28 roadster steering wheel

[MickyD]

I have been told that the steering wheel in a 28 was red. Mine is black. Not sure if it is a 28 or 29 as when they replaced my steering column they used my steering wheel which I believe was black. I had only had my car for a couple of weeks when the column snapped in half. I was going down a hill at 40 plus miles. Somehow I over corrected the car and did not wreck it.

[700rpm]

Steering wheels were red in ‘28 and until Feb 1929, according to the RG&JS, which every Model A owner should have. What is the date on your firewall?

I’ve never heard of a column snapping. That must have been a wild ride!

[MickyD]

It was a very wild ride. Oncoming traffic was scattering to get out of my way on a 2 lane road. I will try and find my date on the fire wall. I have a lot to learn about my 28. Got it started today but could not take it out as my side lawn in front of my model a garage is too wet and on a slight hill. I miss Portland. I lived in Centralia and Olympia for 24 years. I am Centralia born.

[700rpm]

The date will be stamped on the driver’s side, upper panel.

[katy]

Originally Posted by MickyD

I have been told that the steering wheel in a 28 was red. Mine is black. Not sure if it is a 28 or 29 as when they replaced my steering column they used my steering wheel which I believe was black. I had only had my car for a couple of weeks when the column snapped in half. I was going down a hill at 40 plus miles. Somehow I over corrected the car and did not wreck it.

Whereabouts on the column did it break?

[MickyD]

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I believe it was towards the bottom of the colum. It was very jagged and that was what really saved me when I over started to try and stop. I was going to a auto body shop and it was at the bottom of the hill where all this happened.. I was so very lucky. I was told that this happens all the time. I sure hope not.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

I have never heard of this before. I know some steering shafts have been altered and welded, usually for a F100 conversion steering box. Is yours stock, and exactly what broke? The steering shaft inside the outer column? A picture would be nice.

[MickyD]

Unfortunately I do not have a picture as this happened a couple of years ago. They replaced my colum with a 2 spline 1929 modified colum. Mine was a1928 colum, not sure if 2 or 7 spline.

[McMimmcs]

Along with the other folks I have never heard of this happening. Wish you had a picture.

[MickyD]

The auto shop I was driving it to is owned by a friend of mine. He restores and paints old cars. He says he has seen a lot of these. The day I brought mine in to him he had a model a flatbed truck which had the same problem. Go figure. I just hope it never happens again.

[Mike the Grump]

Someone smarter than I can confirm but, wasn't there a change other than just the color of the wheel? Number of splines maybe.


Just thinking there may be more involved than just changing the wheel.

[nkaminar]

There was an article a few years back in the Restorer magazine about how to fix the broken column. It showed how the break starts as cracks. They used a section of an exhaust pipe connector as an internal sleeve and welded it up. They used plug welds to connect the sleeve to the column halves.

Everyone with these early cars should check to see if there are cracks in columns.

[Gene F]

Originally Posted by MickyD

I have been told that the steering wheel in a 28 was red. Mine is black. Not sure if it is a 28 or 29 as when they replaced my steering column they used my steering wheel which I believe was black. I had only had my car for a couple of weeks when the column snapped in half. I was going down a hill at 40 plus miles. Somehow I over corrected the car and did not wreck it.

The 28's were red. And they had a slight dish to them also.
Mine bleeds a little red on my hands if it is raining, and my hands get wet. I have seen a lot of them with a coating of heavy black enamel paint added to them at some point.