Wood grain steering wheel?

[itsdiz]

I have reading posts about wood grain steering wheels. How do I tell if my 1965 Barracuda has it or not? Mine is light brown but worn smooth, it is a three spoke. My car has a red interior and very few, if any options, it doesn't even have a radio, so I find it hard to believe it would have the wood grain wheel. I also obtained the original build sheet from Stellantis. Under Accessory Group it has the number 6. Under Accessory Group 33 it is blank, I believe there should be a 3 here as the broadcast decoder that I found says 333 Sport Group which would include the woodgrain wheel. Another curiosity, on the decoder sheet, it says Basic Group 321 which shows AM radio but I don't see a listing for radio delete. I also cannot find what the number 6 represents under Accessory Group.

 

[chewy]

Yes, that is the three spoke wood grain steering wheel. In good condition. I see no cracks in it.

I put a fake leather cover over mine years mine 20 years ago. It replaced a similar worn out one my dad put on it in the early 80s.

 

[slantsixdan]

I have reading posts about wood grain steering wheels. How do I tell if my 1965 Barracuda has it or not? Mine is light brown but worn smooth, it is a three spoke.

Yup, that's the one. The woodgraining has worn off, is all.

My car has a red interior and very few, if any options, it doesn't even have a radio, so I find it hard to believe it would have the wood grain wheel.

1965 was six decades ago, and steering wheels are readily replaced.

Whoever last installed yours clocked the centre emblem/horn button wrong; the point of the V should align with the single bottom spoke.

 

[MonkeyTrev]

That is the “wood grain” wheel. Here is a clip from the original sales brochure that shows off the three spoke wood grain wheel.

There is a pretty good restoration video on YouTube here.

 

[65 Cuda 340]

It's definitely a "simulated" wood grain steering wheel. Plastic really, with sort of a grain carved into it. The grain wears off after many miles. That's normal. Many are cracked, too.

They can be added quite easily to early A's that did not originally have a wood grain wheel. I've got one in my 63 Valiant. No cracks, but the grain is worn off. At a Mopar show a few years ago, one of the judges (?!?!) asked me why I had a brown steering wheel in a black interior. (PS: black was not an available interior color for 63 Valiants, but I didn't know that until fairly recently.)

The steering wheel was first offered as an option in the 64 model year. Your medallion is correct for 64-65 Valiants and Barracudas. 66 Barracudas used a different center emblem in the horn button. Not sure about 66 Valiants. Darts had their own center emblem.

 

[itsdiz]

Yup, that's the one. The woodgraining has worn off, is all.



1965 was six decades ago, and steering wheels are readily replaced.

Whoever last installed yours clocked the centre emblem/horn button wrong; the point of the V should align with the single bottom spoke.

I did that, changed the turn signal switch, did not notice until I posted the photo - lol

 

[itsdiz]

Thanks for all the replies regarding my steering wheel. It seems odd to me that it would have the woodgrain option when it has little or no others, but good to know!

 

[itsdiz]

It's definitely a "simulated" wood grain steering wheel. Plastic really, with sort of a grain carved into it. The grain wears off after many miles. That's normal. Many are cracked, too.

They can be added quite easily to early A's that did not originally have a wood grain wheel. I've got one in my 63 Valiant. No cracks, but the grain is worn off. At a Mopar show a few years ago, one of the judges (?!?!) asked me why I had a brown steering wheel in a black interior. (PS: black was not an available interior color for 63 Valiants, but I didn't know that until fairly recently.)

View attachment 1716473335

The steering wheel was first offered as an option in the 64 model year. Your medallion is correct for 64-65 Valiants and Barracudas. 66 Barracudas used a different center emblem in the horn button. Not sure about 66 Valiants. Darts had their own center emblem.

An option in 1964, was it standard in 1965 or still an option? My Barracuda (1965) has very few if any options, it's even radio delete.

 

[65 Cuda 340]

An option in 1964, was it standard in 1965 or still an option? My Barracuda (1965) has very few if any options, it's even radio delete.

Option.

 

[toolmanmike]

An option in 1964, was it standard in 1965 or still an option? My Barracuda (1965) has very few if any options, it's even radio delete.

Option in 65.

 

[65 Cuda 340]

Interesting that the wood grain steering wheel was a "new" option for 65 Darts. That made me wonder if my memory was incorrect and the wood grain wheel was not a 64 Barracuda option. But the 65 Barracuda Ross Roy info doesn't say it's a "new" option.

