Early steering wheel + Late bug

ouvw2 · Post by **ouvw2** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:37 pm

Hi everybody,
I need some help. Im tring to put a early empi steering wheel into my 74 std but the hubs are different sizes. Is there a adapter out there to fix this or will I have to change a steering shaft or what. Please help.

Post by **Marc** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:13 pm

HOW early? IIRC `61-`73 all have the same diameter shaft splines, but sometime around mid`73 they were reduced to "Rabbit" size. If your wheel uses a bolt-on adapter it should be as simple as finding a `74-up adapter to replace it, but if the splines are part of the wheel I'd guess you'll need to replace the shaft (possibly the entire upper column assembly, too - I've never tried this so I'm not sure what pieces will interchange) with an earlier one. If you go looking at the boneyard focus on `72/`73 columns (earlier than that and the wiper switch was on the dash, and the electrical connections don't use the modular plugs like your `74). Impact-absorbing shafts debuted in `68, and steering locks in `69 (also `68 convertibles) but I don't know if those shafts would work in a `74 housing - the odds would seem better if you stuck to `72/`73.
Some custom wheels I've seen are too "flat" to coexist comfortably with the late t'signal and wiper switch levers, too. The levers are cast from pot-metal that doesn't bend well (cold, anyway) and may snap off if you try to tweak them.

If the wheel is for a `60 or older I'd say you're screwed

ouvw2 · Post by **ouvw2** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:06 am

Yea mine is a 74 std and it has the smaller shaft on it. The steering wheel is a Empi originalGTV wheel so Im guessing its is made for the earlier bugs. If I do the 72/73 inter change the wiper arm would not be a problem because of the way the whell is built. Thanks for the ideas and help.

Any body else have any answers?