The 1973 Chrysler Thread

[saforwardlook]

I know that you've sold the car, but did you ever take a photo of the shield decorating the woodgrain insert?

You would not happen to have kept the center woodgrain insert, by any chance?

@ayilar

Do you need one of those woodgrain inserts? If so I might have an extra one - I would have to look to be sure...............................

Here is a photo of the insert including a close up of the shield in this listing on Ebay:

1971-1974 Mopar B Body Steering Wheel Wood Grain Horn Button Pad Column Cover | eBay

 

[ayilar]

@ayilar

Do you need one of those woodgrain inserts? If so I might have an extra one - I would have to look to be sure...............................

Here is a photo of the insert including a close up of the shield in this listing on Ebay:

1971-1974 Mopar B Body Steering Wheel Wood Grain Horn Button Pad Column Cover | eBay

Thank you very much for offering to look! No need to, I think, as my non-original steering wheel has an insert in excellent shape thzt looks just like the eBay one you linked to.

Here is why I am asking. Buttercup, my 1972 NYB, came with a rimblow steering wheel that was IMO past repair. With Wyatt’s help, I replaced it with a 3-spoke wheel xhose horn buttons work. The idea is that such a wheel is « close » as it would be correct/possible on a 1972 NYer and also a 1973 NYB, as @LocuMob and @Samplingman tzught me — and safety comes first, so a working horn is essential.

—> I want to know if all 1972-1973 Chryslers with 3-spoke wheels had the same wood insert and shield. It looks like it, but I wanna be sure. If so then mine would be correct on a 1972 NYer (not NYB) or a 1973 NYB. FWIW, I don’t know what car mine originally came from as it was part of a steering column on a 1970 Polara ´vert (not from one of my ´verts, from a friend’s — no one knows how that steering column, which has a rubber insert that should not be on a vert, came to be on that car).

Here is a lousy pic of mine. Note how the shield differs from the NYB shield on the door woodgrain shield (which matches the shields on the sail panels and on the trunk). Small detail but it bugs me.

 

[Samplingman]

You would not happen to have kept the center woodgrain insert, by any chance?

Sorry, no, but I sold the wheel complete to @oliver for a spare. Maybe reach out to him to see if he is using it? I do still have the complete column, I dont know if it has any useful parts on it. I know the rag joint is bad. I also have some random trim parts lying around, but don't remember what, I’ll let you know.

 

[ceebuddy]

I dare say that those Chrysler woodgrain inserts for the three-spoke steering wheel were the same 1971 through 1973.

 

[ayilar]

I dare say that those Chrysler woodgrain inserts for the three-spoke steering wheel were the same 1971 through 1973.

I am guessing the same. I see two ways to confirm:

1. look at the part number in the three parts manuals.
2. or, and that is why I was asking for photos, to get photos from OEM wheels. @oliver

 

[saforwardlook]

The only catch to all of this is that many of those 3 spoke wheels had 3 touch pads to enable the horn to sound off and it isn't unusual after some sun exposure for those finger pads to cease working as well.

But there is no doubt that those rim blow wheels made by Saginaw Division of General Motors were overly complex, had internal parts made of plastic that broke when you tried to take them apart and just very frustrating overall to fix but it is possible to replace the rim blow switch without problems, but those switches are not cheap if you can find an nos one for sale.

There is a shop in California that will rebuild those Saginaw columns if 1973 and earlier to renew them if needed at a reasonable price. The wheel itself though would have to be recast by someone else as needed though and such recast wheels usually include a new rimblow switch that might be one that came from Ford that supplies such switches still that are essentially identical with minor differences as I understand it.

 

[ayilar]

The only catch to all of this is that many of those 3 spoke wheels had 3 touch pads to enable the horn to sound off and it isn't unusual after some sun exposure for those finger pads to cease working as well.

But there is no doubt that those rim blow wheels made by Saginaw Division of General Motors were overly complex, had internal parts made of plastic that broke when you tried to take them apart and just very frustrating overall to fix but it is possible to replace the rim blow switch without problems, but those switches are not cheap if you can find an nos one for sale.

There is a shop in California that will rebuild those Saginaw columns if 1973 and earlier to renew them if needed at a reasonable price. The wheel itself though would have to be recast by someone else as needed though and such recast wheels usually include a new rimblow switch that might be one that came from Ford that supplies such switches still that are essentially identical with minor differences as I understand it.

