As long as I can remember the black hard rubber like material used for steering wheel rims has been called "Fordite" Bruce McCally (rip) calls it as such.

But if you Google "Fordite" it is described as being a paint based substance often called Detroit Agate or Motor Agate which is the material which results from numerous layers of paint retrieved from the paint assembly line where it builds up over a long period.

It is used to produce jewelry or other items.

So what is the correct name for the material the steering wheel rims are made of?

Did Ford actually call it Fordite in the 1920's and the name has been "stolen"

Often both items will be shown as being called the same name but it does not appear to be the case here!!!

Good question Peter, I agree that the Ford product for steering wheels is called "Fordite" by many. I hope that someone that has studied the archives will chime in. How was the original Fordite made?

Bakelite suffered a similar fate. I found this:

http://www.compositeshelp.com/resources/AutoPlasticsHistory+Brooke-2013+SAE+WC.p df

"Henry Ford innovated an
alternative for steering-wheel
rims: Fordite
• Mixture of wheat straw,
rubber, sulphur, silica, other
mat’ls
• Mass produced for Ford car
& truck steering wheel rims"

Hi Mike, How's things in Lincoln?

For those interested here is an example of the "paint" Fordite or Detroit agate

Typical of these times to hijack a word.
Magneto is now a comic book character.

yes, and hooters is something else totally un-related to cars.

Alan, what were hooters in cars, the horns I'm guessing? unless you car had owls or t**s

As Dick Van Dyke wisely quips in the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - "You'll find a slight squeeze on the hooter an excellent safety precaution".

Ford tried alot of things over the years I had could and a steering wheel rI'm made from soy bean concoction

Link with some past discussions. Positive proof that Ford used the " Fordite" word to describe the composition.

Best regards, John Page, Australia

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/295863.html?1339919222

My 27 steering wheel looks like its plastic. I think its made of Ford's soybean plastic material. Would the soybean plastic be called Fordite II?

I have some other wheels that appear to be just hard rubber. They tend to shed some black on your hands. I suspect they are after market.

For those who can't be bothered to read the link.

If anyone wants to get a better idea of how Henry Ford and his factories operated you can't go past all of the books that I listed above.

Best regards, John Page , Australia





\