Real wood horn pads? Info and story?

[SCFlareside]

Ok have you ever had something sitting right under your nose, and not even really "seen" it right away?  I'm embarrassed to admit this but:

The other day I heard from a parts guy that some of the bullnoses had actual wood horn buttons on the steering wheels.  I previously thought they were all plastic, both the rosewood and burlwood versions.  Is that true?

Now, I thought that 'Silver', my recently acquired '85 Flareside, just had an early '80 or '81 rosewood trim steering wheel installed perhaps out of a junkyard.  It's got the normal, later, 1985 era burlwood dash and radio bezel that are plastic.   I went out, and... lo and behold I think that it's real wood, can that be?  

I figured that if anyone knew the story of this legend it would be here at Gary's.  What have I missed? :)

[1986F150Six]

I believe all were plastic based.

[SCFlareside]

Hard to tell on mine, going to take a closer look today but probably plastic.  Finish feels rough though like old varnish.  Could be either.  May remove it and take a closer look

[SCFlareside]

Ok here is a pic from the guy I was talking with of a real wood one....

[kramttocs]

Yep. All plastic for the trucks.
The one in that photo is from a van so has a different pattern than trucks. I am thinking the vans had real wood for things like the cupholders so maybe they had real wood horn pads? Been awhile since we took 1990's family vacations in one

[Angelo Voltura]

kramttocs wrote

Yep. All plastic for the trucks.
The one in that photo is from a van so has a different pattern than trucks. I am thinking the vans had real wood for things like the cupholders so maybe they had real wood horn pads? Been awhile since we took 1990's family vacations in one

That is possible. Although I think if you saw them in the trucks they would probably Centurion models, and even then I'd bet that wheel came out of a van.

[kramttocs]

Those centurions are odd beasts.
Never seen in one in person or noticed what pattern they had for the horn but considering what little I have seen of them,  they did have similar cupholders to the vans so I wouldn't be surprised to find out they used a van horn like that photo.

[SCFlareside]

Hmm.  I wonder if a person could replace the horn pad with real wood...

SO anyway I digress.  Pretty clear that my horn pad on my truck pictured above, was not the original - correct?  I'd assume all the 85 F150s with burlwood dash trim, came with a burlwood horn pad to match?

[kramttocs]

You definitely could. I've seen some really nice real wood armrests in these trucks.

You are correct - yours isn't original to the 85.
It also has horn icons on the ends which I think was a van only thing also.

[kramttocs]

Yours is in really nice shape regardless of what it came in. Going to keep it with both styles, change the hood, or change the dash?

[SCFlareside]

I was going to keep the truck as original as I could, and I have nice burlwood dash and radio bezel to go in.  However... the older rosewood would match better!  Open to opinions :)

[kramttocs]

Up to your taste on that. I like the rosewood personally but a burlwood with good color isn't bad at all.
I clear coated mine to prevent the pealing/flaking but not sure what would be a preventative measure to slow the burlwood to purple change.

Others may have some good suggestions on that.