I was very lucky to have a friend who sold me a working and good-looking rim blow wheel. Three of my cars need one, and the one I chose for the wheel is my TNT. I decided to go reliable/working for sure here, and the three horn pads work well on the wheel that Wyatt installed. So, while not truly correct for a 1972 NYB, I think it is as close as can be.

 

[73Coupe]

I know that you've sold the car, but did you ever take a photo of the shield decorating the woodgrain insert?

Not sure if this is any better than the pic in post # 265... but maybe it helps?

 

[73Coupe]

I was very lucky to have a friend who sold me a working and good-looking rim blow wheel. Three of my cars need one, and the one I chose for the wheel is my TNT. I decided to go reliable/working for sure here, and the three horn pads work well on the wheel that Wyatt installed. So, while not truly correct for a 1972 NYB, I think it is as close as can be.

Within those pads are silicon pucks impregnated with some type of very small metal beads/powder...interesting setup....

 

[ceebuddy]

The three-spoke steering wheel should be an easy replacement to the non-tilt rim-blow wheel which was standard issue on the 1972 Chrysler New Yorker brougham (as well as on 1970 to 1973 Imperials).

If the car came with an optional tilt & telescope rimblow steering wheel, then the three-spoke steering wheel (or the non-tilt rim-blow wheel) would not fit the steering column, which is as complicated as Steve described above.

 

[marko]

@ceebuddy will a 3 spoke steering wheel fit the tilt but non telescoping column ?

my 72 Monaco has a rim blow on a tilt only steering column......

 

[ayilar]

I just posted a high-res, properly focused photo of Buttercup's 3-spoke steering wheel in her thread

@ceebuddy @oliver @73Coupe @73 New Yorker -- would any/all of you be able to confirm that it is the same as the originals in your own cars (in Oliver's case, the one he acquired from @Samplingman )?

 

[73 New Yorker]

I just posted a high-res, properly focused photo of Buttercup's 3-spoke steering wheel in her thread

@ceebuddy @oliver @73Coupe @73 New Yorker -- would any/all of you be able to confirm that it is the same as the originals in your own cars (in Oliver's case, the one he acquired from @Samplingman )?

Yes, my steering wheel is exactly the same as the one in your picture.

 

[73Coupe]

I just posted a high-res, properly focused photo of Buttercup's 3-spoke steering wheel in her thread

@ceebuddy @oliver @73Coupe @73 New Yorker -- would any/all of you be able to confirm that it is the same as the originals in your own cars (in Oliver's case, the one he acquired from @Samplingman )?

That is affirmative.

 

[ceebuddy]

@ceebuddy will a 3 spoke steering wheel fit the tilt but non telescoping column ?

my 72 Monaco has a rim blow on a tilt only steering column......

No, the tilt-only steering column is the same as on cars equipped with tilt & relescope steering wheels, just without the telescoping feature. The tilt-only wheel is almost identical to the tilt & telescope wheel (but without the lever for locking the telescoping position.

 

[ceebuddy]

I just posted a high-res, properly focused photo of Buttercup's 3-spoke steering wheel in her thread

@ceebuddy @oliver @73Coupe @73 New Yorker -- would any/all of you be able to confirm that it is the same as the originals in your own cars (in Oliver's case, the one he acquired from @Samplingman )?

Here is a photo of a trim piece from a 1973 steering wheel. Looks just like the one on my 1971 steering wheel.

 

[oliver]

I just posted a high-res, properly focused photo of Buttercup's 3-spoke steering wheel in her thread

@ceebuddy @oliver @73Coupe @73 New Yorker -- would any/all of you be able to confirm that it is the same as the originals in your own cars (in Oliver's case, the one he acquired from @Samplingman )?

I confirm that the wood grain steering wheel insert you posted is identical to that of the '73 steering wheel purchased from @Samplingman (also identical to another 1972 steering wheel owned by @oliver )

 

[ayilar]

I confirm that the wood grain steering wheel insert you posted is identical to that of the '73 steering wheel purchased from @Samplingman (also identical to another 1972 steering wheel owned by @oliver )

Thank you! This is the confirmation I needed that the 3-spoke steering wheel crest is the same for 1972 NYer and 1973 NYB.

 

[oliver]

So, while not truly correct for a 1972 NYB, I think it is as close as can be.

is that because your steering wheel has a textured finish instead of a smooth, shiny finish?

 

[ayilar]

is that because your steering wheel has a textured finish instead of a smooth, shiny finish?

Funny that you should ask. I was focusing on the crest, but wondering also about the texture of the rim. How’s yours?