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I am finishing a frame off restoration on a 1971 C3 roadster. I replace the ignition switch cylinder and I am reassembling. My problem is the third spoke on the stock wheel is not flush like the other two. It looks like there should be a semi circle shim to allow wheel to sit flush on the hub.Tried searching the web with no luck and the assembly drawing don't seem to have that much detail. What am I missing? Rob
Hmmm....My '71 wheel hub is flat and so is the smaller wheel the replaced the stock piece. I think the wheel shown in the photo above might be from a '64-'68 Corvette.
The stepped wheel in Rob's pic is correct for '69-'75 cars. The flat style wheel came on C2's. Unless maybe the flat wheel was also available on C3's without tilt?
7T1 does your car have tilt?
You have the correct steering wheel for your 1971. That wheel is the only wheel used for 1969-1975 cars, with or without tilt/tele.
As you can see in your pic, the "step" is created by the 2-piece design of the spokes. The wheel mates to a corresponding hub which includes a recess for the "step".
For 1969-75, straight columns had one style of hub p/n 3937896, which was painted to match the interior/column color. This hub has a recess for the "step"
Cars equipped with N-37 tilt/tele columns used hub p/n 3949110. That hub was hidden under extension p/n 3949109, which was painted to match the interior/column color. Both the hub and the extension have corresponding recesses for the "step".
1963-66 hubs p/n 3828382 look similar to 3937896 except that they have no "step" recess. 1963-66 steering wheels had no "step". The spokes were a one pice design.
The AIM you referenced shows the assembly correctly. There are no shims used in the assembly.
Your car must have an incorrect hub on it, either aftermarket or from a 1963-66, which is causing this dilema.
Can you post a picture of your hub?
Last edited by '73and'75; Dec 22, 2020 at 02:32 PM.
'73 and '75 your right, there is a step and I just missed it. Have the front wheels pointing straight ahead. So I assumed the middle spoke should be pointing down towards the floor. You no what the say about Assume. I guess I've got to many hours into this project and it's effecting my rational thinking. Thanks everyone for responding to my post. Rob
You have the correct steering wheel for your 1971. That wheel is the only wheel used for 1969-1975 cars, with or without tilt/tele.
As you can see in your pic, the "step" is created by the 2-piece design of the spokes. The wheel mates to a corresponding hub which includes a recess for the "step".
For 1969-75, straight columns had one style of hub p/n 3937896, which was painted to match the interior/column color. This hub has a recess for the "step"
Cars equipped with N-37 tilt/tele columns used hub p/n 3949110. That hub was hidden under extension p/n 3949109, which was painted to match the interior/column color. Both the hub and the extension have corresponding recesses for the "step".
1963-66 hubs p/n 3828382 look similar to 3937896 except that they have no "step" recess. 1963-66 steering wheels had no "step". The spokes were a one pice design.
The AIM you referenced shows the assembly correctly. There are no shims used in the assembly.
Your car must have an incorrect hub on it, either aftermarket or from a 1963-66, which is causing this dilema.
Can you post a picture of your hub?
Good info brother.
Clearly the non tilt hub does not take the flat wheel as I'd supposed earlier. I wonder what hub Flyboy has in his '69? I see no mention of the '68 hub. Do you know if it was flat or stepped?
Greg
Sounds like my memory (or what's left of it) has failed me again. I have the removed [original] wheel stored in my garage. I'll check it tomorrow...but I think it will show what the last few posts have indicated. And, yes, I have tilt/tele column.
Good info brother.
Clearly the non tilt hub does not take the flat wheel as I'd supposed earlier. I wonder what hub Flyboy has in his '69? I see no mention of the '68 hub. Do you know if it was flat or stepped?
Greg
According to Flyboy:
"My factory 1969 NON-tilt column wheel does have the step on bottom of wheel."
So his hub would be p/n3937896.
I didn't mention the '68 hub because the 1968 steering wheel is different than the 1969-75 wheel. The OP has a 1971. But to answer your question, the '68 wheel has a "step", and the 1968 hub has a recess to accept the "step"
1968 straight-column hub from ebay: Recess to accept the "step" in green
Original standard steering wheel installation
