BOOWAH

About 10 years ago I ordered parts for my 80 Olds Cutlass from Originality Plus in Rancho Cucamunga! I wanted both doors, the roof clip, and a steering wheel! I got the doors but the wheel was the sports wheel that matched the one on my 72 Cutlass "S". Instead of sending it back I stuck it up in my attic! It never came to mind until I saw this post! I haven't located it yet but I know it's still up there! I'll post a picture when I find it.

Allan R

Watch out for things that lurk in the attic.....

leepear

I am actually looking for one with some grain for my 1971 442. Put me in the cue for an interested person when you get ready to post. I have four sport wheels that I will be selling all with no or minimal grain on the wheel. Want a better one for my 1971. Originality Plus is a friend of mine. Bill J. He still has tons of parts.

Lee

Allan R

Hey Lee,
Would you mind asking Bill if he sold that 71/72 Olds rad overflow he had on ebay for the longest time? I was looking for it the other day and couldn't find it in his listings. I know the unit is not complete, thats pretty much why I didn't want to pay the high price at the time. + our dollar wasn't doing so well then either. Thx.

leepear

Bills email is oplus@verizon.net you can tell him you know Lee Pearl although it may not help much. We go back 25+ years.

Lee

ROCKET VAPOR

I have found that a lot of cleaners will degrease the wheel, but none that I have found will keep the wheel from becoming greasy again after time.

Tony72Cutlass'S'

I bought a NOS horn contact set on ebay for 5 bucks a month ago to get my steering wheel to BEEP.

Does that count?

Actually, i bought the steering wheel off a guy that had had it sitting on a shelf for 20 years "apparently". Paid 75 bucks for it back in '09. Funny thing is, he claims it was OEM, but the little tab where the part number is was cut out..

Weird, anyway, it looks good to me, and that's what counts!

Allan R

I've always used WD40 to increase slipperyness. I thought it was bad for rubber parts? I know it dissolves the sealant used in window goop.
You can try it if you want, but I won't risk my sport wheel with it. I just clean the wheel periodically with good old clean water - nothing else. If it gets too slimey? Consider wearing driving gloves. I think the 'slimey' factor has been beat to death on this site and no one has ever come up with a way to make it go away. I've found the wheel gets sticky more when the weather has high moisture content - otherwise it's fine. Post what you find out.

Lady72nRob71

Slimey or sticky???
I have only experienced the latter.

79MKII

Sorry to bring up such an old post....hate to start a new thread when the answer to my question is probably so very short...

Anyway, I just bought a sport steering wheel on eBay. It looks really nice (a bit sticky though) but I'm wondering if it's a reproduction or the real deal?? I don't see any part number molded into the rubber at all. I thought even the repro's had the part number like the originals?

So I guess my question is, "how can one tell an Olds wheel from a repro wheel?".

Anyway, here's a link to the eBay auction:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/330694412014...84.m1497.l2649 Thanks

Allan R

The part number isn't visible from the front. It's molded onto the back on one of the rubber parts that joins the brushed finish. Look again. That one looks like OEM and it's the larger 15" one for your car.

I'm not sure if there is any way to tell a repop from the real thing; maybe the grain on the rubber?

79MKII

I looked on the back...I've seen pictures of other wheels with the number and this one doesn't seem to have any number at all...very strange. It measures about 15.5" dia so I'm sure it's not a Starfire wheel...and I think those have a part number molded into them too. Not sure on this one? I wonder if ALL oem wheels have that part number molded in? The hub has a number cast into it....406708...is that oem?

Allan R

9751871 is the number that should be on the wheel, the hub is 406708. Both are in Group 6.513 of the Olds parts manual.

Strange that the number wouldn't be there. All OEM wheels had that number molded into them.

15 1/2" is the right diameter for the 70-77 Cutlass 4 spoke wheel.

Tony72Cutlass'S'

I bought my sport steering wheel off the original owner of the wheel. It looks exactly like an OEM, but its missing the part number (there was still some grain on the wheel when i took off the steering wheel wrap.)

