Guest imported_Big Jake Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Hi as some of you know I'm restoring a '60 GMC back to OEM condition. I have seen trucks of my era with a "knuckle" mounted on the steering wheel to let you turn the wheel withone hand. I would like to know if these things were still around or popular in 1960? My truck will not have power steering, so I probally won't be using it much, if at all. I just thought it would look good on the wheel. Any thought on where to get a look at some or comments about them?Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter J.Heizmann Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Hi, Jake...It appears you are inquiring about what was knick named a "suicide knob".If I am reading this correctly, they were optional equipment sold by every aftermarket auto store one could imagine (i.e...Pep Boys, etc.)They were popular to a degree in the '50's - 60's. If I recall, they were either frowned upon, or, consider illegal by inspection laws. (May be wrong?)Possibility of over-steering, shirt cuff catching on it, 2 hands on the wheel urged, and, so on...I am not allluding to my age, so as to recall exactly, but, I know Wayne Burgess is old enough to provide more details... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />Regards, Peter J. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BillP Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I doubt they were illegal (at least in Penna.) but they were known to be unsafe when, at the end of your turn, you begin to straighten out and the wheel would whip back under its own will. If you allow it to go, it'd get going pretty quick and if there was a knob there it'd show you how dumb you were to put it there in the first place. Early knobs were usually plain black with a metal clamp to affix to the wheel, usually around 4 o'clock or so if you were a righty. Later knobs, after the invention of clear plastic, had a transperent disc on top covering a tiny picture, usually of a semi-naked lady.Well now, that last part may be selective memory, they probably had bird dogs, airplanes, all kinds of stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 "NECKIN KNOBS" did somebody say?? Now, Pedro knows I don't know a thing about such items that have caused many a car to run off the road. Oh, the stories I could tell.. But, with 5 kids and at least one marriage behind me, I'd never know such things. We need Dave@Moon to post a picture for us. Actually, these devices are still in use, although I hate to admit it. I see them daily in the freight trucks on our interstate highway system. You can recognize these "professionals" (word used very, did I say VERY loosely) by their Cell phone "headsets", the "Billy Big Trucker" gloves(you know, the ones with no fingers, Chocolatetown calls them "BIGRIG" gloves <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />), and the tennies without their shoe strings tied. UMMMM, you don't think my attitude has anything to do with me not being able to find any drivers, do you? Man, If I have to put up with "drivers" like that I'm getting out of this business. We're closed today, by the way. Happy Easter! Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_DaveZZZ Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 FYI:I am pretty sure that these are in fact illegal in some states, BUT are still in use and perfectly legal for the handicapped. After all, it is hard to perform the standard hand-over-hand turning maeuver with only one hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Big Jake, And they are still available at any major truckstop...seriously. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> You say you want one with the bathing beauty picture in it? That might be tougher to get. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoover Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 As far back as I can remember, we always called them Cowboy Knobs. (No offense to our good friends in Cheyenne) Had several of them over the years and also had one on my B-Model Mack I drove Wayne! Fender Skirts, Sun Visors and Cowboy Knobs always go hand in hand. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 My crowd always referred to them as "brodie" knobs. They will cut into the steering wheel and leave gouges which you will have to pay to have filled in - either material and/or labor. If you couldn't drive with one hand (the left one) then you couldn't drive. YFAM, Randy Berger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoover Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 They certainly would gouge a wheel, but a little strip of leather in between takes care of that. Now for those who wanted the "Real McCoy", you would have one of these. (See the attachment.) It's a factory accessory DeLuxe Steering Wheel for a 1940 Chevrolet. I searched for several years until I found a good one for my '40 Coupe. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 Here it is: My dad ran an inspection garage in Pittsburgh in the early 1960's, and did inspections for years before that. He told me that (at least then) they were illegal in PA, and had to be reomoved to pass inspection.Generally if anything's illegal for cars, it'll be illegal in PA first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Big Jake Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 I found them at the web site.http://www.shrunkenheads.com/Products/Car_Accessories/knobs/Brody_Misc.htmBrings back a few memories of MMJake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BillP Posted April 9, 2004 Share Posted April 9, 2004 The Monroe calendar shot would be about right but wouldn't get past your mom. The Clay Smith Cams looks cool but never saw one on a knob. I guess maybe the flaming skull or the eight ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tin_knocker Posted April 10, 2004 Share Posted April 10, 2004 R.W. is right on about NECKIN KNOBS. Around here they were mounted at approximately the 10 o'clock position and you taught your girl to shift gears when you depressd the clutch and said shift. A man only has enough hands to do two things at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
48LCCOUPE Posted April 10, 2004 Share Posted April 10, 2004 where was the shifter located? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tin_knocker Posted April 10, 2004 Share Posted April 10, 2004 Unfortunately it was a column shift on my 49 Merc. If it were a floor shift like my present 37 Special I would have found a way to do my own shifting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted April 10, 2004 Share Posted April 10, 2004 Rick,A friend has a steering wheel just like that Chevy wheel on his street rod, said it came off a forklift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R W Burgess Posted April 10, 2004 Share Posted April 10, 2004 Bob, Would that be an "Antique" forklift? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted April 11, 2004 Share Posted April 11, 2004 Hey Rick, there a flower guy in H-town that has one of those in one of his cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoover Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 It took me a minute Doug, but now I know who you mean. What does he have it on? Bob, I heard of some old forklifts having wheels something like the Chevys, but never seen one. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 I'm thinking it's in the shoebox Ford convertible, I remember wondering where it came from. I thought it was aftermarket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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