Looking for help with a '62 Olds 88 steering wheel medallion

[Guest stude62]

We are looking for help with a 1962 Oldsmobile 88 steering wheel center button/assembly, OR looking to buy a replacement.

This is the chrome housing, the four plastic medallian parts (clear lens, the silvered housing, the olgs logo and the black disk that forms the background and metal backing with clips. They all fit together to form the assemble that fits in the center of the steering wheel.

Anyway, the four welds that held ours together gave way and we either have to find another (all together as one unit) or find someone that can tell us how to assemble this one and what to use for replacement pins.

I'd like to get ours fixed since its original to the car and the pieces are all in good repair.

[starfireelvis]

I know I've got one that had some screws set into each of the back prongs holding things together; nobody would be able to see it from the outside.

This sparks a question I've had about the center cap for the steering wheel on the full-size '62 Oldsmobiles. The ones I had in both '62 Starfires I've owned, and most of the other cars I've seen, has a red Oldsmobile "rocket' symbol (the one for '62-'64). However, when I bought my '62 Dynamic 88 wagon, the rocket was gray, and I"ve noticed that, too, on a few other cars, without any rhyme or reason that I could figure out.

Don't know if this would be something that is dependent upon the model (any variance between Starfire, Ninety-Eight, Super 88, and Dynamic 88), or variance on interior trim color; both of the Starfires I've had featured the red/maroon two-tone interior, and both cars were Ebony Black on the outside, if that's of any significance. The D88 wagon has a fawn/tan interior, and is Provincial White.

Or, is it possible that all were red when the left the factory, but faded to gray over time?

[Guest dstaton]

I had simlar issues both with the rivits and the color. I repainted the polygon, essentially because it looks really great that that way, with testor's modeling paint, insignia red. After fitting two of the forks trapped by the rivets fit into their original courses, I was able to flex the piece sufficiently to inset under an adjusted, pinched rivet. I tapped it with a ball-peen and called it perfect.

[Guest stude62]

Our insignia is still the factory red, but I have noticed that the cars I have seen that had a lot of time in the sun, the red has faded and lost it's luster.

I guess we'll be brave and try drilling out the old pins and trying to find something to act as plugs/rivets.

[rocketraider]

Mike- does your wagon have standard or deluxe steering wheel? I'm thinking that might be the difference in the red vs gray Rocket. Possibly difference in Dynamic vs the higher-line cars too. I can't remember what color the one was on that loaded black D88 wagon DeNovi got from here, but it was a black exterior/red interior car.

I've had good luck repairing these "mushroom" retainers using a hot glue gun, running a seal type bead around the joint where the two pieces meet. I had to do the high-beam headlight tri-bars on both my 64s and they have held up for 10+ years now. In an interior environment it would probably last forever.

[starfireelvis]

Glenn, I honestly didn't know there was any sort difference in the full-size '62 Olds steering wheels, vis-a-vis "standard" vs. "deluxe"; please clue me in on that if you can.

The Starfires I have now and the one GM has both have the red center rocket, whereas the wagon one had the gray rocket. The steering wheels in and of themselves are the same, and I never noticed a difference in any of the steering wheels themselves in all the '62s I've seen over the years.

[Oldsfan]

Having that retainer plate come loose was a problem shortly after the cars were new. Oldsmobile had an article in the Service Guild, instructing technicians to drill out the rivets, reassemble the cap and install self tapping machine screws, or something of that nature.

It is my opinion that all of these caps had red inserts. I had a Starfire convertible with a faded insert. It appeared gray. And, it needed to be repaired as above. When taken apart, the insert had a very obvious red "tee".

Deluxe steering wheels, with center cap and dual horn buttons were standard on Starfires, 98s and Super 88s. Dynamic 88s came with a standard wheel - single horn button in the center in place of the center cap mentioned above. No extra chrome. They are not often seen. The Deluxe wheel was optional. I am pretty sure that the 3-speed manual Dynamic Fiesta which used to reside in a junk yard near me had a standard wheel. I've seen one or two cars on eBay with the standard wheel, too.

Paul

[D Yaros]

My 62 Dynamic 88 must have the optional deluxe wheel, as it has 2 horn buttons.

[Guest stude62]

To everyone, thank you for your input. One thing that I loved about the Studebaker club was that people read the message boards and responded. This being the first stumbling block with the 88, and your responses makes me feel welcome.

Paul - thanks for your insight on the service bulletin. I can show that to my mechanic. You wouldn't happen to know where one might be able to find said bulletin, would you?

[rocketraider]

Those rivets coming loose in 62 didn't stop them from using them in 64!

The OLDSMOBILE letters on 64 tailpanels are attached with those things. The "I" on my green 64's aluminum tailpanel came loose and I was lucky it came off when I was washing the car so I could catch it. I will have to R&R that tailpanel to permanently reattach it, meaning everything back there has to come off. And the more you take loose, the more apt something else is to come loose.

Stude, Oldsmobile published a "Service Guild" brochure every month for its dealer service techs who were enrolled in the Service Guild excellence program. You can probably find a complete 1962 set with its binder thru some of the literature vendors. You'll need the Sept 61 thru December 62 issues to have a complete set, and sometimes you can get the Tech Bulletins and Dealer Info Letters with them. Excellent stuff to have.