What car was this wood steering wheel (?) made to fit?

[Small_Block]

Picked up this wood steering wheel (?) a few decades ago, refinished it and it's been hanging up in the shop ever since. 

Always wondered what it came off of.  I've included measurements and made note of an imprinted "K" on the same side as the fastener holes.

 

Thanks for your input!

[41 Su8]

With 4 spokes in the spider, it could be early model t ford.

[wayne sheldon]

Ford I don't think ever used a 17 inch OD wooden rim. They did use a 17 inch Fordite (plastic/rubber composite) rim for a couple years. And a considerable number of after-market accessory steering wheels were offered and sold with 17 inch OD wooden rims. A lot of the accessory rims were fancier than this, however some were rather plain.

 

In addition to Ford, many, dozens? Many dozens? Many other cars would have used that size wooden rims. Four spoke spiders were the most common from the beginning up to about 1930, so this could probably fit and work really well for a hundred different cars.

I have rebuilt a number of odd steering wheels, including a bunch of accessory ones for model Ts, over the years. It is common for the four screw holes to not quite line up with a spider that is slightly different than what the rim was on originally. Often, that is not a problem. Usually, it is just a minor shifting of the angle required. A careful drill and glue a dowel small piece in place of the original hole, and re-drill and put the screws in the place required to fit the now spider. The usual four spoke spider usually fits close enough that it covers the dowels once all assembled, and everything looks as good as new.

 

A very nice looking rim! It wants to be placed between hands and spider and be driven for thousands of miles!

 

As for the letter "K"? Most steering wheels I have looked at didn't have such a mark. But I have noticed a few that did have something like that. I don't know what they were from or what they meant.

Edited May 6, 2022 by wayne sheldon
I hate leaving typos! (see edit history)

[dustycrusty]

The "K" PROBABLY stands for Kelsey Wheel co. of Detroit, Michigan. They supplied various wooden parts to several early automobile manufacturers like Ford , Cadillac, Chalmers, (and my favourite) the 1910-1914 Alpena Flyer.

Although most famous for their rolling stock, they provided many other bits & bobs constructed from wood, up to and including complete bodies, so a steering wheel rim surely wouldn't have been beyond their capabilities. . At the very least, early Kelsey wheel spokes ("felloes") where stamped with a similar "K", most notably the wheels they supplied to Ford (who, after 1910, was getting 70+ % of their production output) for the Model "T". 

 

Here's a rabbit hole to explore on that...   http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/506218/530733.html?1428178615

 

After a 1927 merger with Hayes Wheel Co., they were called Kelsey Hayes.

 

http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/k/kelsey_herbert/kelsey_herbert.htm

[Small_Block]

Really appreciate the feedback, many thanks!

 

Also wanted to include two OD images of the fingerjoints (if that helps with determining its lineage).

They're on opposite sides of the steering wheel:

[1912Staver]

Many wood rim wheels use a very similar joint. I don't see anything particularly distinctive about yours to help with an I.D.

[Terry Bond]

Looks like it may have been painted black at one time. No way to tell for sure what it came from - car, truck, boat...the only thing for certain is It did not come from a motorcycle.

[wayne sheldon]

Kelsey would be a good probability.