Grant Tuff Wheel in my 67 Dart...

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Beatnik

Beatnik

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I'd like to put one in the Dart. My question is will I need the 2" extension kit? Anyone put the Grant wheel in their car? Experiences? I'm going to get the adapter kit along w/ the wheel but dont know if I'd need the spacer kit too based on turn signal clearance?
 
I did not use the extention on mine. The turn signal lever hit the wheel on mine. I just bent it a little out of the way. On thing though is with out it the wheel is low to the seat and may hit your legs with out it. I got the extention but did not use it. My legs did not hit and I did not like the way it looked. Here is a pic.

100_6072.jpg
 
I tried one on my 68 Barracuda but ran into the same thing as burntorange70 with the turn signal lever. I bought the spacer kit, installed it, then didn`t like it, so I took it off and put my original wheel back on. I wish I had a dollar for every time I`ve done something like that on my car.
 
Longgone said:
I tried one on my 68 Barracuda but ran into the same thing as burntorange70 with the turn signal lever. I bought the spacer kit, installed it, then didn`t like it, so I took it off and put my original wheel back on. I wish I had a dollar for every time I`ve done something like that on my car.
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The spacer sucks don't it. Lucky I am short. First time I have ever said that. Or my legs would of hit the wheel. The only other reason to have the spacer is for the turn lever but if you tweek it slightly it works with out the spacer.
 
I thought of bending the signal lever then decided against it. After 40 years, most things on my car skip the bend phase and go straight to the break phase. Lol! Yeah ,the spacer does suck.
 
not a tuff wheel, but tuff looking.............LOL

I like my wood wheel, seen a mopar horn button somewhere and now I need to get one of those

the factory tuff wheels on the e bodies had what looked like a spacer not sure what the aftermarket spacers look like but it looks like it needs it to me.

steerwheel.JPG
 
WildCat said:
not a tuff wheel, but tuff looking.............LOL

I like my wood wheel, seen a mopar horn button somewhere and now I need to get one of those

the factory tuff wheels on the e bodies had what looked like a spacer not sure what the aftermarket spacers look like but it looks like it needs it to me.
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Wildcat - that's a cool woodgrain wheel. What is it? It looks like it would fit better than the tuff wheel too. Can you let me know what it is? I may be interested in something like that if it fits better.

Thanks everyone else for the replies. Sounds like the spacer's not worth it to gain turn signal lever clearance, and it's better to just bend it a little. The legs hitting the wheel issue concerns me though? Is that really a problem? The Tuff wheel is a smaller diamenter than my old rim blow isnt it? I would think you would gain clearance if anything with the swap?
 
Mine isn't a Grant wheel. I did need an hub adapter .It is 1 inch tall billet aluminum. The signal waand is of some very hard stock. You wont bend it much without heat or it will break. I took about 10 degrees out of the factory bend and shortened it 1.5 inches too. Picture was taken before signal wand was modded.
woodknobinpark.jpg
 
Interesting point, I thought I read somewhere that if you originally had a rimblow wheel that you did not need the spacer thing as it would just bolt on to what is there. Already has some sort of spacer thing there. Hope that makes sense.
My Dart has a rimblow wheel as well. Not working of course and the horn connecting wire is just dangling out from the side. If you ground it to the metal there the horn will honk so have been considering getting a replacement and hope to be able to just hook the wire up.

Anyway, I hope I've figured out how to put a picture in the post. This is what the wheel looks like on my car. Looks to have a spacer piece compared to the picture above, looking at the distance from the signal at least.

Anyone confirm that you don't need the adapter for this type of install?
Cheers

dash.jpg
 
The term "rimblow" is used loosely now and is oftened confused with Tuff wheels and rallye wheels. A true rimblow is a steering wheel that has the horn button in the rim of the wheel so to blow the horn you squeezed the rim. Hence the term rimblow. As far as I know only E-bodies actually were available with a rimblow wheel. Some Fords had them too but both wheels (Tuff and rimblow) have very little dish and therefore need the spacer to put the wheel back in the correct position and provide room for your hands between the wheel and the turn signal lever.
 
