There hasn't been too much in the way of Mustang themed steering wheels from the aftermarket for our vintage Mustangs. Sure, you can install a repro wheel, horn button, and all that if you need something correct looking for your Mustang. However, if you have a nice driver or a modified car and you're searching for something that appears period looking and fits the Mustang theme with a little more feel to the grip coupled with nice looks and build quality to spare, your options have been limited. While you can get any number of high-tech billet street rod-type steering wheels, and they're nice, they often look out of place in a vintage Mustang interior. What if you have a relatively stock interior and want a nice steering wheel that "fits in"?
1. Our ’65’s steering wheel...
1. Our ’65’s steering wheel had certainly seen better days. A cracked rim, scratched repaint, and a missing horn button all add up to an uncomfortable driving experience and a part that really makes the rest of the interior look bad.
Well, now you can thank the folks at new-comer GT Performance Products for their line of Retro steering wheels. It is the Retro line where you will find a very nice Mustang themed steering wheel. The GT Retro Mustang wheel is available in a black foam grip (PN 36-5451, $151.98) or a beautiful solid wood grip with urethane clearcoat (PN 35-5457, $245.98). These wheels both feature a stainless steel brushed center with four-hole spoke design and faux horn buttons on the ends of the spokes (similar in appearance to the Mustang's actual deluxe wood grain wheel). The wheels are 15-inches in diameter with a 4-inch dish, just like the stock Mustang wheel, for a perfect fit.
GT Performance Products offers several horn button designs, from the period looking cap with a Mustang running horse logo we used (PN 11-1525, $38.98), to a more trick cap with engraved Ford oval, and more. Its line of center cap/horn button combos are all made from billet aluminum and are highly polished for a great look. The horn button and required polished billet aluminum mounting hub (available for '64½-'80 Mustangs) are both sold separately and will actually work with most other common three-bolt design wheels. So if you're on a tight budget and your current aftermarket wheel's mounting or horn button setup isn't up to your standards, you can just upgrade to the billet hardware GT Performance Products offers as an option too.
2. As noted, our horn button...
2. As noted, our horn button was already missing, but if it had been there, releasing it is as easy as pushing down and rotating it counter-clockwise after disconnecting the battery (or the turn signal switch at the base of the column). A 15⁄16-inch socket will remove the retaining nut. A steering wheel puller tool is also a good item to have handy if the wheel doesn’t pop off with a little wiggling.
3. The GT Performance Products...
3. The GT Performance Products retro wood wheel is offered with numerous horn button options, but once you’ve placed your order, the steering wheel, horn button of choice, and mounting hub/adapter are shipped as a kit—well packaged at that.
4. The first step in preparing...
4. The first step in preparing the new wheel for installation is to apply the grease caplet to the back of the mounting hub on the contact disc for the horn contacts. This will prevent chatter/skipping of the horn contacts and possible intermittent horn operation. It will also keep things quiet in the column. For our ’65, we ordered the PN 10-6004 hub ($47.98).
5. If you didn’t ensure your...
5. If you didn’t ensure your front wheels were straight when you removed your old wheel, you can slip your original wheel over the column splines and turn the wheel until your front wheels are pointed straight. Once you’ve verified your steering is straight, the GT Performance Products GT-3 hub can be placed over the steering column shaft with the two marks shown straight up.
6. The GT Performance Products’...
6. The GT Performance Products’ billet hub includes this trick sleeve that fits over the hub to aid in a precise fit and a clean look. We’re slipping it in place here and will secure it later after the wheel installation is complete. Note too that we installed the retaining nut (just to “snug”) to seat the hub on the tapered steering shaft.
7. The billet horn button...
7. The billet horn button uses a billet base that is bolted to the hub, sandwiching the steering wheel, using three 7⁄16-inch bolts included. If you have the large retaining nut in place as we did, you’ll need to remove it temporarily as it secures the completed assembly.
8. The billet horn button...
8. The billet horn button is available in a standard height of 1 1/2-inch, a low-profile version that is but 1-inch tall, and their Hi-Rise billet horn button with a more classic design that is 1 1/2-inches tall. We chose the Hi-Rise model with the classic running horse Mustang logo. The horn button wiring is a simple two-wire plug-in job.
9. GT Performance Products’...
9. GT Performance Products’ trick horn button retaining mechanism is nothing more than a traditional round body O-ring. The O-ring grabs the aluminum horn button body tightly for a perfect fit. The actual horn button you push is the emblem in the center, unlike other wheels where the whole center cap moves.
10. With our GT Retro wheel...
10. With our GT Retro wheel installation complete, all that’s left is to position the adjustable ring into place with a slight gap between it and the steering column tube and tighten the small set screw at the bottom of the ring with the included Allen wrench. Don’t forget to reconnect the battery or steering column wiring.
11. The finished installation makes a world of difference in this ‘65’s interior. The GT Performance Products wheel is a bit more of a hit on the wallet than some Mustang steering wheels, but with the beautiful wood grip, solid construction, and billet hardware, the Retro wheel is certainly worth the price to improve the looks and feel of your interior, not to mention your driving experience.