My car's not a show car so it's not a HUGE deal, i still paid 50 bucks for the steering wheel, hub, and button.

I also ordered a NOS contact kit off ebay for 10 bucks. If i have a change i'll post some pictures.

79MKII

So your wheel is an aftermarket wheel for sure?

Tony72Cutlass'S'

I'm not entirely sure, I'd have to get the pros to take a look at it.

The tab where the number "should' be appears to be cut off. Really weird i know...

I still think it was a good buy for 50 bucks.

79MKII

Great deal...even the repro's are over $300 now....

Paladin31

Just my 2 Cents, but I started using GoJo (sp?) hand cleaner on my sport wheels years ago, and once I got them clean would give 'em a maintenance wipe down periodically, and no longer have the stickiness. I figured that as the acids & oils in our hands were a root cause of the breakdown, this couldn't hurt. And by re-applying the hand cleaner it helps replace some (maybe none..?) of those oils.

79MKII

I'd like to try that...what kind of GoJo have you used? The kind I have is very gritty, whitish in color and has an orange lid. Come to think of it, I also have an orange bottle with a push pump on the top....I think that one's gritty too though....would that be OK?

Paladin31

I didn't use the one with Pumice as I didn't want to wear anymore of the "grain" off of it. What they call the xmooth, I have well dispensers that use the bulk bags. So I don't know what color bottle you might see. Looks like hand lotion, white & smooth. Use a fingernail brush on the whole thing. Shen I get a ad. I'll post a couple of pics

Paladin31

I didn't use the one with Pumice as I didn't want to wear anymore of the "grain" off of it. What they call the xmooth, I have well dispensers that use the bulk bags. So I don't know what color bottle you might see. Looks like hand lotion, white & smooth. Use a fingernail brush on the whole thing. When i get home I'll post a couple of pics

livinglife442

What a great post. Thanks so much to the originator! I know it's quite old now, but I'm new to the site and I've been looking for one as close to NOS as I can get. Mine isn't "bad" but in a show they would laugh. Mine had an issue with goo. Here's what I did. I removed the wheel from the car, then wiped it each day really good with rubbing alcahol for a bout a week. I havn't had the problem since!

Lady72nRob71

Very periodic cleaning will keep it feeling great. Mine is like that too but 'periodic' for me is every few years or so. At that time the wheel is like fly paper...

Greg Rogers

I know this is a old thread but never the less I'd like to add my 2 cents. I got a wheel off a 75 Cutlass years ago in the early 80's so I am fairly certain It is a OEM wheel. It of course gets sticky. I used to put armor all on it which actually didn't make it slippery but took away the stickiness pretty well. Then I started using lacquer thinner which works really well- but of course it comes back. I also have another sport wheel that is a extra . That one has been on the garage wall untouched for probably 15 years. It is covered with dead bugs! Looks like fly paper!

Dave Siltman

The horn contact kits that are for sale on eBay as NOS are actually still available from GM for about $3.00.
I'd like to hear the results from WD40. Anybody?

mkidd9106

I need someone with a good eye identifying a factory wheel from a reproduction. Many of you have said you can see the difference. This steering wheel was in a parts bin of a 70 w30 I purchased that was in storage since 1973. Owner said the wheel was “acquired” by an employee working at the local GM manufacturing plant (Dayton, Ohio) that manufactured the steering wheels. What do you think?

Thanks!

mkidd9106

Here's a few more...

RocketDevo

If you look on the backside of the wheel, where one of the spokes meets the wheel there should be a part number on the rubber part, just as the spoke enters the rubber part of the wheel. I am not 100% sure, but I believe if there is no part number the wheel is a re-production.

oldspackrat

I'm no expert on the repro wheels, but it seems like on the ones I've seen(only a few) that the grain is larger & more pronounced maybe?

OldsAl

1970greensupreme

Huh, I have two original wheels. Once was the one that came on my 70 Supreme and one was bought at a swap meet in the mid 80's. Both are almost completely smooth but not yet sticky