Beatnik said:
Wildcat - that's a cool woodgrain wheel. What is it? It looks like it would fit better than the tuff wheel too. Can you let me know what it is? I may be interested in something like that if it fits better.

quote]

I think it is a Grant, they come with chrome spokes and 3 holes also, but I prefered the brushed stainless look and the slots. May have gotten it at Summit or Jegs, but could have been Paddock. It has been several years ago that I bought it. Looked on Paddock site and they now have a Mopar Horn button and I have to have.

My personal opinion is the flat tuff wheel just does not look right in an older mopar. Looks too rice burner to me. The factory wood wheel looked so good I figured this was the next best thing, actually a step up from the factory.

Sorry could not provide more info
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The rimblow you describe is exactly what came on my '71 Swinger. Has the black rim inside the wheel that would have been to honk the horn. Hard now and the wire connection is gone off it. Resto is a bit expensive for me so not considering that at the moment.

Not sure on other A bodies, but the rimblow was an option on the '71 Dart. Think it perhaps became available in 1970, but don't remember. Code on the car is A61 which gives it the Automatic Special Package. Gives it auto trans, outside remote mirror, belt mouldings, rimblow horn, vinyl roof, bumper guards, white walls, deluxe wheel covers and vinyl side mouldings. Supposed to be the same wheel that was used on the E bodies, but don't have any info on that.

Just wish mine worked! There is someone restoring them that posts on another site, but if I remember correctly they run around $300 to $500 or so to restore. Too much for me!

Cheers
 
I put an original tuff wheel on my 70 duster and used the spacer. Prior to that I had a grant wheel (not the tuff one) and my knees hit the wheel and of course the turn signal interfered. I am 6'2" tall so my seat is back fully. I was very satisfied with the tuff wheel spacer as it put the wheel in the right place for me.

In a recent mopar action Ehrenberg goes into detail on this and it is a good read. He actually shortened a spacer to make it work for him.
 
We put on the 68 Valiant CSDR Raffle car. It went on fairly easy, but we had to bend the turn signal stick because it hit. It does look great and feels great.
 
MoparBrit said:
The rimblow you describe is exactly what came on my '71 Swinger. Has the black rim inside the wheel that would have been to honk the horn. Hard now and the wire connection is gone off it. Resto is a bit expensive for me so not considering that at the moment.

Not sure on other A bodies, but the rimblow was an option on the '71 Dart. Think it perhaps became available in 1970, but don't remember. Code on the car is A61 which gives it the Automatic Special Package. Gives it auto trans, outside remote mirror, belt mouldings, rimblow horn, vinyl roof, bumper guards, white walls, deluxe wheel covers and vinyl side mouldings. Supposed to be the same wheel that was used on the E bodies, but don't have any info on that.

Just wish mine worked! There is someone restoring them that posts on another site, but if I remember correctly they run around $300 to $500 or so to restore. Too much for me!

Cheers
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Well there you go, I have once again been enlightened by the guys at FABO. I know the rimblow became available on E-bodies in 70 but I didn`t know it was ever an option on any A-body. That`s a high dollar steering wheel in working condition (esp.if it`s the same one used on the E-bodies) and it may be worth getting restored if you can get it done on the low side of the quote. It seems the trend by the 70`s was to buy a lower price class car and load it with options rather than get a higher price class car with fewer options. Anyhow MoparBrit, I appreciate the wrinkle in my gray matter.
 
The Tuff wheel is a smaller diamenter than my old rim blow isnt it? I would think you would gain clearance if anything with the swap?[/quote]

It is a little smaller but it dose not have as much dish as the stock one so that makes it closer. the stock wheel also has a plastic coler on the back that spaces it out more *** well. I think i saw a billit spacer as an option but will have to check it out for you later. It looked good from what I remember.
 
Looks to have a spacer piece compared to the picture above, looking at the distance from the signal at least.

Anyone confirm that you don't need the adapter for this type of install?
Cheers[/quote]

Yes you have a spacer in there. It looks factory to me. Nice int you have there.
 
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