Steering Wheel Identification

[scottyb332]

Hi All. I've done some searching and read through the applicable posts on the forums but most of them refer to the 3 hole steering wheels.

I'm trying to ID this wheel. I've attached a picture. It's currently in my 66 C-Code fastback that my father and I had wrenched on when I was kid. Thanks to some uncanny coincidences I got the chance to buy it back. All the members of his old car club as well as a couple family members have said that they remember something about the steering wheel being special.

From what I can surmise, it's either an AC Cobra wheel, maybe one that went on one of the early Shelbys or a replica.

It does not appear to be laminated wood. There are no stampings anywhere on the wheel. The spokes bend at the end before the wheel. And unlike all the replicas I've seen the bend starts near the end of the spoke hole, not after the spoke hole. The metal is visible on the outside of the wheel.

I've attached a picture. The wheel isn't as orangy as the picture makes it look. Any help is appreciated. If you need more pics let me know.

Thanks!

[Bob Gaines]

Hi All. I've done some searching and read through the applicable posts on the forums but most of them refer to the 3 hole steering wheels.

I'm trying to ID this wheel. I've attached a picture. It's currently in my 66 C-Code fastback that my father and I had wrenched on when I was kid. Thanks to some uncanny coincidences I got the chance to buy it back. All the members of his old car club as well as a couple family members have said that they remember something about the steering wheel being special.

From what I can surmise, it's either an AC Cobra wheel, maybe one that went on one of the early Shelbys or a replica.

It does not appear to be laminated wood. There are no stampings anywhere on the wheel. The spokes bend at the end before the wheel. The metal is visible on the outside of the wheel.

I've attached a picture. The wheel isn't as orangy as the picture makes it look. Any help is appreciated. If you need more pics let me know.

Thanks!

Can you post a picture of a side profile showing the outside edge of the wood wheel rim and also the wheel center offset?

[scottyb332]

Thanks for the reply.

Here are a few more pictures.

[scottyb332]

and with the center cap

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks for the reply.

Here are a few more pictures.

That looks to be a early reproduction. The good thing is all wood rim does not show the metal band on the outside like genuine however the wood looks to be in poor shape . The repros available now show the metal band on the outside. Restoration cost is 500 to 800.00 . Some peple charge a lot more. The wood rim is too thick and the spoke offset is too shallow. It is the next best thing for a replica or even as a place holder for a genuine 65 GT350 until a owner finds a genuine IMO . The wood is in poor shape which hurts the value if you were going to sell it .Branda sells new ones but with the metal band showing on the outside edge and the shallow offset like your picture for 489.00 . The center emblem and column adapter are extra.  Just my opinion. Others may have a different one.

[camp upshur]

Agreed. We call that a 'gen 1 Branda', although I would guess others may have sourced it.
Not a bad wheel, and I believe probably the 'next best' slotted wheel to an original now, for the -as mentioned- lack of a visible exterior ring.

[scottyb332]

Hi!

Thank you guys for the responses. I was looking at Branda's website. I see the current offering for the wheel I have and notice some differences.

The one on Branda's website, the bend in the metal going toward the outside of the wheel starts after the spoke hole. The wheel I have includes the spoke hole in the bend.

Another person I had spoken with said that might lend some credence to it possibly being authentic. He couldn't make sense of it. He said that all the repros he'd seen, the bend starts after the spoke hole ends, much like the Branda one you guys mentioned.

What do you all make of location of the bend in the wheel spokes? Just a change in design from early repro to their current repro?

Thanks again.

Scott

[Bob Gaines]

Hi!

Thank you guys for the responses. I was looking at Branda's website. I see the current offering for the wheel I have and notice some differences.

The one on Branda's website, the bend in the metal going toward the outside of the wheel starts after the spoke hole. The wheel I have includes the spoke hole in the bend.

Another person I had spoken with said that might lend some credence to it possibly being authentic. He couldn't make sense of it. He said that all the repros he'd seen, the bend starts after the spoke hole ends, much like the Branda one you guys mentioned.

What do you all make of location of the bend in the wheel spokes? Just a change in design from early repro to their current repro?

Thanks again.

Scott

Sorry to rain on your parade but first off as has been said it is a earlier repro different then current repro offerings so the fact it dosn't match current repros is meaningless. Second the dish offset of the spokes is too shallow and the wood rim is too thick. Believe what you want but it is not authentic to a 65 GT350 IMO.

[scottyb332]

Don't get me wrong. I'd love for it to be original but I'm also realistic and know I have a lot less knowledge than the people on here. I don't believe either way and I wasn't disagreeing. I'm inclined to agree with you that it's not an original 65 wheel. But that's only based on what I'm learning from people like you in the forums. My follow up question was only intended to make sense of details and become educated on the differences, not attempt to disprove the analysis that you kindly took the time to provide.

Thank you again.

[Jim Herrud]

I'm confused about where the solid-wood-outside wheel fits in the early GT350 builds. From earlier conversation (see below), I'd concluded - perhaps incorrectly - that all '65 steering wheels had the exposed metal rim, but that there was a running change after about 150 cars from a 16" to a 15" wheel. Did this running 15" change include a change to wheels with a solid-wood-outside edge?

On a related note, the GT350 5R002 appeared to have the slotted steering wheel with an aluminum ring showing around the rim exterior when it was auctioned this summer.

Was that unique to the '002 prototype? It looks like an AC Cobra wheel.

16 inch cobra wheels were used on the first 150 +/1 cars, then they switched to 15 inchers.
The discussion here is specifically about 15 inch, slotted style wheels.

Kind regards,
Vern

[Bob Gaines]

I'm confused about where the solid-wood-outside wheel fits in the early GT350 builds. From earlier conversation (see below), I'd concluded - perhaps incorrectly - that all '65 steering wheels had the exposed metal rim, but that there was a running change after about 150 cars from a 16" to a 15" wheel. Did this running 15" change include a change to wheels with a solid-wood-outside edge?

On a related note, the GT350 5R002 appeared to have the slotted steering wheel with an aluminum ring showing around the rim exterior when it was auctioned this summer.

Was that unique to the '002 prototype? It looks like an AC Cobra wheel.

16 inch cobra wheels were used on the first 150 +/1 cars, then they switched to 15 inchers.
The discussion here is specifically about 15 inch, slotted style wheels.

Kind regards,
Vern

16 inch wood wheel had the steel band . The 15 wheel with the holes in the spoke had the band . The 15 slotted spoke wheel did not have the metal band on the outside. The wheel being discussed appears to be of the 15 inch slotted variety . Even if it had the correct rim the spoke offset is too shallow in relation to the wood rim. The discussion here is specifically about 15 inch, slotted style wheels.

[Jim Herrud]

Thx Bob!