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The 65 I brought has a wood steering wheel but does not appear to be OE.
The wheel has been on the car for at least 24 years.
Can anyone tell me if it’s a repro or even if they made aftermarket wheels 24 years ago.
Well not all OEM teak wheels look like this. The wood itself varies. From more grain or less to darker or lighter colors. I have several originals including one new in the GM box that has never been mounted. Depending on the quality of wood used for each particular wheel. I had only one and only saw one other that was very light in color. Probably 5 or 6 shades lighter than the one pictured here. I sold it at Bloomington many years ago. I thought something was wrong with it. I was sort of right. It had less color and less grain. So not the most desirable pieces of wood were used to make it.
I became friends many years ago with a car guy from Michigan, alibi a Chrysler guy, who actually worked at the Howard Miller Clock Co. in the '60s. When he saw the steering wheel in my '65 he was very happy how well the finish had held up. He explained that even with two coats of polyurethane varnish the elements both natural and human can get beat up. From heat,cold and moisture to oil and rings from hands added to the aging process. He also explained that the wood varied from what portion of the tree it came from. With differences in the amount and depth of the grain and colors. So though many look alike their are differences between them. Sort of like differences in beautiful women.
Is it Real??? Is it Fake??? Who Cares??? Is anything real anymore with the boom of " Modern Day Plastic Surgeons" If She ask YOU are they Real??? Do they look Fake?? I say "Who Cares" ???
Well not all OEM teak wheels look like this. The wood itself varies. From more grain or less to darker or lighter colors. I have several originals including one new in the GM box that has never been mounted. Depending on the quality of wood used for each particular wheel. I had only one and only saw one other that was very light in color. Probably 5 or 6 shades lighter than the one pictured here. I sold it at Bloomington many years ago. I thought something was wrong with it. I was sort of right. It had less color and less grain. So not the most desirable pieces of wood were used to make it.
I became friends many years ago with a car guy from Michigan, alibi a Chrysler guy, who actually worked at the Howard Miller Clock Co. in the '60s. When he saw the steering wheel in my '65 he was very happy how well the finish had held up. He explained that even with two coats of polyurethane varnish the elements both natural and human can get beat up. From heat,cold and moisture to oil and rings from hands added to the aging process. He also explained that the wood varied from what portion of the tree it came from. With differences in the amount and depth of the grain and colors. So though many look alike their are differences between them. Sort of like differences in beautiful women.
The 65 I brought has a wood steering wheel but does not appear to be OE.
The wheel has been on the car for at least 24 years.
Can anyone tell me if it’s a repro or even if they made aftermarket wheels 24 years ago.
Spoiler
I think if you look at the 6 o’clock position, there may be a not-so-good crack repair in the plastic rim. Too bad as it looks like otherwise the plastic graining has survived pretty well.
Well not all OEM teak wheels look like this. The wood itself varies. From more grain or less to darker or lighter colors. I have several originals including one new in the GM box that has never been mounted. Depending on the quality of wood used for each particular wheel. I had only one and only saw one other that was very light in color. Probably 5 or 6 shades lighter than the one pictured here. I sold it at Bloomington many years ago. I thought something was wrong with it. I was sort of right. It had less color and less grain. So not the most desirable pieces of wood were used to make it.
I became friends many years ago with a car guy from Michigan, alibi a Chrysler guy, who actually worked at the Howard Miller Clock Co. in the '60s. When he saw the steering wheel in my '65 he was very happy how well the finish had held up. He explained that even with two coats of polyurethane varnish the elements both natural and human can get beat up. From heat,cold and moisture to oil and rings from hands added to the aging process. He also explained that the wood varied from what portion of the tree it came from. With differences in the amount and depth of the grain and colors. So though many look alike their are differences between them. Sort of like differences in beautiful women.
i have remarked on the color differences on these wheels in several posts. So many of the repo wheels are the light (honey color) that people have come to think that this is how all of the originals looked which is the EXACT opposite as your above info indicates. Most of the original wheels I have seen over the past 45 years have been what I would call medium to medium-dark. I personally prefer the medium-dark wheels and when I ordered my repo wheel specified that. Here are some pictures of mine.
06-18-2018, 12:47 PM
Teak ?
That's the "walnut" grain, plastic wheel, that came standard on all 64-66 Corvettes.
Good one! 
