• We have upgraded our forum software! See here for details.

Rebuilt '55 Steering Wheel

J

junkman2

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2000
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
Location
New Mexico, USA
Guys:

One simple question, and I think any normal person would be a little irate after waiting a year....?

Why is is taking so long for you to send me the rebuilt wheel? I see that you are now offering a reproduction wheel for '47-54. So what is the story on the '55 repro wheel?? I sent in my core last August, and have heard nothing but excuses.

I just ordered a heavy duty desert radiator for my truck, please tell me that it's in stock, and I'm not in for another long wait....x(
 
We apologize for the delay on the 55 steering wheel. Let me get you up to date on where we are with them. The company that was gearing up to rebuild/reproduce them has yet to come up with one that meets any quality standards. The same kind of thing happened with the 47-54 steering wheels. The company was producing a rebuilt wheel, (which was not of the best quality) and then another manufacture came along and reproduced the wheel at a much higher quality and with a much better price. I have talked with the fist manufactur. He said he can pull you out a good core from his inventory and repair/rebuild it for you. We can probably have you a good rebuilt wheel in about two weeks. We will have it sent to us, we will check it for quality, and then send it out to you. I don't really know if and when someone will reproduce the 55 Wheel so this may be the only option for quite some time. Carrie knows all the specifics on the steering wheels and would gladly help you with your decision. Her number is 1-800-741-1678 ext. 215
 
Robert:

Thanks for the reply, so if I understand correctly, I can get a 47-54 wheel, but not a '55 wheel at all?

Will the center hole for the horn button, and the associated hardware for the horn button be the same? If I recall correctly, the earlier trucks did not have turn signals at all. I'm set up with the stock turn signal option, with the cancel cam or lever fastened to the backside of the center of the wheel hub. It appears that if I go with the earlier wheel, I would lose my turn signal setup, and have to go with some add on device on the side of the column. I'm not wild about the appearance of the various add on turn signal setups I've seen, and I'd rather go with the stock '55 turn signal option, (I also have a complete set of spare parts for it in case anything wears out on it).

I'm more than a little disappointed because you guys were not up front about this situation with regard to advertising the rebuilt wheel in your catalog. To be blunt, you should not advertise something for sale until you get all the bugs out of the manufacturing process, and can deliver a quality product. On the other hand, I can understand the need to get so many orders in until a sufficient quantity can be done to make the job profitable. The old saying about economies of scale applies, no doubt. I just recieved a new radiator from you guys yesterday, so I'm still ordering stuff from you, despite earlier rantings and ravings about taking my business elsewhere, which I apologize for, including offending anyone else out there in internet land. You guys still have about the best selection and prices in the market!

Please advise me about the turn signals and horn button issue. If the earlier wheel is not compatible with either, I would just as soon wait further until you can provide me with a '55 wheel. In the meantime, I found another wheel in a junkyard near a very small town in the southwest, where I have a second home. Since I can steer and use the truck, with functional turn signals and horn, waiting an indeterminite period of time for a replacement is not a problem so long as you don't leave me out in the breeze to dry forever....:o
 
We have a wheel being reconditioned for you at this moment.It will be here in about two weeks.The new wheel that is available is a 1947-1953 wheel.It is a little different and uses a different horn button. You could use it if you liked,but it is not correct for your truck. It is unfortunate that this has slipped through the cracks and that you have had to wait. We used to do reconditioned wheels years ago, but within the last year someone starting working on the mold to reproduce the 1954-56 wheels.We never took them out of the catalog hoping that they would be in very shortly. But they never did come in. It wasn't a case of having to sell a certain number before they are made. We have never done that,as it always makes the customer wait. The wheels were supposed to be done a year ago as you know. I hope you can wait two weeks for yours to be done. I apologize for your wait and hope that we can help you in the future.
 
Craig:

Thanks for the update. Maybe I can scrounge an earlier horn button out in New Mexico, along with the hardware for it. Assume that the contact plate is different, too. What about the turn signal cancel cam? Is the base circle of the wheel the same as the turn signal pot metal cup on a '55? Will this wheel be compatible with my stock '55 turn signals...? please advise....

If this earlier wheel will not be compatible with my turn signal set up, please send my old core back. I can compromise on the horn button, but not the turn signals...
 
The 47-53 steering wheel will not work with the 55-59 turnsignal cup.They are different sizes.As for your core it is already being worked.It should be in very shortly.I know that it has been along time,but we will get you a good steering wheel.
 
Craig:

OK, but please don't send me a '47-53 wheel, my core was from a '55. I'm just saying this to advoid any misunderstanding. If this wheel you are having done does not work with the '55-59 turnsignal cup, it is useless to me. If that is the case, kindly refund my cash, please.
 
The wheel you are getting will work with the turnsignal cup.It will be the correct one for your truck.:)
 
WOW!

