Hot Rods "Mean Green", A friendship and a truck built around a steering wheel.

I've done some crazy stuff when it comes to styling and reasons behind some of my projects and impulse purchases, however this one probably takes the cake...
About 3 years ago I was at a buddy of mines shop (he's a wheeling dealing swap-meetin, 50+ year hot rodding veteran) (who's probably forgotten more then most of us will ever know about wrenching, parts and rodding)...He's also a walking referrence to anything 409, and if you don't believe him, he probably has it sitting there close enough to show you.
He's doesn't like just anyone and even if he does this doesn't mean he's gonna sell you anything (especially if knows you really want it) he has LOTS of really kool stuff in his place, (much that he now takes great joy in holding over my head)...Over the years he has really become a great friend who, who if I called him right now he'd come get me off the side of the road or back on the road...he might grumble but he'd be right there and help fix me or haul me back because he has my back...
Having gave this brief history, I can now tell this story w/o sounding too crazy...well...maybe not...
After many a projects come and gone, I was at Hueys hot rod parts heaven & hidaway, the ultimate man cave, digging around, probably dreaming about his perfect original 32 Ford shell and insert hanging on MY wall instead, or the Hilborn Hemi in the corner, and the dual quad 409 next to it...around each corner is a real-deal hot rod treasure just collecting dust and hiding memories of races and rodding from the past...I turned a corner down a narrow row trying not to break my ankle on the Halibrand wheels at my feet and duck the vintage moon tank at the same time, then I find "IT", hanging on an antique coat n hat tree stand, where he'd creativly had a dozen or more vintage steering wheels. All kinds and colors, Moon, Cal-Custom, wooden boat wheel (you know the one that was in your van), Cadillac, 409 Impala SS, Imperial, airplane yoke, all the coveted wheels and one very unique Metallic Green wheel I'd never seen before...It was dingy with a little patina on the chrome but under years of grit and grease on the green, it looked like an unpolished glittering silver flaked emerald, it was the coolest steering wheel I'd ever seen, I pulled the dusty green hoop off the rack and went to where he was grumbling under the hood of some late model POS, as his pristine 62' Belair hardtop 348 tri-power car sat silently beside him waiting for it's next cruise...I walked up with the wheel inhand, he looked up smouldering Camel cigarette in his mouth and I asked "how much for this one?", he smirked, looked back at what he was doing and said "oh I dunno bout that one, never had one with the dual slots in the spokes like that one before, probably outta hold on to that one". I furrowed my brow and put it back where it had been resting for so long...I even burried under some ugly wheels hoping it not be noticed, disheartened but not diswayed, if anything, now I wanted it even more, I was NOT done. From then forward everytime I was at the shop over the next year and a half at his place the wheel always came up one way or another, even when I'd see him at a meet or a cruise I'd make sure he still had it ( I knew he did but it was fun to aggravate him about it, (I knew if he wasnt gonna sell it to me it dang sure wasn't going anywhere else)...It became our game and his joy in dening me the damn wheel everytime for one reason or another...
We always swapmeet side by side at all the meets we end up at, and at one in particular one we're there setting up day before, vendor to vendor sales, cherry picking and trying to make a $$$ buying to resell like we all do...I found a complete like-new complete air-ride set and bought it for a sweet deal (like $400 bucks), didnt need it personally, just knew I could make a little extra cash on it...About as soon as I drug it all back to my spot...My ole buddy comes by my space, glances my table and ground parts and says "so YOU got that air ride setup huh", I said "yea" he nodded and went about his way. The next 2 days were 500 different offers, I had everyone try and buy/trade for it all weekend but I was set on my price FIRM. Finally someone made a real offer, asked me if I'd split the set up and offered me more for 1/2 of the set then I paid for it all...sooo, SOLD! I still had the chrome tank and chrome compressor...After the days end I'm sitting back enjoying a cold one and my ole buddy makes his way back around my spot and says "where's the air-ride???", I said "I sold most of it", he grumbled Camel burning as he spoke and said, "Damnit, I meant to come ask you if you'd split it up n sell me the tank and compressor" for his other car of mine"...it was a slammed 61' belair wagon, surfe'd-out with tiki, vintage custom paint, frame dragger with cool ole SoCal vibe complete with surf board...I reached around my table and pulled the chrome tank and compressor...I could see he was elated, and with wads of money he'd made selling his pieces and said, "I'll take them, how much you want"...I said nothing, just smiled...He skowled at me, threw me a $100 and said "Oh just come to the shop and get your damn steering wheel!"
FINALLY, VICTORY WAS MINE!
He still managed to make me wait about 2 weeks to get it...Once it was mine, it became a treasure to me (what am I talking about, in my mind I'd owned it since I uncovered it, like some scene in Raiders Of the Lost Ark)...Now it was hanging on the wall of My Garage finally, it was my trophy, now just WHAT the heck to do with it?...I had many a project come along but nothing seemed worthy of, or seemed just right or deserving for "The Wheel" for about a year. Until finally one late night by the fire while drinking one too many silver bullets at the "Redneck Rumble", I made a deal with a friend and bought his ragged out 55' first series 5 window "running project" (I use the term "running" loosly and "project" *cough* an understatement) but I now had 5 window Chevy truck.
It took me a couple months to pay it off and when I FINALLY got it home, alas I'd found the vehicle worthy of "The Wheel"...and it was now time for the two too meet...Project "Mean Green" was born...This is the best pic of the wheel I have right now..."M-G" is a lot further along then this, actually about to make her way home...

More Story to come~

 

and a couple more

 

You're killing me with the suspense! Now I have to see the wheel!

 

X2. Nice truck.

 

Pics of the "Mean Green Metallic Wheel" coming soon, otherwise how will I get y'all to tune in for the next chapter?...
Besides, I still no idea who made this steering wheel, no doubt someone on here knows or knows someone who will...

 

The suspense is killing me. Can't wait to see the wheel. Nice story by the way.

 

What? I spent several minutes reading this only to be denied the image behind his tale!

Where's this super cool steering wheel.? HRP

 

HUEY is a great guy and someone that I am proud to call a friend. He does have some great stuff that he sells and trades.

He can also answer about any question you have about a 348 or 409

 

He's the best...I'm glad someone else on here knows him just by my story and thinks as much of him as me...
You certainly understand how this story happened then ))

 

YEP WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? I AM IN CLEVELAND.

 

I live right here in Nashville, bout 6 miles from his shop...

 

Pictures of this mystical steering wheel embedded with unicorn tears, or I call BS!

 

I HAVEN'T EVER BEEN TO HIS SHOP. I MET HIM THRU A FRIEND OF MINE AND I SEE HIM AT A LOT OF SWAP MEETS.
YOU COMING TO KNOXVILLE DRAGWAY THIS SATURDAY? THE SOUTHEAST GASSERS ARE GOING TO BE RACING AND I AM GOING TO HAVE A BOOTH SET UP SELLING 50S THRU 70S CAR MAGAZINES.

 

Please release the Caps Lock. HRP

 

sorry I didn't mean to offend anyone with my caps lock

 

I'm not offended,just a friendly reminded the caps lock for most is received as yelling! HRP

 

whar's the picture of the wheel stained with unicorn tears and probably embedded with John Wayne's and Elvis's fingerprints?

 

dude...get with the pic of the wheel already. Don't make me call the Guido Bros.

 

As promised...
"The Wheel"

 

Very cool, with the radial slots!

 

Alright already, call off the hit squad...

 

Sorta like a George Jetson banjo wheel.

 

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

So cool.

 

One more

I detect a note of sarcasm...What disappointed?

 

So its time to buy the few remaining pieces for this rig and I wanted to get a poll
about the wheels, clearly I'm not running the late model rallys we ran it to the exhaut shop on or the polished 17's or the 4 mismatched S-10 wheels we rolled it in on~
Therse are the 2 I've narrowed it to...I think..


.

 

Sarcasm? Heck no! It's a beauty!!

 

my vote

 

I second the nomination

 

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Lord.This is going to be fun.
Good luck.Have fun.Br safe.
Leo

 

Yes sir, it will clearly have the potential to get "good driving awards"

70' 400 sbc punched to 406
Vortech heads, Edelbrock airgap, twin 500's, MSD, Serpentine
rebuilt older Art Carr 700R4, all updated cervos/clutch packs n pumps 2800 stall,
S-10 Stub, dual piston calipers, extreme sway bar
Camaro rear, 3:73 posi
4 link...
Should have a few ponies...