442craig

Hi guys,

Have a question that has perplexed me since I bought my 68 8 years ago. I have a walnut 3 spoke steering wheel on it. It seems to be thinner than I remember. My dad had a 68 442 hardtop when I was a kid and as I remember the wheel was a lot thicker. Did they make the convertible wheel thinner? Anyone ever heard of this?

Thanks,

Craig

1969w3155

Only one wood wheel was offered, perhaps your dad had an aftermarket wheel, or the steering wheel seemed larger when you were a kid, and your hands were smaller.

allyolds68

And it isn't wood, it's faux wood (plastic) & it's very thin

442craig

Dad's was from the factory and I know its plastic (and all of them are cracked!) I'm going to have to do a little car show research, cause I'd swear mine is thinner!

shatrab

Not all are cracked! My 68 plastic "wood" steering wheel has a very small and slight separation at the edge of a spoke, toward the back side of the wheel, and that is it. The car obviously did not see too much of the sun even though it is a convertible that spent all its life but the past year in Hawaii!

joe_padavano

Yours is "thinner" because you are used to the thicker wheels on new cars. All cars in the 1960s had steering wheels about the thickness of coat hanger wire.

Eddie Hansen

They also came on Corvettes, GS, and some Chevy's depending on the application you could have a 14" or a 15" wheel, and I think there are even some differences to dish size depending on application.

They are repairable, and I am putting one on my 69....

here is a pic of mine during the resto process, after staining , adding marbeling etc repairs are almost unnoticeable ...