1930 Chrysler 66 Steering Wheel?

[Gunsmoke]

I'm rebuilding a '31 Chrysler CD8 roadster and among things I'm planning to use the steering wheel pictured here and in the car as mounted on a Dodge DC8 column. Based on my search of internet, it appears this wheel is from a 1930 Chrysler 66, as per photo of interior of an RHD car shown. Can someone confirm? Also, if so, can someone advise how horn setup worked, I'm assuming the steering column nut held on some form of clip which held horn mechanism in place? Finally, does any one have such a horn for sale?? 

[Taylormade]

It appears similar to the steering wheel on my 32 Dodge DL, except mine is a three spoker.  There is a hollow tube through the steering column with threads at the top where the large flat nut goes to hold the wheel on.  A second smaller tube fits inside the first tube and has a lever attached - you can see the lever/levers in the small pic of the right hand drive car.  Mine has a single switch lever for the headlights.  Some earlier cars have two levers (and two tubes) for retarding the ignition or other operations.  The lever tube/tubes are hollow and the horn wire runs down the inside of the smallest tube.  On my car the tube is held on by the Clum switch at the bottom of the tube.  As the switch/tube rotates, it turns the innards of the Clum switch.  Mine has a Bakelite disk that bolts with two small bolts on to the flat portion of theswitch lever and covers the circular depressed area in the center of the steering wheel and turns with the switch.  This disk holds the horn button in place.  The horn button has a spring under it and a flat contact that is attached to the horn wire.  I'll post some pictures tomorrow after I get out in the garage and document this.  Hope my description wasn't too confusing.

 

Basically, the cover you are looking for bolts on to the switch lever mechanism and holds the flanged horn button in place.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Taylormade (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

Here is the page from the parts book for the DC. This should help...

 

[Gunsmoke]

Thanks SH and TM. I have the pre-'34 Parts book and it shows the diagram for setup for a 1930 model 66 (aka CC). I do not plan to bother with throttle or light switch levers on wheel (all of these guts are missing from my assembly), will use traditional dash mounted pull cable for throttle, and dash mounted light switch. However I will need a horn assembly, so if anyone has something that would work for this steering wheel, please let me know.

[Taylormade]

Unfortunately, the wheel and steering column are set up for use with the levers.  The horn assembly pretty much has to have the levers in place to work.  Perhaps something from a later Chrysler would work as they dropped the levers in the mid-thirties cars like this one from 1935.

 

[Gunsmoke]

good suggestion, I'll look for one of those as well. If I find a horn assembly with the light switch I'll use it as well, just may not make the switch operational.

[Whistler]

I’m restoring a 1930 Chrysler roadster, Series 66.  Both the hand throttle and light switch levers have been broken off, leaving just the stubs protruding from the horn ring.

Firstly  can someone tell me how to remove the horn ring assembly to get to the lever mechanism.

Secondly, does anyone know a source for throttle/light levers?

 Thank you 

[ArticiferTom]

Remove horn wire from switch on bottom of column . Loose gland nut there also . Top/ light witch leveler can now be slid up . That give access to bottom of horn button assembly to remove screws .

Edited June 6, 2021 by ArticiferTom (see edit history)

[Gunsmoke]

BTW, I have long since found proper steering wheel and controls for my 1931 Chrysler CD8. Had forgotten all about this 6 yr old post.

[Whistler]

I’m working on a 1930 Chrysler Series 66 roadster.  My steering column is in tact including the horn button. However, the two levers (headlights and throttle) have been broken off, about a half inch outside the hub. I’m looking for two levers or a means of making a pattern so I can reproduce them.

[Vintageben]

5 hours ago, Whistler said:

I’m working on a 1930 Chrysler Series 66 roadster.  My steering column is in tact including the horn button. However, the two levers (headlights and throttle) have been broken off, about a half inch outside the hub. I’m looking for two levers or a means of making a pattern so I can reproduce them.

Just wondering if you have tried Vintage and Classic Reproductions in Brisbane Australia I know they do the ones for the 29 Chrysler 65 not sure if they are the same as the 66. They are not cheap but if you are in the USA they may work out all right as the Aussie dollar is heading south. Best of luck

[Bentleyboy88]

Hello there I’m Dave hoping to get some information on a Chrysler steering wheel. There is a lot of people on here with knowledge of these cars, here is a picture of our steering wheel could someone help identify what it is ? What are the two rings in middle used for? 

[Sasha39]

Looks like you're missing the control levers, I think it should have 3 levers, Lights, Throttle and Advance/Retard.

[Whistler]

On 8/14/2021 at 4:19 PM, Vintageben said:

Just wondering if you have tried Vintage and Classic Reproductions in Brisbane Australia I know they do the ones for the 29 Chrysler 65 not sure if they are the same as the 66. They are not cheap but if you are in the USA they may work out all right as the Aussie dollar is heading south. Best of luck

Thanks a lot.

I’ll give them a try

[Whistler]

On 6/6/2021 at 2:45 PM, ArticiferTom said:

Remove horn wire from switch on bottom of column . Loose gland nut there also . Top/ light witch leveler can now be slid up . That give access to bottom of horn button assembly to remove screws .

Very helpful 

thank you 

[Whistler]

On 12/10/2015 at 10:52 PM, Spinneyhill said:

Here is the page from the parts book for the DC. This should help...

 

Very helpful 

thank you 

[Whistler]

Thanks to everyone for comments.  There are only two levers on the steering column for Chrysler, 1930 Series 66: one for lights and one for hand throttle.  The spark advance/retard is located on the dash panel as a pull cable, original per Owner's Manual.

I found lever blanks from Jay Astheimer.  A friend machined them to fit the column tube and using a screw/rivet/JB Weld combination, did a beautiful job of finishing the parts that have recently been installed and working nicely.  Photos attached.

Now I'm looking for the "impossible": luggage mounts for the trunk, or drawings from which I can fabricate them myself.

 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Whistler (see edit history)

[viv w]

I would suggest you put a separate wanted post for your Luggage rack mounts under Chrysler buy and sell.

[Gunsmoke]

Here are photos of the folding trunk rack and hardware that came off my 1931 Chrysler CD8, do you know if your pieces are similar? I have since sandblasted and epoxy primed all these pieces and can send photos and dimensions if that can help. 

[groselle]

Here’s some pictures of the luggage rack mounts that came with my 1930 66 Sedan. 

[Ron Lawson]

On 12/16/2021 at 3:36 AM, Whistler said:

Thanks a lot.

I’ll give them a try

Tom and Cindy Myers at Myers Early Dodge are agents in the US