The steering wheel on our project 5-passenger Touring Car is badly cracked/fractured across grain at about the 7:00 position.

Is this salvageable? How much would you expect to pay for repairing a wooden steering wheel?

If I am out looking for replacements, what years will work on this car? 21-28? Not sure how interchangeable it is across years.

Any clues/experiences appreciated,
-Byron
Seattle

Byron,
You can repair it if you use a good glue like "Gorilla Glue" & make a fixture and/or use a cinch strap to compress & hold the multiple finger joints together until it dries.

Otherwise you can expect to pay $100 - $300 on Ebay or at a swap meet if you can find one.

Good luck...

Thanks Mark! I'm not sure my carpentry skills are any better than my metal skills, but it's good to know someone might be able to work on it with the right setup.

Do I have to look for a 23 steering wheel, or will a 21, 22, 24, 26 ... work on my 23?

Byron,
The column sizes and lever rods may be the same for several years, but the horn buttons are different through those same years.

Perhaps you should post the demensions of yours so others will know if they have one that fits.

Just wonder if the US steering wheels are different from Canada built cars.But here are the US builted.
Leif in Sweden.

This is not right for 4cyl.model.If this steering wheel is 1924 it`s a Master mod.?The picture show how the levels look like on 1922-1924.The steering wheel on my Buick 1924 4cyl. is Canada model.
Leif in Sweden.

Sorry,what I meen was that this E-Bay Steering Wheel are wrong for 4cyl.mod.
Leif in sweden

Thanks, Mark!

I'm asking the seller for a part number today. It looks like there were two steering wheels over 22-24, 170799 and 170800 (according to the 23 parts manual I have). The one for the 4-34, 4-35, and special chassis is the 170799 wheel.

Does anyone have a parts manual for 22 and/or 24? Do they mention two steering wheels, also?

Leif,
Is that a 23 or 24 in the pic. it looks like a 23.
I have a wheel that looks just like that and was thinking of using it on my 22-55 untill I find a correct wheel for the 22-23 Sport Touring. Does any one have one ??

John Beatty


1922-6-55 Sport Touring

Here are some photos to describe what I'm wrestling with:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bkrystad/Buick_steering_wheel?authkey=I2Xd6J9nsMY

The steering wheel in the parts manual I have for 1923 has metal spokes, not wood, like Leif's. I posted a bitmap of the one from the parts manual.

I just took these photos of our steering wheel (the broken one). It has metal spokes, like 170799, but I can't find a part number printed anywhere, only "39 Ml" (???) on one of the spokes. My dad only remembers this steering wheel from his childhood, so I have to assume it's original.

And the 24 wheel on ebay right now isn't the right match for the 23-4-35. It's fancier, perhaps from a six or the sedans?

Anyone out there have 170799 in better shape than the one in my photos? Dimensions are 14.75 inch inner diameter, 17.25 inch outer diameter, and it has a flat, straight hub.

To jbbuick22. The photo is on my 1924 Canadin buit Buick 4cyl.mod-35
To bkrystad. The pictures on the site you show is the right type for your 1923.
Leif in Sweden.

Here are a picture on steering wheel from 1925 Buick Master.
Leif in Sweden

I scanned a photo from a Buick 1923 4cyl.mod.I had years ago.
Leif in Sweden.

There's a guy in Nazareth, PA who specializes in restoring wooden steering wheels like yours. I searched Hemmings for him but couldn't find him. He's at Hershey every year and owns a few Franklins.

Maybe someone here has the vendor listing from one of the Hershey meets and can find his name.

I'm chuckling here in Michigan.

The wheel on my '23 looks pretty much like the one you have. It's been fixed up a bit with some sort of high grade marine wood putty in a few spots by the spokes I'm guessing 25 years ago and is fairly round. I get more comments about the size of the original wheel and how wonderful it looks all worn by the oil and grease of who knows how many hands shining it smooth.

I've seen wheels that are restored works of art too.

Does anyone have an idea of the original finish?

FROM THE 1930 MASTER PARTS BOOK: The steering wheel is the same for all 4 cy. cars from 1922 to 1924 PART NO. 170800 except the 1923-model 39.

That does not mean that a steering wheel from another year would not fit on your steering column.

From 1924 on the 6 cyl. cars had a different spark and throtle lever arrangement and you would have to make serious modifications to use one.

The 1923 6 cylinder and earlier cars used the same type spark and throttle lever arrangement.

My opinion is that if you can not find a 1922 - 24 4 cyl. steering wheeL, it would be better to replace the wood in the one you have.

1922 Illustrated parts book gives # 151574 for the 4 cyl steering wheel.

1924 Illuarated parts book gives # 170799 for the 4 cyl. steering wheel.

Fred Rawling
Bellflower, CA

One additional thing: My understanding is that the wood on these steering wheels was formed under heat and pressure.

If that is the case, duplicating one exactly will be very difficult.

Fred

1940_Buick,

The fellow that makes new wood steering wheels in Nazareth, PA. is Glenn Snyder at Snyder's Woodcrafting Shop and he does excellent work. The last wheel he did for me was originally made from 8 pcs, grooved on each side. It was a first for him, for that type of wheel and he perfected it. For Glenn to do that Buick wheel should be no problem. Look to spend about $400.00 to $500.00 on the average.