My Mom had a 64 Barracuda, gone many years now, but if I remember correctly, it had that wood grain wheel.

Anyway, the standard steering wheel for a 65 Barracuda was a two spoke plastic wheel with a partial horn ring. See last column in page copied below, about six items from bottom.

The simulated wood grain steering wheel was optional. (Right column, four items down.) Either as a stand alone option

or as part of the Sport Group, along with simulated bolt on 13 inch wheel covers and whitewall tires. That's how my Barracuda originally was equipped, along with the Basic Group and the Performance Group..

 

[jeff alder]

I have reading posts about wood grain steering wheels. How do I tell if my 1965 Barracuda has it or not? Mine is light brown but worn smooth, it is a three spoke. My car has a red interior and very few, if any options, it doesn't even have a radio, so I find it hard to believe it would have the wood grain wheel. I also obtained the original build sheet from Stellantis. Under Accessory Group it has the number 6. Under Accessory Group 33 it is blank, I believe there should be a 3 here as the broadcast decoder that I found says 333 Sport Group which would include the woodgrain wheel. Another curiosity, on the decoder sheet, it says Basic Group 321 which shows AM radio but I don't see a listing for radio delete. I also cannot find what the number 6 represents under Accessory Group.

View attachment 1716473224

View attachment 1716473225

That one is in pretty good shape Itsdiz. The spokes and the horn button look decent. They are generally pitted to beat the band. I just disassembled one and surface ground the 3 spoke covers, the pitting was so bad on the horn button I reshaped it with a scotch bright disc on an angle grinder in the shape of a dome. The red was faded as it often is so we drilled out the rivets and scraped the backing of the medallion. Karrin had some nice custom red nail polish so we recolored it from the back. Rather than reriveting it we drilled and tapped the holes to accept 8-32 fine thread screws so it could be taken apart. I still need to polish the button but it is looking pretty sharp. If Karrin can figure out how to post pictures here we will after dinner.

 

[66fs]

Interesting that the wood grain steering wheel was a "new" option for 65 Darts. That made me wonder if my memory was incorrect and the wood grain wheel was not a 64 Barracuda option. But the 65 Barracuda Ross Roy info doesn't say it's a "new" option.

My Mom had a 64 Barracuda, gone many years now, but if I remember correctly, it had that wood grain wheel.

My 64 Barracuda 273, 4 speed came with a wood grain steering wheel. Still have it.

 

[Moparmonster]

That is the “wood grain” wheel. Here is a clip from the original sales brochure that shows off the three spoke wood grain wheel.

There is a pretty good restoration video on YouTube here.



View attachment 1716473333

'Racing car.' LOL

 

[MonkeyTrev]

'Racing car.' LOL

Anything to sell a few cars!

 

[brodphish]

Anyone know where I can get a wood grain wheel restored? I have 4 on cars and they are all worn. They still look OK but an original finish would be way cooler.

 

[itsdiz]

That one is in pretty good shape Itsdiz. The spokes and the horn button look decent. They are generally pitted to beat the band. I just disassembled one and surface ground the 3 spoke covers, the pitting was so bad on the horn button I reshaped it with a scotch bright disc on an angle grinder in the shape of a dome. The red was faded as it often is so we drilled out the rivets and scraped the backing of the medallion. Karrin had some nice custom red nail polish so we recolored it from the back. Rather than reriveting it we drilled and tapped the holes to accept 8-32 fine thread screws so it could be taken apart. I still need to polish the button but it is looking pretty sharp. If Karrin can figure out how to post pictures here we will after dinner.

I need to take a closer look, it does have some minor cracking, but I have seen much worse.

Do you have a pair of windshield wiper arms? I took mine off (1965 Barracuda) when I was buffing out the paint, and now I can only find one. I put them both on a shelf but when I went to get them the other day one of them was gone. I have searched everywhere, the only thing I can think of is that I may have knocked it off the shelf into a trash can I had underneath, which has since been emptied of course! I have a pair from a 1970 Dart but they are not chrome, I would really like to put chrome ones back on. I really just need one, but are they different from driver to passenger side?

 

[Semo Mopar]

Jeff, do you still have the 68 coronet parts? I tried to message you but your box is full. Let me know please. I need metal for superbee