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The Cars => 1965 GT350/R-Model => Topic started by: Shelby73 on March 22, 2020, 12:40:08 PM

Title: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: Shelby73 on March 22, 2020, 12:40:08 PM
I have both a 15" and a 16" 65 Steering wheel. My car is a early car which is supposed to have a 16" wheel but before I had the 16" wheel I had a 15" wheel on it. I never really paid much attention till lately and I think I got the hubs mixed up. I had the chrome longer hub on the 16" wheel and the aluminum shorter hub on the 15". I was told they were backwards so I switched them I need to know if I did the right thing thing so for all who know I need feedback. Do all these parts look correct?
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: Shelby73 on March 22, 2020, 12:43:18 PM
More pictures of the 65 steering wheels and the chrome hub mounted to the 15" wheel.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: chris NOS on March 22, 2020, 02:08:18 PM
the chrome hub is going with the 15"  i think ,that what i have on 241.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: tomhawk on March 22, 2020, 02:08:46 PM
I restored 045 in the late 90s. Had the 16 inch wheel with the aluminum hub. My wheel had never been removed so I know that was original to the car. Have also owned the later, they had the chrome hub with the s1ms part #. If you need more info on early cars pm me. Tom Smith
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: Shelby73 on March 22, 2020, 09:33:58 PM
How about some of you guys posting some pictures of your original steering wheels with a shot of the hub with it.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: gt350hr on March 23, 2020, 03:02:29 PM
  Mine is 15", chrome hub , S1MS part number.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: Bob Gaines on March 23, 2020, 07:45:19 PM
Quote from: tomhawk on March 22, 2020, 02:08:46 PM
I restored 045 in the late 90s. Had the 16 inch wheel with the aluminum hub. My wheel had never been removed so I know that was original to the car. Have also owned the later, they had the chrome hub with the s1ms part #. If you need more info on early cars pm me. Tom Smith
Early late thing IMHO. The 16 inch wheel typically used the early but easy to fabricate all aluminum hub. The later and more prevalent 15 inch wheel typically used the harder to make but cheaper for large quantities diecast chrome hub.just what I have seen .Others may have a different opinion.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: tomhawk on March 23, 2020, 08:10:30 PM
I agree. Over the years have owned at least 3 different configurations of the wheels. The 16 inch and a couple of 15 inch wheels. One style of spokes had holes and the other type was the slotted. I prefer the 16 inch with aluminum hub.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: NC TRACKRAT on March 24, 2020, 04:19:42 PM
Andy, here's 5S071's 16-inch with AL hub.
Regards,
Stan
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: Shelby73 on March 24, 2020, 04:25:12 PM
That's the picture I've been wanting to see,  Thanks
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: silverton_ford on December 20, 2020, 02:05:00 PM
This is an older thread, but a discussion came up about this steering wheel hub and I figured I would attach this previous conversation from 2007 to help give more detail on the die-cast hub.   Better photos are in this link as well.

http://www.shelbyforums.com/threads/shelby-steering-wheel-give-me-your-opinions.6731/ (http://www.shelbyforums.com/threads/shelby-steering-wheel-give-me-your-opinions.6731/)
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: silverton_ford on December 20, 2020, 07:30:13 PM
From the Shelby forum link in my previous post.  Who is Corvico? (see post below)

Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: gt350hr on December 21, 2020, 11:18:59 AM
   "Covico" was a local steering wheel and accessory manufacturer here in SoCal. They closed about 40 years ago. I does make sense that they would have done the adaptor back then.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: gbart14 on December 21, 2020, 12:13:23 PM
Good grief, Randy. You have amazing historical detail. Thanks for that. You might have seen that I am pursuing the accurate reproduction of the 3 hole wheel and have located the original drawings. The current owner of the drawings is Mark Davies Racing who own the rights, drawings and all the tooling of the Springall company. He will be making a first article some time in Jan / Feb time frame.

He is also keen to manufacture the die cast hub. Apparently the aluminum "-A" hubs were manufactured by Covico but do we know if Covico manufactured the "-B" die cast hub? If not, who?
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: gt350hr on December 21, 2020, 01:32:32 PM
   Most likely Covico had the hubs (die) cast in the LA area where they were based. Finding out who is the tough thing. IMHO , it would require some looking deep in the casting for a possible "makers casting mark" which could be very small if at there at all. Then recognizing who it might be. I'll do some investigation on my end.
   Randy
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: 6s1640 on December 21, 2020, 06:35:58 PM
In terms of function, the longer hub gets you more leg room to the steering wheel.  If you are tall, this can make a difference, regardless which is period correct or not.  (Yes, I know sacrilege.)

Cory
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: mygt350 on December 21, 2020, 07:10:04 PM
gbart14
If I can't locate a genuine S1MS cast/chrome hub for 5S228, I would be interested in what your guy might produce.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: gbart14 on December 22, 2020, 12:44:13 PM
Yes, I am hoping they can as well. Springall is who I am working with on the 3 hole wheel. They have the original drawings of the Shelby 15" 3 hole wheel. Springall also made die cast hubs with raised letters as is shown in the photos of the original Shelby hub.

They say they can do it but I need get them more details or send them a real original hub to review. I do not have one so next best its to get them dimensions. If anyone has the original die cast chrome plated hub off the car and can assist with dimensions, I would appreciate it. This photo is of an original Lotus Europa hub made by Springall. So, I know they did it back in the day. Just do not know if they supplied any to Shelby.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: mygt350 on December 22, 2020, 01:34:49 PM
which specific dimensions do you need?
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: Bob Gaines on December 22, 2020, 01:41:45 PM
I have one that some one cut the outside chrome edge but didn't get around to cutting the center spline section. I will list it in the for sale section with pictures later. I think people did this kind of thing to orient the wheel for different driving position. I can't think of another reason.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: gbart14 on December 22, 2020, 01:47:51 PM
Top to bottom "height", outside diameter at the attachment upper point, outside diameter at the bottom of the skirt to confirm the taper or no taper, attachment bolt hole thread diameter and thread pitch, depth from the wheel attachment face to the nut interface. On the underside, depth from the bottom of the skirt to the top of the bolt holes, depth from the bottom of the skirt to the top of the spline retaining face. That should get a starting point. I believe, if they really can do it, they will eventually need an original part. We shall see. I will post up their response. Thanks for your help.
Title: Re: 1965 Shelby steering wheels
Post by: gbart14 on December 22, 2020, 01:49:52 PM
Bob, I would be interested in it for the purposes of sending it to Springall. Please pm me with a price. Thanks