Grant 500,Covico,steering wheel history ?

Building a car in my head (I do that a lot)
Planning on a Model A coupe as built in 1958..

Was thinking to use a old 3 spoke with holes steering wheel.
Got out a stack of Hot Rod mags from 1959..

Not one car had a Covico style wheel.
Lots of Bell 17" 4 spoke "champ" steering wheels ( I can always do that too)

Noticed too,not very many magnesium (no aluminum) wheels yet..

The question is..

When did the Grant 500 style steering wheel come out?

Time to dig into the dusty closet and start reading old mags/ads..

 

When I was bilding the 40 Eric I wanted to keep to a late 50's early 60's style. Thats why I went with the early Vette wheel they definately had those then. Sorry no help on the years of the other wheels.

 

Without looking into it, I'm thinking it was around 1962 or '63.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

If I'm not mistaken, the Covico steering wheel came out before the Grant. My best friends step father had a body shop next door to Covico, that was as early as '64

 

I just checked my 58-59 archives dont see any ads or cars with those wheels. Common practice seems to be stock wheels from other makes.

 

Just went into the shop.It's a superior 500.

I had a huge collection of these wheels.
In the 1980's at swap meets I would pay $5.00 for 'em.
bring them home and hang from the rafters of my old garage..
Gave them all to a buddy (Daryl) when I moved..

Never thought I would plan on using one..

Here's one..

 

Superior 500's are listed as "NEW" in 65.

 

Did you find that in a Hot Rod magazine?

 

No ad's but here's a Covico in Nov 62 HRM, this is the earliest reference I've found searching misc. 60-61-62 mags...

CC

 

Proenfo,thanks.
Seems I can't find my 1960's mags...Have all the 40's-50's..

Crazy through the dash pedal set up on that one .

Looks like my Superior 500 wheel is too new for this "project"..

 

I think the companies were bought out and changed names....Covico to Superior to Grant?

 

That's from memory but only because I did seek out the date on them from old magazines before.

I'm not sure what happened to Covico but real Covico wheels are a bit different in the bore spacing of the holes and those I've had are thicker steel, with a thin molded grip cover instead of the hard plastic you find on later wheels. I do have an early Superior 500 that has a grip like the Covicos do but the common "Grant style" spacing between the holes so they may be connected. Superior and Grant are obviously linked in some way but whether it was a buy out or a name change I don't know.

 

Nothing in 58, 61 or 63 catalogs. First catalog that I have that shows any was 64-65. Probably late 64 because only a few references for anything 1965. (no speed parts for the 396 yet)

The 64 -65 catalog has Covico and Cragar listed as well as the walnut wood wheel listed separately with no manufacturer named for it.

Cragar's had a slot instead of the 3 holes.

The wood wheel had 2 real wood rings riveted above and below the chromed center. The top was rounded over and the backside had the finger grips.

 

The drilled/slotted 3 post wheels were used in sports cars well before 58, however about all I've seen are flat spoked. I'm sure some found there way into hot rods, here's one in a hot rod, from a book pub. in 59.

 

I'm thinking late '62 or early '63. Covico is still in business, they make steering wheels for boats.

 

I just put this one in my Roadster, brand new Grant from Summit. Dean

 

I can only verify for sure with a 66 edelbrock catalog I have list Covico wheels and bunches of colors. I'm sure they around earlier. They also list under Covico as the 500 as being a model in 66

 

You are exactly right RS. Covico started in Covina, Ca. around 61. The owner sold the wheel line, which finally wound up at Grant, a few years later, but kept all the vynal coating equipment. He dipped the wheels for Grant, along with diving board stands, and many other items they fabricated in the new shop in La Verne. The company name changed to Covilon. My younger brother went to work there after high school, in the welding shop. He worked nights, and dipped a lot of bike and car parts for me. My 28 Sedan had the bumper brackets, and battery box vynal dipped. Very good rust and corrosion protection once metal is sealed in plastic. The old Covilon building was leveled a few years ago, and a public storage replaced it

 

I've got a Covico in my T-bucket and it was in the car in 1964. I can't remember how I got it, I think I brought it in from the States and I must have seen it advertised in HRM as that's the only way I would have known about them.

 

Sorry to bring one from the dead, but I have purpose at the end.
According to Grant, they first came out with an aftermarket steering wheel for Go Carts in 1960. They the claim to be the First with Custom Automotive Steering Wheels in 1962. I wonder if they are playing off the Covico relationship or if they had some wheels before the Covico buy out. I've been told that the Covico's did not have the same 3 bolt pattern as the Grant's which were the same as Superior - and when did Superior come and go with the 500 line, that looked identical?

Now my real reason for bringing this back. I am looking for a Covico wheel. My Anglia originally had one and it is just like the basic Grant/Superior style except that it was around 13" diameter with about a 6 or 7" dish (maybe more) - very deep compared to everything else I have seen. Can anyone help?
also, many of the Ski Boat companies sell a Covico Stainless Wheel today, but I can't seem to find who is making them .....

 

They are made in Rolla, MO by a long time friend of mine.

He owns Covico Mfg Co and has for going on 30 or 35 yrs.

How long he's been building steering wheels, I could not say without asking him, but I've known him for close to 20 yrs, and he's been building them all that time.

In fact, my first oval racing car had a Covico wheel that he built in it. Had to switch to an alum wheel though, 'cause that stainless one wouldn't fold up in a crash. Damned near broke both my wrists.

If you're having trouble finding his wheels, I can give him your contact info.

I don't get out by his shop as much as I used to, but I assume he's still making wheels, 'cause he's still in business.

 

I know this is resurrecting a dead thread, but I found this info doing a search for my current project...looks like Moon had the classic hot rod steering wheel available in late 1960.

 

Moon originally bought their steering wheels from Covico. Only real Covico’s have evenly spaced spokes . All later style such as Grant, Pip, Ansen and Superior have one larger opening and two smaller. This is a genuine Covico :

 

This is not a genuine Covico, contrary to American Graffiti buffs claims :

 

Genuine Covico:

 

Not Covico (it’s a Pip or Ansen):

 

Genuine Covico:

 

My dad's Covico he bought in 1964 for his model A

 

not Covico (it’s a Pip or Ansen) :

 

Genuine Covico: