Building a Bonneville style 50's style 32 Ford coupe. What would be the right steering wheel to use. Using a F 100 steering box.
I agree. The nicest looking and most traditional Ford manufactured wheels are really to big. They are hard to get in around and don't give you a lot of room between the rim and the driver's side door. They were sized to give adequate leverage for lady drivers making tight turns at slow speeds. Unless you are a real wuss you will find the slightly smaller Bell style more comfortable overall and perfect for a Bonneville style 32.
Look at Limeworks' wheels. They're strong, leather covered, and come with and without holes. http://limeworkspeedshop.com/
Give me an early Ford wheel. I'm a snob and I don't want a reproduction-sorta-like-an old Ford wheel. If you can't get into a 32 Ford with a stock early Ford wheel you might want to Google Jenny Craig. I'm 40 lbs over weight so I can say that. I get into and out very easily thank you very much. Part of the feel of an old Ford is having that big wheel in my grubby little fists. I hope this does not insult any one but that's just me.
i like the big F1 steering wheels. they're plain, but period! the stock 1932 wheel is also a neat one but everybody seems to take them out.
We used a 40 style wheel in our roadster. Found it under a tree at some auction. Attached were the column and box - both junk. Ready made patina!
Ford used the tapered and keyed steering column from '28 until '48 in passenger cars and '28 until '47 in the pickup. With the introduction of the F1 pickup, Ford went to a splined steering shaft in the pickup. The splined shaft was used used the very next year in the '49 and up passenger cars. Your F100 shaft will be splined and will accept many on the '48 and later pickup wheels and '49 and later passenger car wheels. You can also get an adapter for your splined steering shaft to mount any of the aftermarket wheels that have the three bolt mounting arrangement. If you go with an earlier wheel, you will need to use a tapered and keyed steering shaft...
I know this is an old thread. I see the splines started in 48-49, What year did they end? I don't know what year steering wheel to be looking for.
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