Steering Wheel question
 

I have been asked about the use of a wooden steering wheel on Commonwealth MilVeh in WWII. The owner is adamant that it came from a military truck. It is wood, with four stell spokes and is 18 inches in diameter. My limited understanding is that these were Bakelite/plastic.

Wood Steering Wheel
 

Chevrolet CMP's did use wooden steering wheels on late production models i.e. 1944. Ford's never had a wood steering wheel. GMC CCKW's and DUKW's also used the same wheel I believe.

Is your friend interested in selling his steering wheel? A friend of mine is restoring a 1944 Chev C60S. Unfortunately prior to him purchasing, the previous owner took the cab roof off (for a reason yet unknown) and left the truck outside for a number or years which caused the wood wheel to rot. I am sure he would be interested if your friend has no need for it and would like to sell it.

S.

Wood Rim Steering Wheels
 

Hello there,

I have owned GMC CCKW 353 open cab as well as a dozen CMP's over the years.

I recall comparing the wood steering wheel of my Chev C60L with that of the GMC - one had a simple centre spider whilst the other also incorporated a rivetted sheetmetal inner spider for reinforcement.

Only trouble is, now years later I just can't recall which vehicle had the reinforcement piece.

I'm pretty sure they were interchangeable as I once loaned my good timber wheel to a fellow collector to move a dead GMC wreck - it fitted straight on so well I never got it back !!!

(I know who you are and where you live by the way...)

Cheers

Phill:)

1943...
 

By the way -

The Chevrolet C60L which had the wooden steering wheel was a 1943 (Australian) delivery. The wheel appeared to be completely original with red oxide primer under olive green paint.

The vehicle was a very low mileage former workshop truck which had been shortened into a bush fire tanker. Still had canvas mudflaps and original Army numbers diplayed...

Cheers

Phill

Re: 1943...
 

Phill,
Do you have a picture of this truck? Or how about the ARN?

C60L ARN 74194
 

Hello Keith,

Yes It's ARN is 74194. The truck is still stored at the family property but has recently passed into the hands of Bruce Peelgrane, a collector from the Blue Mountains.

It nowadays sports an original GS tray and spare tyre/toolbox setup as the original machinery workshop body was transferred to another vehicle prior to it's disposal from the Army.

I took this particular Chev to Corowa in 1997 not long after i first acquired it from Book Book (NSW) bushfire brigade.

I'll scan in the pic and submit it...

Cheers

Phill Hastings

Change over to wooden wheel
 

Chevrolet C8A:
# 2844515585 [1943] WOODEN STEERING WHEEL REPLACED HARD BLACK RUBBER WHEEL

Can't forward pics
 

I'm still trying but the images won't go through - I'll reduce them in size and keep trying

Cheers

Phill