Steering wheel

So is the boat a Garr Wood, HackerCraft or maybe a Dodge Brothers racing hydroplane? The polished aluminum skin intrigues me! The rim on the wheel is more than likely some kind of teak or other tropical hardwood. If you want to duplicate the grain or the color and want an affordable piece, use JATOBA. That's another African hardwood that's way more plentiful than teak. Actually in the states, theres somewhat of a moratorium on various species of teak (Burmese maybe??) due to its' being overharvested. The sections are steam bent or cut from highly curved branch material.
Its not a Model T wheel, but if the boat was built as a one-off its anybody's guess. The spider is "probably" chromed brass but really looks like polished aluminum, and being on the continent, could be a Hispano-Suiza or a Rolls Royce. The Packard engine and transmission leads me to believe its domestic.
If Jack Innes takes a look, he'll point you in the right direction if its domestic. ws

http://www.vintageraceboatshop.com/HornetII.htm


i3wcqo.jpg
 
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Here is one I turned from a piece of Honduran Mahogany for my "T". Just takes a big lathe and patience. Finding a piece of wood that big is the hard part.
 

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Hello to all

Thank you for all your answers.


I have been looking for information about this steering wheel has not been very easy to get there is very little information about everything regarding to this boat.

Initially I said maybe it was the wheel of a Model T, I said this because the curved that the rays have similar, but after seeing well or repair more attention that there are big differences, support and the curvature of the rays are different I wanted them to be equal :).

Make one, yes I like it, but what size, as is the inner ring, which the thickness of the steering wheel, too many questions :). After your tips I will try again, maybe I can find something else.

Some short history
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/...et II the boat/DSC03632Large2_zpsc8aeec8c.jpg

Some more pictures of the steering wheel
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r43/Flysafe_album/Hornet II the boat/DSC_0065a_zps1ac088c5.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r43/Flysafe_album/Hornet II the boat/DSC01027_zpsafafe0f1.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r43/Flysafe_album/Hornet II the boat/CDE66_zpsc934206e.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r43/Flysafe_album/Hornet II the boat/007_zps332df21c.jpg

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r43/Flysafe_album/Hornet II the boat/P1010010_zpse77acb5c.jpg

Sorry about the link and not put the images visible, the pictures are big.
 
The steering wheel looks like late 20s GM of some sort. The spider looks to be a stamping that folds back over itself - look at the reflection in the dash panel. I would guess it is nickel plated steel as is the horn control assembly. In the same reflection it looks like there are bumps on the back side typical of the GM wheels of the era. The rim is made up of 4 pieces with 4 finger joints evident. The grain indicates that the pieces were steam bent rather than cut to shape. The rim thickness can be measured from other period wheels that look correct - the thickness is important for comfort & control. The wood looks like it might be hickory, old growth ash or possibly maple. If you know the diameter of the gauges it would be easy to determine the steering wheel diameter since ther are some straight on shots to work with.
I will be near about 80 pre war cars soon & will get pictures of anything close.
 
FLYSAFE... if you really need to duplicate the rim, contact the restorer furnished on the link I provided. If you bought the boat, I would try to duplicate the original finger jointed type, after all whats a few thousand on a million dollar boat?
On 1916s wheel, that's a beauty, no doubt! The factory (any of them) would've boo-hoo'd that for a few reasons tho... time to turn them, the waste involved, and the worst part unfortunately is the tendancy to crack the wheel on the quartersawn areas. Not that the glue that was used back in the day was too strong either, but grab the wheel to adjust your seating position, or a hard impact to wheel on a pot hole can leave it in two pieces; well one piece with a grain crack anyway. I would turn a stainless or brass ring to re-enforce the OD and add a little bling to it as well! Did to turn the center out or make a baloney slice and cut it on the bandsaw? Looks like a cut at the bottom in one pic. I like the oak dash!!
Jack... were any wheels spiders' made of cast aluminum? That satin silver finish looks like AL to me with nickel plated steel being a little yellower and heavier (they thought that stuff mattered back then). Everything else appears to be polished AL. Are most of the gages Packard? The speedo (or tach??) is.
Ships wheels were typically assembled in overlayed sections with the spokes being mortised in between the joints. The following video shows a "crude" but handmade wheels typical joinery. Geez, I thought this was a model T forum! ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elMoXapRqRs
 
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Hello to all,

Jack I followed your suggestion in relation to the gauges and I had some luck, thank you so much for the help you gave me.

Thanks for the help you all gave me, I think I already have all the necessary information that I was looking for.

Looks like someone got upset!

Thank you.
 
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