What steering wheel to buy?

[Terminator]

I want to buy a non std steering wheel for my RS and I want some ideas from those who have differing wheels.


Can you post some pics of the steering wheels also please.

[JD]

This is my Nardi wheel. Its 360mm vs the 350mm, which most of the other wheels are. You can get it with silver spokes to. I like it, but getting a Nardi hub is real pain in the b.t! It also beat my original bus wheel, which was over 400mm (I think 420mm) :shock:

[Chuck Miller]

Clyde,

With all the buzz about Prototipos, I have to agree with Justin...

My car didn't have a stock wheel when I bought it ... It had an old RaceMark.

When I first restored it in '90 I bought an Personal 'thumb grip' wheel... I drove it for years, but never thought it looked right in the car. Then a few years back I bought a Nardi 360mm/14" black leather wheel for $15.00 at the GAF Swap and refinished it myself...

It looks right, and better yet, feels right... It's not too thick and has finger grips in back ... it's kind'a delicate

... I acquired another RaceMark, in very good shape, and just for the hell of it put it on .... it's kind'of'a more racy runner-up...... but the Nardi is stay'n... 8)

Cheers,

[gtsclassics]

I have been looking at a line of steering wheels from Italy which has some classic models. These also use the nardi style hub (top screws at 10 to 2 position) . Momo = 12 o'clock).

I will certainly be able to get hubs easily enough if Nardi ones are hard to come by.

Attached are a few pics for comments.

Chuck and Justins wheels are certainly nice classic examples. Momo's Prototipo is a good wheel and if you can find one with silver spokes, these look great and of course, were a factory item on many race cars.

I agree that Clyde does need to change wheels as your fingers brush the dash with the current one so perhaps you need a bit more 'dish" in it or a thicker hub to add clearance. I have tried a number of different wheels all 350mm dia. which i feel are much more responsive than the std wheel, once you get moving along. Clyde should have a smaller dia wheel on the RS - what dia. is it Clyde ?

The Mugello wheel below looks a bit like the Nardi with the slots and I believe comes in leather as well as wood.

So Clyde, are these some Santa shopping hints for Lynne ?

[e72phil]

Clyde,

here are some pics of wheels from various cars I saw in California last month.

Both are prototipos, black one is in Don Murrays real RS, but its a late model wheel. Silver one is in Ray Crawfords R Gruppe car. Checks his seats out ! These are custom leather replica R seats from Vintage Seats in CA. Very neat.


Silver looks more period I think.

[hippo]

Steering Wheel

Clyde,

Attached is the silver prototipo on my 2.4E...very happy with it.

Andrew

[Terminator]

Did you get more clearance from the dash with that wheel Andrew?

The 69s arriving this week has an original prototipo wheel so I might wait to see what that feels like. Thanks for the ideas guys keep them coming and the pics are really helpful

[lisa_spyder]

Clyde,

Andrew drove his car for about an hour with the original wheel :wink: .

However, I do have fairly long nails and lament the clearance problem to a 911 dash every time I jump in one (broken nails are a pain for a gal :lol: ). We have a 3.0L Turbo wheel in the blue car and even that is too close to the dash for me...

Having driven Andrew's car the answer is yes. The wheel is slightly dished, but not so much so that the wheel is too close to your chest (in my case, what is that!). Andrew being a great height (I need to see the chiro after talking to him :lol: ) would have difficulty if the wheel was too close, but he seems quite comfortable with it.

I like the feel of this wheel and it suits the car. I agree with Phil; the silver spokes look more period and as the rest of the dash is all black the silver is a nice highlight.

Bosses are not always easy to get for these, nor are Porsche horn buttons. I can help you out with pointers for both if you decide to go with this wheel.

My personal choice will always be a Nardi as per Chuck's pics and description...but then we have a woodrim Nardi in the Abarth and that is just so beautiful to the touch and to drive with that it is hard to go past...entirely different kettle of fish of course :wink: .

[Terminator]

No wood rims thanks, silver spokes look good as I said will wait to see what the 69S wheel feels like.

Actually without giving too many secrets away its my own present to myself for making 50 without a heart attack although I am not quite there yet so I should shut up

[hippo]

Clyde,

As Lisa says I only know the Momo wheel and that was by need not choice as the bus wheel required me to to have my right leg out the drivers window to steer the thing on the "test" drive....like I knew what the hell I was driving anyway !!

Have taken the car on a few brisk drives and the feel is great as is the surprise that the smaller wheel still gives a light steering even at slow speeds without losing the feel.

Plus I think they look great in silver as well.

Andrew

[Terminator]

Got a picture Andrew or is the car still at Spyder and I can go look for myself?

[spydr32000]

Clyde, Andrews car is back at home, he was getting lonely with out it! I think the E was missing him too.

[hippo]

Steering Wheel

Clyde,

Already posted a pic on the thread 5 emails back.

Andrew

[Terminator]

Duh!!!!

[JD]

Should anyone be interested in getting a Nardi wheel at some stage in the near future, on Ebay is the correct hub for the Nardi with a pre '74 Porsche (the 74 and later ones are easy to find).

Its cost is $74 USD and it is Item number: 8020024290 . Its actually the same outfit that I purchased my wheel from without any dramas.