I got a black one from a van about 15 years ago for my 72, it was perfect, then it cracked in a couple of places, I just installed a wood wheel with the 3 chrome spokes with holes in them , it is a Grant wheel,like the old superior wheel I had in my 72 step side in high school..in the mid seventies..

[Chevyland]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

It's permanently stored in a hermetically sealed package in my safe!

Oh come on, it at least deserves to be a wall hanger

[Blue/72]

I've had about 6-7 black 69-72 wheels all without cracks and mostly all had great grain. I have had one aqua 69-72 wheel that came out of a 25k mile truck that was very nice but other than that all I have seen are the black ones. Those seem to survive better for whatever reason?

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

What's the story on the top rim of the steering wheels? Some have grain, others are smooth.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

What's the story on the top rim of the steering wheels? Some have grain, others are smooth.

They all had grain originally. Those that are smooth have had the grain gradually worn off through use. It also appears there were two different grain patterns on the rim. I have always believed those with the finer grain, such as mine, were the truck wheels and those with the larger grain pattern were from the 70s vans. It's also possible the larger grain is just one stage of the wear process that mine never got to. I believe the reproduction wheels also have the smaller grain pattern, but the grain is much "sharper" than I recall the originals ever being. However, that may only be my imagination.

The wheels that are not painted can be buffed to a high gloss.

[Chevyland]

I, too have noticed on black wheels, some are much more glossy than others.
Almost like the resin is a harder form.
It seems like those wheels hold up better!
Although the determining factor always seems to be weather.
Anywhere in the southwest the interior bakes away, and the exterior body is saved
Exact opposite
Anywhere in the northwest the body rots away and interior is saved
Garaged
Well, we know how kind that is

[Chevyland]

Cold weather had to have been pretty rough on them too
When I restored this Blazed, originally from Idaho
It had its original wheel in it, there was more metal showing than resin
As special-k mentioned, sandalwood was another weaker color
I got lucky, a sandalwood showed up on eBay
I believe it was a take off, from early on
I almost chocked when I had to pay $205
Looking back, I think it was worth it

[Sicklajoie]

Mine's got crack around the spokes, that's it.

[Chevyland]

That's one of those really glossy ones I was talking about.
It shines everywhere, even on the grain.
If you look at some of the other black ones that is not always the case

[cericd]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

My steering wheel is on the right. Nice and shiny, but a couple of hairline cracks and seperation I assume it's because this is a dry climate. It hasn't seen much sun since 1996ish, and before that it was still garaged.

I'm replacing it with the one on the left. For the life of me, I don't know why it doesn't have the sheen, but I'm guessing it's because it's from humid Ohio. This one was packed away in a box for 20-25 years, so the story goes. No cracks or separation, nice grain and no nicks. I'll shine it up like new again.



Original:


Replacement:

I have a wheel that looks like the wheel on the left. What are folks using to bring the shine back safely?