The modern steering wheel might be an engineering marvel with all its safety features and extra controls, but I think steering wheel design really peaked in the 1940s with the creation of what Chevrolet called the Spinner Wheel.
Back when steering wheels were all chrome and wood with a distinct lack of safety features, Chevrolet thought it could reinvent the wheel and give drivers even more control with an optional upgrade; a wheel within a wheel that would allow for more precise handling.
The innovative design, which was brought to our attention by the Ramblin Around YouTube channel, is both simple and wildly complex at the same time.
Unlike the humble knob that you’ll find on some truck wheels to help them spin freely, the Spinner Wheel is over-engineered brilliance. It comprises a standard steering wheel design with another circle inside perched at the edge. Inside that second wheel is a free-spinning handle that you can grip onto.
The handle spins on a set of ball bearings inside the circle and doesn’t actually control the direction of the car at all. Instead, it’s about making the car easier to control with one hand, in a move that would give driving instructors today the heebie jeebies.
The steering wheel was available fresh from the factory and could be specced on models like the Chevrolet Business Coupe, which was available from 1937 until 1940. The wheel could also be purchased after the fact, with Chevys Of The 40s adding that the part could be fitted to almost any Chevrolet model of the period.
It’s a lovely little find that, while probably pretty deadly in a crash, makes me hate the cumbersome, boxy design of modern steering wheels even more. And sure, this little extra may be no easier to use than a suicide knob you could buy for a few bucks, but its implementation into the design of the steering wheel is quite delightful.
If you don’t own a vintage Chevrolet and like the idea of an accessory like this on your current car, then I’ve got good news as a vintage Spinner Wheel is now listed for sale on eBay. The wheel does need some TLC and is missing the bearings needed to get the handle spinning, but imagine how cool you’d look pulling up alongside a Tesla driver struggling with their yoke?
