Smaller Steering Wheel

[bondobilly]

I need to find a small steering wheel and a method of attaching it to the column on my 56 Golden Hawk. I want it for "driving" as I will put the correct wheel on at shows.

So are there any adapters that will fit the steel rod.........

I have gained too much weight.

Thanks

[E. Davis]

Nardi makes wheels that will fit your Hawk that are smaller in circumference than the original. Most are laminated wood and pretty pricey but are also high quality. You can get the horn button that has studebaker hawk with the emblem. I have one and they look nice.

[N8N]

I have often wondered, but have not sat down with the parts to see if it'll actually work, if you had a 56J and a '57 Hawk column both cars with power steering if you couldn't mix 'n' match parts so you could use a Grant steering wheel adapter on a 56J. That would open up a lot of options.

I think the sticky bit would be putting the later upper bearing in the early turn signal switch housing (which you would need to retain the 56J shift quadrant I do not think that it is a straight swap but I can't remember if you could make a shim to make it work or if it'd be more involved than that.

I also don't know, because IIRC your car is an automatic, if there would be a way to use the 57 shift tube with the 56J levers or if you would need to cut, shorten, and weld the 56J tube.

nate

[bondobilly]

I have often wondered, but have not sat down with the parts to see if it'll actually work, if you had a 56J and a '57 Hawk column both cars with power steering if you couldn't mix 'n' match parts so you could use a Grant steering wheel adapter on a 56J. That would open up a lot of options.

I think the sticky bit would be putting the later upper bearing in the early turn signal switch housing (which you would need to retain the 56J shift quadrant I do not think that it is a straight swap but I can't remember if you could make a shim to make it work or if it'd be more involved than that.

I also don't know, because IIRC your car is an automatic, if there would be a way to use the 57 shift tube with the 56J levers or if you would need to cut, shorten, and weld the 56J tube.

nate

Tony Caralla told me that nothing from 57/58 would work on the 56J. That was 24 years ago and 47 pounds lighter.

[Jeff_H]

Yup, there is a break from '56 to '57 with steering column parts. The later ones have a smaller OD shaft and the column is about 1-1/2" shorter with a dished wheel.

Seems to me that a person could take any junk '53-'56 wheel and cut out the hub (for the spline) and use that to make an adaptor that a universal wheel would attach to. I know the shifter stuff is different for the 56J but its only the detents and the bezel for the AT right? I assumed the wheel itself except for the chrome accents and the colors is the same as any '53-'56 type "E" wheel. However, for making an adaptor, any other less fancy 2 or 3 spoke one w/o horn ring would work since you only want the hub for that adaptor. The problem will end up being the horn wiring. You may need to delete it from the column and run a separate push button

Hopefully you don't need one of those real tiny welded chain link wheels you see in the rods once in a while that are about 8-9" diameter

[bondobilly]

Hopefully you don't need one of those real tiny welded chain link wheels you see in the rods once in a while that are about 8-9" diameter

I am thinking of a yoke from a Boeing B-17, or anything Boeing. No Airbus.

SERIOUSLY, tonight I got a call fro a gentleman who told me how to make the conversion and with the help of MB I might beable to fit under the wheel within the next 14 days.

BG

[mbstude]

'56J steering wheel core went out UPS Friday morning, Bill. Have fun with it! <G>

[bondobilly]

I am told that a company called CARTER makes adapter plate and that they also off
14 & 15 inch Mustang type wood wheels for around $100 or so. We will see what happens

BG

[Welcome]

I need to find a small steering wheel and a method of attaching it to the column on my 56 Golden Hawk. I want it for "driving" as I will put the correct wheel on at shows.

So are there any adapters that will fit the steel rod.........

I have gained too much weight.

Thanks

PLAN B: http://www.guysingirdles.com/MensGirdles.htm

[bondobilly]

Not long ago I discovered there was much more "vertical adjustment" of the steering gear/column/wheel than I ever thought possible. Raising the entire assembly upward provided much needed extra clearance between me & the bottom of the steering wheel. Other fixes you likely have already tried include; moving the seat tracks to there rear most mounting holes & installing shims at the rear to kick the front seat edge slightly downward; making a trip to your friendly local auto upholstery shop and having the padding "shaved down" along the forward edge of the seat.

How do you raise the gear/column and wheel? Some folks have talked about "shims" that are in the car. I have yet to find them. I am curious as to how to raise the wheel.

Thanks

[Anne F. Goodman]

When you take the steering column down there are shims under there seems like you could remove them or place them on the other side so that it raises the Steering wheel.

[bondobilly]

When you take the steering column down there are shims under there seems like you could remove them or place them on the other side so that it raises the Steering wheel.

I give up. Where are these SHIMS. I have yet to find anything either above or below the column. Where else can these shims be? My car was never dis-assembled for any kind of work prior to my getting it, so nobody could have removed these things. Pictures of the shims would really help.

Thanks

[raoul5788]

Bill, sorry to hijack the thread, but will you be in Sturbridge this coming weekend for the NE Zone Meet?

[studegary]

I have a "solution" - give me your Hawk! I am sure that I fit under the original steering wheel <G>.
Or, you could just let Ellen do all of the driving.

[bondobilly]

Bill, sorry to hijack the thread, but will you be in Sturbridge this coming weekend for the NE Zone Meet?

Yes we willl be in Sturbridge ....... not sure what we are driving though. Last week's trip to Macgungie was a killer. Coming home was 3.5 hours in 99 degree heat. If temps will be in the 70's to low 80's then we would consider the Hawk.