Thank-you!

Probably there are some other folks out there who sent in a core, like me and waited. I hope you can take care of them, too.

;-)
 
I looked at the new steering wheels for '47~'53 and although they are nice , I wanted something a little different so I had my old wheel rebuilt in ivory ~ looks really great and no more black crud on my hands when it rains ! . took only two months turn around .
 
I checked with the guy that does them.And He told me that it should be here by friday.He has moved into a new building and is a few weeks behind.I will let you know when it ships.
 
Junkman2,I called to check on your wheel today since it didn't come in.Short story,the guy hasn't finished it as of today.They are going to try and get it finished this weekend and ship it to me monday.I will let you know if it doesn't ship from here by wednesday.
 
Hi Craig:

Thanks for the continued follow up. Much appreciated. Been waiting so long for this part already....

Next upgrade for my truck is putting in a rebuilt small block 400 and a 1963 vintage T-10 behind it. Got everything all tore apart, and won't be able to drive it again until spring next year. Hopefully, I'll have the new wheel by then. Decided against going with a big block due to cooling problems. Even with your new "desert cooler" installed, a fan shroud, a flex-a-lite SS fan, and a 140 degree marine thermostat, it still runs hot. I'm hooking up an oil cooler to the 400, and maybe that will help. Otherwise, I'd have to chop up the core support in order to shoehorn a wider radiator in, which would not be pretty....

Although this is a off topic even further, do you know where I can get a boot for the clutch fork on the bellhousing? I'm afraid this is a dealer item, and my experience with asking my local chevy dealer to look up what most folks would think a generic part like this has not been good. They seem to be clueless if they can't find it in the computer, and just describing what you need does not fly with them anymore, used to, but times have changed. I'm also looking for the hardened pivot ball which has a threaded stud on it. This pivot ball bolts to the block near the oil filter, and the clutch cross shaft rides on it. The only original parts I have are the pedal and link which goes thru the frame, the rest I'll have to fabricate or scrounge.

Bear with me for not posting this under something like "4-speed conversion" Mea Culpa...
 
Junkman,you wheel has came in.It looks really good and we will ship it out first thing tomm.What kind of fan do you have? I hope it not one of those flex fans.They are designed to free up horsepower not keep your engine cool.I would highly recommend getting a clutch fan off of a Corvette.If you have the room between the radiator and engine.If you don't then get the biggest electric fan that fits the radiator that comes with a shroud.Hook it up to come on at 190 or so.I have never seen a car with a V-8 cooling problem that couldn't be fixed easily.I have seen the ball stud you need but we don't carry them.I would check withsome that does the cars,They are usually the cheapest. We have clutch fork boots available.They are $8.95 if you need one.They fit almost all the later bellhousings.
 
Hi Craig:

Glad to hear the wheel finally shipped, recieved email notice from UPS. At least it was done in the USA, some of the Taiwan made rubber parts you have sold me, like the steering column floor seal have cracked badly in only a year. I hope its thermoplastic and not hard rubber like the original. Maybe I'll get lucky and it will not crack? Who knows....

Am using one of those stainless steel flex-a-lite fans. It has deeper pitch blades than stock, and really moves a lot of air at lower speeds. This 16" diameter fan just fits inside of the plastic shroud I purchased from you guys.

We'll see how this setup acts with the 400 cid small block, which will run hotter than the 350 which is in it now. I want to take the truck to my home in New Mexico next year, where daytime temperatures in the summertime are around 110 degrees. I can go up in the nearby Sacramento Mts. where it's 20 degrees cooler, but it's a 5% grade for 15 miles to get there! May have to try something else with the fan.

Thanks for the info. about the bellhousing boot, I did not notice it in your catalog, maybe I'm snakebit tho.....
 
[updated:LAST EDITED ON Nov-23-01 AT 09:46 AM (CST)]Howdy again:

Been meaning to get back with y'all. Recieved the steering wheel, and it is halfway decent. They did a pretty good job of patching the hub, which had radial cracks all around. I was in the cab of a '49 the other day, and the wheel is entirely different, so I was glad to get my original back.

One minor comment to close this thread. I paid UPS shipping charges to send this item to you on my nickel. Now, I see someone tacked on shipping charges to return this item to me. After waiting over a year to recieve it, I think that you guys can pay to ship it back to me, as a courtesy, please. I'm not paying to ship it both ways...from my point of view, I think were even.

P.S. The tired 350 in my truck, of dubious origon, evidently has a cracked block or leaking head gasket. A pair of new steel valve covers were badly rusted after only a few hours of total running time, mostly short trips. The area under the valve springs had puddles of coolant floating on top of the oil. That is probably why it is running hot, and I recall seeing bubbles in the coolant when I had the rad cap off another time. Will keep your electric fan idea in mind for the 400 installation. Thanks, Da Junkman.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top