GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

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ThierryB
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GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by ThierryB » Thu Mar 03, 2011 2:58 am

For sale is this original WWII GMC cckw or dukw wooden steering wheel. Has been restored, primed and painted kaki OD N°1. Wood is sanded and in very good condition. The buyer can live it as is, paint it kaki, put some clear coat or use some linseed oil for a nice patina. Original horn button included.

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Price : 350euros + shipping. I can ship everywhere in the world (shipping to be calculated depending on the country).
Last edited by ThierryB on Thu Mar 03, 2011 10:31 am, edited 3 times in total.


D.R.H.
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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by D.R.H. » Thu Mar 03, 2011 8:44 am

ThierryB, I don't need the steering wheel, I just wanted you to how much I like the way you posted the photo of it. Very classy. Have a nice day. Dave.
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68427vette
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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by 68427vette » Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:05 am

is it me, or does it look bent, bowed? not a true circle? jc

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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:23 am

It appears that the photo is distorted as all spokes are manufactured equidistant and have same length but somehow appear to be shorter in places.
Nice wheel- he who hesitates.......... :wink:
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68427vette
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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by 68427vette » Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:39 am

350 euros = $490.9450 US dollars plus shipping

ThierryB
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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by ThierryB » Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:19 pm

68427vette wrote:is it me, or does it look bent, bowed? not a true circle? jc
I guess you are right, JC… It is not a perfect circle as often on this type of steering wheel. Don’t know if it is because of the age or if they were manufactured with no extra care on how constant the radius was. I have a few of these steering wheels and they are often bent a little. Here some other examples:

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If you watch the pictures carfully, you will see that tey are not perfect, even if they are in good condition.

Thierry.

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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by Marty, SoCal » Tue Mar 08, 2011 4:04 pm

Maybe the wood was still a little green when they were built?
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68427vette
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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by 68427vette » Tue Mar 08, 2011 4:18 pm

ben dover,, my leroi truck, has the same dried wheel,, what do you recommend? its pretty dry, and i like the deeper, colored steering wheel,

i'm going to fire it up tomorrow, i tried this past winter, but no fire??? i will say i didnt try very hard,, lol

big day tomorrow
drain fuel, filters,, what oil do you recommend? its a bit low. jc

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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Mar 08, 2011 4:44 pm

Get some 120 grit sandpaper and smooth it up, try to sand the entire surgace to rid the weathered appearance. Red Mahogany stain looks nice,, wait for a warm day so it will penetrate. wipe it dry give it a day or two to cure and rub some raw linseed oil into it, you may want to split the Linseed 50/50 with Turpentine. give ita few treatments of liseed oil with the hot sun beating on it. In time it will look nice. I am not a wood finisher, but it appears that some use varnish to give it a smooth gloss. I always let the Linseed Oil determine the finish as it also preserves the wood. Raw linseed Oil is thinner than boiled and will penetrate better.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by Gbuckbee » Tue Nov 22, 2011 4:28 pm

Is this steering wheel still available????
How much??
Contact gibbuckbee@GMail.com

Thanks

ThierryB
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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by ThierryB » Fri Nov 25, 2011 12:52 am

Gbuckbee wrote:Is this steering wheel still available????
How much??
Contact gibbuckbee@GMail.com

Thanks
Hi. Yes, still available, PM sent.

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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by bobc » Sun Nov 27, 2011 8:22 pm

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I'll ask again, were the wooden steering wheels painted originally or some kind of oil,shellac finish applied. I have one coming for my project truck and I'm torn on whether to paint it or leave it clear.
M-2-A-1 White half-track, 41 CCKW SWB (yard truck), hoping to start working on my G-506 open cab.

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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by bud44750 » Mon Jun 04, 2018 7:40 pm

I believe they are bent due to the way they were made , which was by steaming and then bending the wheel to a round shape. The two ends were joined with a deep finger joint on each end. I was just at a pattern shop trying to get mine redone and it was explained that way. probably ash or some easily bent wood, explains the grip ridges too as they would be put in while the wood was still straight, a much easier job than doing it after it was bent.

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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by motto » Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:05 pm

I have had a couple of NOS wooden steering wheels and am using one of them now on my G506 Chev. The dealer had a number of them when I bought mine. I have not seen one that was not painted. These wheels were intended for use on military vehicles not vintage speed boats.

David

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Re: GMC cckw/dukw wooden steering wheel

Post by mudflap » Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:12 pm

These wheels were intended for use on military vehicles not vintage speed boats.
:D

Can't argue with you there, David... :D

Any period photo that I have seen also shows them painted. However, its hard to deny that a nice one, in good condition, does look kinda sweet when treated and oiled.

Also, all of the period photos that I have seen show the wheel as perfectly round - so I kinda doubt they came out-of-round from the factory. I would be willing to bet that the irregularities seen in some of the wheels today are a result of the wood springing back as some of the internal stresses have relieved themselves over the last three quarters of a century.. Humidty and temp are probably big factors. Look at this pic of a DUKW that has been sitting under water since WWII:

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-ar ... diers.html

I am guessing that the production wheel sections were bent while they were in a rectangular form, then finger jointed. It would seem like this would make it much easier to maintain alignment of the finger joints this way. Plus, the joint lines look pretty uniform (no chip outs, etc.), suggesting that it was sanded down quite a bit after it was joined. Once the two halves were joined, the wheel could then have the edges rounded off and the finger grooves cut into the bottom. Note this is pure speculation on my part. If anybody has any pics or information on wooden steering wheel production, I would love to see it...

Also wonder who made them? It has been stated that Inland made some, but did you ever notice that there are at least two types of wooden steering wheels? Some have a one piece hub and spokes, while the others (like the one on Ben's truck) is made from individual pieces of steel riveted together. Thinking maybe this was a second supplier ?

Best Regards....
Last edited by mudflap on Thu Jun 07, 2018 1:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.


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