Topic: 65 Deluxe Steering Wheel

[Chris]

Just picked up what I believe is an original 65 deluxe steering wheel.

Two questions, is this an original? Can the metal part of the wheel attaching the cap to the wheel be replated?

It does not look to detach from the wheel itself and it's rusted in some areas.

[CharlesTurner]

Hard to tell from the pics, pic #5 looks like the repro wheel.

You can't re-chrome these properly.

[Chris]

Maybe these will help. The top of the steering wheel is gray in color, looks to have lost its wood color from use over time. the underside still has some wood (brown) color to it.

[rocket289k]

Hi Chris,

It's difficult to tell for sure in the pictures but it does indeed appear to be a reproduction deluxe steering wheel. There are a few different ways to distinguish an original deluxe steering wheel from a reproduction. 

#1 - A lot of reproduction wheels only have 17 simulated rivets (the shiny dimples) on the wheel (the original wheel had 18).  - see attached photo of an original wheel - original deluxe wheel.JPG

#2 - Most reproductions do a terrible job on the "brushed aluminum" look of the 3 spokes.  The factory wheels have a very satiny look and a very subtle "brushed" look to the them.  The brush marks on a reproduction wheel's spokes are very pronounced.  In the pictures you provided the brushed spokes appear to be have the very pronounced brush marks. - see attached photo repro deluxe wheel.JPG

#3 - A lot of the older reproductions were more grey than brown in color (especially the "base color" that they put the brown over). 

Finally most original wheels are cracked just due to age at this point in their lives unless they had never been installed in a car but even then I've seen evidence of cracking.  The plastic just seems to shrink a bit and crack.

Outside of tracking down an original wheel and having it restored (even then it doesn't really look right) NDP has probably the best reproduction wheel for sale.  Do not buy the version of the deluxe steering wheel that comes as a kit as it's not the same steering wheel or manufacturer and the overall quality is much worse.  You need to buy the standalone wheel - it's pretty much indistinguishable from an original deluxe steering wheel.  Mustang Monthly did a nice article on it as well in the February 2011 edition. 

http://www.mustangmonthly.com/techarticles/mump_1102_national_parts_depot_reproduction_wood_wheel/  (see attached photo) -
mump_1102_02_o+national_parts_depot_reproduction_wood_wheel+pn_3600_5a.jpg

[CharlesTurner]

I think it's possible this might be an original wheel that someone re-finished the front side.  I noticed a small crack by one of the spokes.

[Chris]

Charles,

Here are some of the cracks showing on the wheel. The horn ring looks to be original as there is a part number showing that starts with C5ZA.

[CharlesTurner]

Starting to look like an original with a bad restoration job. 

The horn ring may be an original Ford, but it might possibly be an NOS piece that was installed a long time ago.  The reason I say that is because the 3 tips that stick through the wheel where one presses for the horn are usually satin finish on original horn rings.  There was a Ford replacement that didn't have the satin/brushed finish.  I guess it was done to keep down glare/reflections from sunlight.

[Chris]

I paid $375 for the wheel, so if it's original but with a bad restoration I'm wondering if it was worth the price. The horn ring looks to be NOS, not a scratch on it and with the FoMoCo part number stamped. I don't know what a good wheel costs, guessing around $500.

Thanks for helping to ID the wheel.

Chris

[CharlesTurner]

An NOS horn ring is worth about $75-150.  You probably overpaid for the wheel, but you could always try to do a better job at restoring it.  Try some acrylic paint in brown/tan tones and then clear-coat it with lacquer.