rreiko1969

I am restoring a 69 442 convertible. I have looked in the Assembly Manual and other 442 restoration guides and I have also searched the web for Oldsmobile interior pictures and I have not seen one steering wheel that looks like this. I think the car is all original but I am curious that I can’t find any pictures of evidenced of this steering wheel. I have restored all the parts of this steering wheel except for the fake wood trim which matches the fake wood trim on the dash. 1. Does anyone know if this is an original steering wheel for the 69 442? 2. Does anyone have any experience restoring the fake wood trim? I would appreciate anyhelp you can give me.

tru-blue 442

Welcome, looks like a Toronado wheel to me.

joe_padavano

That is NOT a 442 wheel from any year. Note that all 1969-late 1980s GM steering columns use the same splines, so it is easy to swap steering wheels.

BlackGold

My completely uneducated guess, based on style alone, would be that your steering wheel came from a mid-60s big car, perhaps Pontiac? Broaden your search and I'm sure you'll find out what it is.

joe_padavano

Pontiac would have had a triangular recess for the emblem, not a circular one. Definitely GM full size, from 1969-up.

rreiko1969

I appreciate everyone that replied to my post. After hearing from all of you and looking at hundreds more GM steering wheel pictures on the internet I found this one. It is a from a late 70s Bonneville. Someone had to get real lucky to find a steering wheel that matched the trim in the dash of this 442. The question I have now is what to do about a steering wheel. I am sure that finding one in good condition would be next to impossible and very expensive. Thanks again for your help.

tru-blue 442

Just go with a 4 spoke black sport wheel, can't go wrong with one of those.
$175-$250 complete, they are out there and look good and correct for the most part.

rob1960

Here's a couple of pics of '69 steering wheels. The 3 spoke is the one year only '69 sport wheel. The other one is the standard wheel. The 3 spokes pop up for sale once in awhile but they're quite pricey$$$. Ron Memmer(Ron's Classic Cutlass) had a black one for sale not to long ago,I think he was asking $1200 for it!!

joe_padavano

This is a popular swap, but if the O.P. is doing a totally correct resto on a 69, the four spoke would not be correct.

rreiko1969

rreiko1969

Thanks for posting these pictures. The base of the 3 spoke wheel looks the same as the one I have but certainly not the rest of it.

Cman7713

I have a 4 spoke in my 69. It looks good for what it is. I cant bring myself to spend 1k + on a freaking steering wheel, this will also never be a show car so...


Kind of a bad angle but you get the idea I hope.

Jamesbo

IMHO the 4 spoke is better looking that the rare 69 3 spoke, but it's like Coors Beer. If ya can't get it everyone wants it.

Cman7713

That'd be like Yuengling beer in my neck of the woods.

rreiko1969

Thanks for the post. I am with you on the 1k for a steering wheel. The 4 spoke looks very nice. I really was trying to restore this car to original since the entire drive train is original but I don't have an unlimited budget. This steering wheel thing was a complete surprise because color of the wheel and the wood trim match so well. What is the brand an model of your 4 spoke wheel?