Does a 1970-77 4 spoke sport steering wheel fit a 1966? The aftermarket companies carry the same repro complete steering wheels including hub assembly, horn button, etc. and they look just like the original .

I had an original one of these on my 1969 442 and it bolted right up and I wonder if one will fit on my 66. Also, any problems getting the horn to work?

The only YouTube video I can find is a guy installing one on a 1972 Cutlass. It all seems pretty straight forward but I'm concerned about the hub fitting correctly on the 66 column. Anyone have experience with this? Thanks.

 

I put one on my '68 (dash mounted ignition switch) years ago. My recollection is that the switchless column was of slightly smaller diameter than the base of the steering wheel hub so the hub kind of flared out a bit where it attached to the column. Not a huge deal and not terribly noticeable, but wrong just the same.

I'm guessing you'd run into pretty much the same thing with your '66. Your experience with the '69 was due to the fact that it has a column-mounted ignition switch.

 

Thanks. I was thinking along those lines too. I like the stock one on my 66 but it has all the usual cracks in it. The 4 spoke looks great in the later models and I like the feel of it but I can’t recall seeing any in the dash ignition switch cars.

 

I agree, the 4-spoke wheels always looked kind of out of place on a pre-1970 car. What might be a better choice for your application would be a '68-onlly faux-wood three spoke wheel. Probably not that easy to find, though. You could fake it with a Chevy wood-grain two or three spoke from the same era, which would likely be easier to locate.

Most practical thing is probably to repair or find a direct replacement for your '66 wheel, though.

 

I used a 1967 Camaro hub to install an aftermarket 4 spoke wheel. It is not a perfect fit but I am satisfied.

 

The 1968-earlier columns are smaller in diameter than the 1969-up columns. The large diameter hub fits fine on the early column but looks goofy. Use the hub from a 1964-66 Impala with two spoke wheel. Unlike the hub for the three spoke 1968 wheel, the Impala hub does not have the "notch" for the third spoke. Yes, the bolt pattern for the wheel is the same and all the horn contact parts bolt right up.

https://www.impalaparts.com/6466SWH/

 

Do you know if it fits on a non-tilt column? Yours looks like a tilt column. From the other photos of your 66, it looks like the 4 spoke wheel fits nicely. Do you know if there's a difference in diameter between the Camaro hub and the Cutlass?

 

Thanks much.

 

Scroll up and read post #6. The 1966-68 steering columns all take the same hub (including tilt columns). The only exception is the telescoping columns used in the full size cars and Toros.

 

I see Joe P had a post with a hub I did not know existed. If I was going to put a 4 spoke wheel on a 66 I would certainly use what Joe has posted. IMO that is the very best idea I have seen.
And I may change the hub I am using now for the one in Joe's post.
Thanks Joe.

Mike

 

Update, I was ordering the hub Joe had told us about,,,,,,,,,,until I got to the final steps, add shipping and pay, but cancelled it all because they wanted $56 and change to ship!!
NO!

 

It's 331 miles from Burlington, North Carolina to Ironton, Ohio. You'd think shipping that distance would be a lot cheaper.

 

Search 64-66 impala steering wheel hub on Google. All the Chevy repro houses sell them.

 

Thanks for the "Nudge" Joe. I called Jegs in Columbus OH and got one for $71.68 with shipping. I think having the right part will look just a little better on there.
Good Day, Mike

 

I like the 3 spoke faux wood wheel as well. Parts Place has one that's listed for 1967/68 cars.

https://www.thepartsplaceinc.com/pro...okes-16/104806

I thought the 66 and 67 columns were the same. Any insights here?

 

Wow, that looks really good and also reasonably priced.

I see no reason it wouldn't work on a '66.

 

The 64-66 columns are the same. 1967 was the first time that the Feds mandated a collapsible steering shaft. The 67 and 68 columns are pretty much the same. 69 was the first year for the larger diameter locking column.
FYI there are several other key differences between the 66 and 67 cars, including the change from single circuit to dual circuit brakes, the change from a 9" to 11" power brake booster, and the resulting need to use a single notched cover on the 1967 big block cars as a result.

 

Thank you. Appreciate your knowledge of these cars.

 

Joe, does that mean he can't use the '68 repop wheel on his '66?

 

No, it means that the columns are not the same. The end that the steering wheel hub goes onto is the same. As I've said above in this thread, the 1964-66 Impala hub is the correct small diameter to fit the 64-64 columns and accept the four spoke wheel. The 69-up hub fits also but looks goofy because the diameter is wrong.

 

I ordered the 3 spoke from Parts Place but now I'm told by a local expert (who owns a 66 and a 67) that it may not fit the 66 column without modifications. We'll see.

 

Find a new "expert", because that one isn't.

 

I got a early model hub from Jegs, painted it, and installed it today. I think it looks way better than the later/larger hub I used when I built it nearly 30 years ago.
Thanks to Joe P. for having the knowledge about the hubs and their applications. That made it simple. It took a little while to get it done but IMO very much worth it.