When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Originally Posted by provette67
Yes
Pancho on several occasions here on the forum has written about the differences. Do some research. I can say he has more original teak wheels than my wife and daughter has shoes
Pancho on several occasions here on the forum has written about the differences. Do some research. I can say he has more original teak wheels than my wife and daughter has shoes
I would take my wife/daughter's shoes, add them to yours and still not enough!
My '65 has been NCRS Top Flighted 6 times, but I honestly dont know what process you'd use to check for a purely original Teak Wheel (even if refurbished).
My '65 has been NCRS Top Flighted 6 times, but I honestly dont know what process you'd use to check for a purely original Teak Wheel (even if refurbished).
Here's some more -- my girlfriend bought this for me in Dec 1975 (about $60). I re-did the top surface with Varathane; left the underside as is. I still have it, but not the car.
Here's some more -- my girlfriend bought this for me in Dec 1975 (about $60). I re-did the top surface with Varathane; left the underside as is. I still have it, but not the car.
Those photos pretty much illustrate the major difference I noted with the repro I picked up years ago from Crane Corvette parts. The finger grooves are mine have sharper edges and are not as rounded as those in the photo.
There are probably other differences - but that is the one I picked up on for the most part.
Pancho on several occasions here on the forum has written about the differences. Do some research. I can say he has more original teak wheels than my wife and daughter has shoes
Not finding anything from Pancho with search about steering wheels???
I cant find provette67's post that I remember reading. I did buy one from him and he explained the differences. A lot of touching and feeling comes into play.
Find other posts in search using " teak wheel real repo ". I will keep trying to find the post I think I read here on the forum.
Some people also say it is the feel of your hands on the wheel with the original having a "thinner" size, where as some of the repros have a "thicker" feel, if that makes sense.
Some people also say it is the feel of your hands on the wheel with the original having a "thinner" size, where as some of the repros have a "thicker" feel, if that makes sense.
I'll have to say that I've never walked up to a stranger's car with what I suspected was an original Teak wheel and felt it up with my caressing hands. But visually, I always thought my Crane repro somehow looked a bit thinner in cross section than most originals I've studied (visually that is ). Could be the carving of the finger grips.
I copied this form someone who posted on this subject here on the forum.
Author unknown.
Joe "I was told by a reliable source that the only difference is the edge of the spokes. The originals have a slightly rounded edge.......and the repros have a very sharp edge. I know that the edge of my Freeman wheel is very sharp, with no apparent machining done to it. If it's true, kinda makes you wonder why Eric wouldn't slightly round off the edge of the spokes. Maybe it is done on purpose so judge's can quickly tell if the wheel is original or not."
I copied this form someone who posted on this subject here on the forum.
Author unknown.
Joe "I was told by a reliable source that the only difference is the edge of the spokes. The originals have a slightly rounded edge.......and the repros have a very sharp edge. I know that the edge of my Freeman wheel is very sharp, with no apparent machining done to it. If it's true, kinda makes you wonder why Eric wouldn't slightly round off the edge of the spokes. Maybe it is done on purpose so judge's can quickly tell if the wheel is original or not."
My Eric Freeman wheel also has a sharp edge. I compared the measurements of the width of the wood, depth of the wood from the face to the inside curve of the grip, and depth of the wood from the face to the outside part of the grip of my Eric Freeman wheel to my original plastic wheel. The most those measurements varied between the 2 wheels was .03". So he replicates the grip size of the original plastic wheel pretty accurately.I don't have an original teak wheel to compare those grip measurements.
The SS spokes on my Crane repro wheel are also sharp - much sharper than on my GM plastic wheel. I lightly dressed them with a fine file years ago and intended to go back and smooth them further but never got around to it.
Many here have hit on some of the differences. None are major but they are there.A misnomer is "he had it for 20yrs". I bought my first Corvette in 1977. A maroon/saddle '66 roadster. I bought it from the original owner. He was a hoarder who gave me all kinds of great paperwork and his collection of old vette magazines. I found repop teak wheels for sale in ads from 1971. As mentioned here earlier it is a feel thing for many. Many of the repops were made with off shore made center sections. That is why the the edges are sharper. Some have even been found to be just a bit shallower in depth as well. Some were made without real teak and rosewood to save money in production. Many times the finger grips on the backside are different. The width of the wood itself many times is thicker on the repops. It all adds up. In person it takes me less than 30sec to tell original vs repop. When I setup with a few parts at Bloomington or Carlisle I usually bring a few wheels with me. A couple repops as well as a couple originals. People ask the differences. I point out a few things and they all quickly can tell the differences as well. Some people don't care if is a an original wheel or not. They just want one because they look good. Which they do. They also feel great. Others like me have to have original when ever possible. Some here that know me know that I am very meticulous about my passions. Teak wheels are one of my passions. My wife among others think that I have taken that passion way to far. Yes I admit that I have several original teak wheels including one that is NOS in the original box. Like I tell my wife unlike her shoes the value of the wheels don't go down. Now even the price of the repops have gone up close to what an original sells for. So others must like them as well.
Last edited by provette67; 01-05-2017 at 04:41 PM.
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
provette67
In all probability you will have the chance to buy my midyear someday, but it wont come with the original teak wheel you sold me. Its even worth more since you once owned it, so I am keeping it to hang on the wall
In all probability you will have the chance to buy my midyear someday, but it wont come with the original teak wheel you sold me. Its even worth more since you once owned it, so I am keeping it to hang on the wall
" you will have the chance to buy my midyear" So you are saying that I can buy it!! I will be down in 2.5hrs
01-02-2017, 01:23 AM
). Could be the carving of the finger grips.
