Steering Wheel Question

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72_Durstya

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When I bought my 72 Duster it surprisingly came with the exact steering wheel I wanted. I first thought it was a Grant Classic Gt wooden steering wheel like the one pictured below cause it is exactly the same in appearence.

But today I took it off of my steering colum because it was was just standing on my garage floor and I didn't want it to get ruined. Upon inspection of the wheel I noticed it doesn't say "Grant" on it anywhere.

At the top of the front hub of the wheel it says, (The "500") and at the botom front it says "Superior Perfomance Products" with a small stamping of a guy flying threw the air wearing a helmet and holding a steering wheel.

Sorry I know this was a little long of a post but curiosity got me and thought maybe someone could shed some light on what company made this version of this wheel.

Thanx.

wheel.jpg
 
LoL well i decided to get off of my lazy @$$ and Google it. All I found out is that it is made by a company called Superior Performance Products and its called "The 500". Which I kind of expected and it is possibly a rare version of this style of wheel.

Couldn't fid any info on the company or it's history though so if anyone has anything to add please do so!
 
I had one of those on my old '69 Dart 340 Swinger in the early 70's. They were made in the late 60's-early 70's but had 4 holes in each spoke if I remember right. I don't think Superior has been in business for quite awhile.
Nice period piece.
 
Yeah I just noticed that it does have 4 holes instead of the 3 that the Grant wheel has. You say that they were only made from some point in the 60's to some point in the 70's? If thats the case my steering wheel is in fairly good condition for being 30+ years old. :)
 
Is this the same wheel?
I realize it is not wood, but could it be the same type?
My car came with it when I bought it and it is definitely old, I haven't checked for a maker name or model.

3026_3.jpg
 
If you take the center spokes from Matthon's wheel and combine it with the wooden wheel of the Grant thats what mine looks like.

The name stamping are under the horn.
 
I had to go out and take my steering wheel apart, and under the horn it has...

The "500"

Superior Perfomance Products

with the flying guy.

Too cool.

I knew it was a 'superior' wheel to the ones made today.
 
Would that be the same "Superior" company that made rims as well?

My first car, a '69 Sport Satellite came with a set of Superior chrome rims with wire covers.. The wire basket bolted to the center of the chrome rim.
 
that looks like a 15 inch Grant wheel if im correct. i have 13.5 inch wheel which i have cone to think is a copy of the Grant wheels.
 
mullinax95 said:
Is the 15 inch better to have than smaller wheels for us manual steering guys?
Click to expand...
I had an old 50's car with manual and a gigantic wheel and it didn't seem to make any difference. I think the steering box may make the difference.
My car now has manual. The key is to steer the car back the other way when backing up and parking. That way I'm not fighting it turning it from one end to the other.
 
The bigger the wheel the more leverage, less amount of turns it will take to get there. Basic physics.
 
The bigger wheel will only yield less effort, that's the leverage part. Ma Mopar supposedly required power steering with the Tuff wheel because it was only 13½ inches in diameter.
Lock-to-lock turns is determined by the steering box and linkage. Mopar power steering was 3.5 LtL while the manual was typically 5.2 LtL. The AAR/TA twins had a different manual box with a quicker ratio.
A stock manual box can be given a speed treatment by replacing the ball rack with one from Mopar performance. The other ways are to shorten the arm on the ball joint or lengthen the pittman and idler arms. (Better be able to measure & cut precisely, and weld well.)
 
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