Stock Steering Wheel Whos Keeping Them And Why ?

[original-71]

So i was out in the garage trying to clean up some and saw my stock steering wheel been wrapped up in the cabinet for almost five years and wondering should i keep it ? And yes still in new like shape. So do you guys save them sell them or all of the above ?

[VA72C10]

you sell it to me

I personally like the stock wheels (67-68 and 69-72) but I also move my column closer to the dash and put a tilt in to make it more comfortable. I also like comfortgrip and the 3 spoke wood wheels and some of the gm car wheels for our trucks....

[original-71]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

you sell it to me

I personally like the stock wheels (67-68 and 69-72) but I also move my column closer to the dash and put a tilt in to make it more comfortable. I also like comfortgrip and the 3 spoke wood wheels and some of the gm car wheels for our trucks....

i knew somebody would say that

[Stocker]

I still have my steering wheel (though the rim has a couple cracks) for the same reason I have the front springs, air cleaner, plug wire shielding, radio, body molding, mirrors, front bumper, and distributor -- no reason except they were all original to my truck! I just can't toss 'em out, so if the truck ever goes, the parts will go with it.

[Already Gone]

The stock steering wheel wasn't on my truck whe I bough it in 2001. It had one from (I think) from an 80's Chevy pickup. I real liked the LeCarra double spoke wheel and one Christmas 5 or 6 years ago Santa left one under the tree for me. This past summer a board member from the West Coast was selling a pretty nice black (which is the color I need to go with my interior ) original steering wheel on the parts board , so I bought it cause I might want to put it on one day. The stock steering wheels are cool, although they are quite big.

[c10monkey]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

you sell it to me

I personally like the stock wheels (67-68 and 69-72) but I also move my column closer to the dash and put a tilt in to make it more comfortable. I also like comfortgrip and the 3 spoke wood wheels and some of the gm car wheels for our trucks....

What did it take to move your steering column closer to the dash?
How much room did you gain?

[special-K]

Originally Posted by c10monkey

What did it take to move your steering column closer to the dash?
How much room did you gain?

You can move it forward till the cup is t that rubber piece against the instrument cluster. You just collapse the lower column by smacking on the flange that bolts to the rag joint. Do it while removed and not connected to the column so you don't damage the bearings or anything else.

[c10monkey]

Originally Posted by special-K

You can move it forward till the cup is t that rubber piece against the instrument cluster. You just collapse the lower column by smacking on the flange that bolts to the rag joint. Do it while removed and not connected to the column so you don't damage the bearings or anything else.

Great information.... Thanks!

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by special-K

You can move it forward till the cup is t that rubber piece against the instrument cluster. You just collapse the lower column by smacking on the flange that bolts to the rag joint. Do it while removed and not connected to the column so you don't damage the bearings or anything else.

If you get in a head-on collision, you might live to regret losing the shock-absorbing effect of that GM-engineered safety feature.

[Steeveedee]

And MY truck has a steering wheel from some '70s Caprice. I can just see what happens when the thing stalls (rare, I'm a mechanic, but just suppose), and my wife with those pencil arms tries to steer it? I'd like a stock "school bus" steering wheel back, just for that reason. Now, where can I get one not made out of Chinesium? I put a '70 truck four row radiator in my '68 Skylark (yeah, I like some cooling performance, and Buick didn't offer it), and bought the clamps from the dealer. They were made in China. I felt sold out. I worked for GM, at Chevy dealers and at the assembly division in Van Nuys, CA in the early '70s. My dad would be turning 12 grand in his grave (if he hadn't been cremated and tossed out in the Pacific Ocean), if he knew that GM was buying parts in chinee. Me, I just told the counterman what I thought, without ripping his head off, because it really isn't his doing.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

If you get in a head-on collision, you might live to regret losing the shock-absorbing effect of that GM-engineered safety feature.

There is still collapse room left and it's really the same difference. The wheel still has to travel the same distance to impact the driver. The collapsible column doesn't limit effect of impact. If you're hit that hard the wheel will end up in the same place. It's a great safety feature,but people did drive trucks till almost the '70s with solid columns and never gave it a thought.

[jocko]

i agree - stock 2 spoke is the best looking one out there for these trucks - followed closely by the cushion grip 3-spoke wheels that are repopped nowadays. Oh wait, sorry jonathan - you just said exactly that!

[special-K]

I keep them cuz I like them. I use them cuz I like them. Anything stock just looks right. It's the way it's supposed to be,just like factory colors and everything else. Now,I like a subtle change here and there,too. So,any stock part I pull off I store away. Some don't like to hang on to anything extra,so they sell and I've even known of people "tossing" good used parts (). I have a stash of steering wheels,just like road wheels,because those are things that are simple to change and are step #1 in changing the look/vibe/direction/whatever

[Already Gone]

Originally Posted by special-K

I keep them cuz I like them. I use them cuz I like them. Anything stock just looks right. It's the way it's supposed to be,just like factory colors and everything else. Now,I like a subtle change here and there,too. So,any stock part I pull off I store away. Some don't like to hang on to anything extra,so they sell and I've even known of people "tossing" good used parts (). I have a stash of steering wheels,just like road wheels,because those are things that are simple to change and are step #1 in changing the look/vibe/direction/whatever

Tim, you have said exactly what I think...
Posted via Mobile Device

[Tom Vogel]

Originally Posted by already gone

tim, you have said exactly what i think...
posted via mobile device

^ x3

[69GWC]

I took my stock wheel of just because it felt way to big, I wont get rid of it but its not for me and I dont keep anything stock anyway..lol
Posted via Mobile Device

[whoryou1979]

I am, because I want it to look original. To each his own, though.

[RocketKing]

I kept my stock wheel but resized it to 14 1/2"

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by RocketKing

I kept my stock wheel but resized it to 14 1/2"

Very nice!! Stock appearance at a better size. Seems like I once saw a thread about doing that -- was it your thread?

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Very nice!! Stock appearance at a better size. Seems like I once saw a thread about doing that -- was it your thread?

There is an article on how to do it in Classic Trucks magazine from a few months ago

[big bad orange]

The stock steering wheels are great when you have manual steering. I think all the new steering wheels are to small. I keep telling my buddy his dodge needs a 17" wheel

[RocketKing]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Very nice!! Stock appearance at a better size. Seems like I once saw a thread about doing that -- was it your thread?

There is a thread with pics in here somewhere on how to do it but I don't know who posted it. In my build thread I just described how I did it, I didn't take pics of the progress

[Daddy Brim]

Originally Posted by RocketKing

I kept my stock wheel but resized it to 14 1/2"

This is what I will end up doing.

[bollybib]

Here is my collection.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...&postcount=249

The saddle one is on the truck now. The green one is pretty bad. The brown one is in good condition but I'm not using it. I suppose I could sell it but so far I haven't and I can't really say why. .

[jocko]

Originally Posted by bollybib

Here is my collection.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...&postcount=249

The saddle one is on the truck now. The green one is pretty bad. The brown one is in good condition but I'm not using it. I suppose I could sell it but so far I haven't and I can't really say why. .

I have to admit, I'm normally not a fan of wooden steering wheels - but, wow, the wooden one looks perfecto in your interior. Just looks perfect. Nice!