Steering wheel

[hairball]

My 1965 C10 has the original standard steering wheel. I would like to find an exact copy but in a smaller diameter. Does anybody make such a thing? I do have power steering so I can use a smaller diameter. Maybe there is sometime available that is close? Thanks in advance.
Hairball

[62bagger]

I wanted the same thing for my 62. I looked into having the original cut down but the starting price was $450.00. I couldn't bring myself to spend that. I now have an aftermarket steering wheel.

[61hawk]

I don't know of a smaller wheel that's identical, about the closest you're going to find is a 65-66 Chevy Impala steering wheel. They're about 16-1/2" in diameter and are being reproduced and I think are a better looking wheel.

[theastronaut]

I've modified a few wheels by cutting the rim off, grinding back the plastic to the steel inner frame, and grafting on a donor rim from a random 15" wheel found on ebay, junkyards, etc. After welding the steel cores together, I use PC7 epoxy to build up the missing areas, cracks are ground out to the steel core and filled in, then primed with SPI epoxy (sticks to plastic and works as a high build all in one), then wetsand and paint it with single stage urethane.

[Braunschweiger]

This is great, this is fantastic work.

[rideblue00]

The cut down method is the only way to get an original look, many have done it successfully. Do some research on here, I think there is a thread on this topic.

[62bagger]

That looks great. I might have to experiment with my wheel. Thanks for showing your technique.

[SkinnyG]

Here's my technique:

Vintage Steering Wheel, Modern Vibe - YouTube

[vin63]

This is how I've done a few for my projects, including the steering wheel in my current 63 C10. I did this one at the beginning of the pandemic since I was stuck at home. This one went to a customer in AZ.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Vin,

It appears that there is enough flex in the plastic on the rim that it didn't crack much when you re-bent it to the smaller diameter. Did you do anything special other than bent and weld?

[verdell]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

I've modified a few wheels by cutting the rim off, grinding back the plastic to the steel inner frame, and grafting on a donor rim from a random 15" wheel found on ebay, junkyards, etc. After welding the steel cores together, I use PC7 epoxy to build up the missing areas, cracks are ground out to the steel core and filled in, then primed with SPI epoxy (sticks to plastic and works as a high build all in one), then wetsand and paint it with single stage urethane.

Astronaut,

Would you happen to remember the donor vehicle wheel you used on these exact photos?

[61hawk]

Originally Posted by verdell

Astronaut,

Would you happen to remember the donor vehicle wheel you used on these exact photos?

To me it looks like a '55 2nd Series Chevy truck wheel.

[verdell]

Originally Posted by 61hawk

To me it looks like a '55 2nd Series Chevy truck wheel.

The 15" DONOR rim from ebay, junkyards, etc. used to make the finished product is what I'm asking about. Apologies if that wasn't clear.

"donor rim from a random 15" wheel found on ebay, junkyards, etc."