jyinger Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Does anyone know of a decent '42 Desoto steering wheel for sale? Thanks Jon jyinger1@gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61polara Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 The '42 steering wheel is the same as '46-'48. Only the horn button is different. What body style do you have. I have a '42 Custom Conv. Please post pictures of your car. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jyinger Posted January 7, 2017 Author Share Posted January 7, 2017 Here it is.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Those things are cool. A steering wheel is a good start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jyinger Posted January 8, 2017 Author Share Posted January 8, 2017 Dave: I also have one '41 and two '46s and the steering wheels are quite different. I attach fist a photo from a '42, then a photo from a '46 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron42Dodge Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Jon, So is there a different part number on this steering wheel. I looked up in my 1953 Mopar Parts book that goes back to around 1936, it shows the 1942 through 1948 DeSoto took steering wheel number 956145 (Ivory) or 1117431 (grey). The two pictures you show are totally different but this book says they should be the same. My 1942 DeSoto parts book is at home so I can't see what it lists for steering wheel numbers. Is there a difference between Custom and Deluxe or early 42 and later 42 DeSoto. Most pictures I've seen pictures are of your style. I know Dodge changed their Steering wheel a couple of months into 42. They made the horn retainer smaller by about 3". It wasn't a huge change but they kept the new style through 48. So about 41% had the early version and 59% had the later version. I'll keep an eye out for this style. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron42Dodge Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 The only one I know of isn't in the best of shape and probably comes with the whole car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jyinger Posted January 10, 2017 Author Share Posted January 10, 2017 Thanks Ron. In my 1942 parts list book I see three: 870812 (maybe this is the early one?), 957614 (perhaps the later one--similar to 1946?), and 956145 (which comes with the cigarette case as a separate attachment). Does this sound right? My book doesn't specify ivory or grey. But, if there are two, then maybe a steering wheel from a '46 through '48 would be the same as one of the steering wheels which came from the factory at the end of the 1942 run? If so, I can quit stressing about this--just take the old steering wheel from either my '42 or my '46 parts car--take it to Dennis Crooks and have him make me a new, period-correct steering wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron42Dodge Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 Jon, I looked at My 42 DeSoto book just now. I don't believe there was an early vs later version becuase it would list what serial number they used which and it doesn't. The 870812 appears to have been the Standard 18" wheel. 956145 is listed as a Special 18" wheel so maybe it was an upgrade. No mention of color in the 42 book so Ivory was problay the only color for the special wheel. Only the Special steering wheel lists the cigarette case option but it did not include the cigarette case. Interestingly the cigatette case is covered in the electrical section 8-C. Did that have a built in lighter? 957614 was a Limo Steering wheel as was 870813, and 956146. Plate 68 on page 23-3 of the parts manual seems to show the steering wheel you are looking for which should be 870812. The part number should be on the back side of the steering wheel spoke. I looked in my 42 Chrysler book and they list about 30 plus steering wheel options depending on model and body style but no shared numbers with DeSoto. That's all I can find at this point. Ron 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61polara Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Note that the 1942 steering wheel pictured above has a 1946-1948 horn button on it. The 1942 horn button has a vertical logo. The wide center steering wheel pictured above is the one that can have the cigarette dispenser mounted on it. That wheel was also available in 1942. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c49er Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 The 1942 S10 fifth Ave steering wheel Pkg ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jyinger Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 Thanks Dave. So the grey, non-cigarette case 1942 steering wheel has the vertical logo, whereas the similar steering wheel in 1946 would have the horizontal logo? Wow. So the photo posted below would be the uniquely 1942 steering wheel? Thanks Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron42Dodge Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 But I don't know if it was available in grey. All the ones I've seen except for this one were all ivory. Only one part number was listed for the Standard Steering wheel and all the knobs and cranks were ivory. Painting at the dealership might have been an option. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61polara Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Jon, Your last photo is a correct standard 1942 steering wheel. I think this wheel was incorrectly painted in restoration. And yes, the vertical emblem is correct for 1942. The wheel posted by c49cr above is the correct optional steering wheel with the cigarette case. Note the vertical emblem also. Edited January 13, 2017 by 61polara (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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