Banjo steering wheel & column

Send me a picture or post a picture and I can get you pointed in the right direction. Send a picture to:

 

daniel@seductionmotorsports.com

 

 

http://www.vwispwest.com/F4IN-200.html

 

$259 + $75 adapter

 

 

Count the splines and measure column size to determine adapter needed. If VW T1 (Ghia/T3) 60-73/4 should be same splines with 27 mm nut.

 

I replied to your email, just wanted to follow up and see if you had any further questions. I have some Banjo wheels and adapters I can go make measurements for you if you would like.

 

-Daniel

 

Daniel, thanks. There are 40 splines. In the boxes of parts that came with the car I found a Nardi hub kit part #4302.00.5404 that googled to the USAIRCOOLED people. I don't think I'll use that unit. My concern is using the columb that came with the car, the wheel may end up being too close to the driver. I gutted the interior out for now to clear everything for the installation of new pedals, PBS cable shifter and vintage E brake assembly. Once all that stuff is in place I'll put the driver seat back in and see what the situation is as far as the position of the wheel. I'll get back to you on what I decide shortly. I've mentioned it before that with the original sale of the car, the subsequent sale in 2004 on eBay, the thousands of dollars spent by the previous owner for parts and now the total restoration of this Spyder by me, this project is waaaay over any cost(s) of buying a new turn key replica. I'll end up with a 200HP/8K red line Spyder after all is completed and thankfully I didn't have to spend all that money to get this little monster on the road. Its something for prospective buyers of replicas to consider when they are shopping for these vehicles. Next car sitting here in my warehouse is an original 1987 Fiberfab Speedster Californian kit car still new in the boxes. THAT will entail more work but it's therapy for me now that I'm retired

Banjo certainly looks most authentic, but if you plan to give the car a work out a Nardi or VDM style wheel is not going to flex like a Banjo.

From your hub P/N I am guessing your car is a Beck?
I have custom shorter hubs that will buy you an inch or so, plus there are a few tricks to play with the wheel depth and I can walk you through those, just shoot me am email or PM.

BTW RCosta^^^ speaks the truth there.

Here's one of Carey's hubs on a Nardi wheel in a Vintage Spyder. I modified a 911 wheel center to use the Grant bezel(behind Carey's aluminum hub) and also I modified the turn lever. It is a beautifully crafted piece, too. Thanks, Carey!

Again, I appreciate the input regarding the steering wheel. I was setting up a new set of fibersteel pedals in the car and took a little time to toss the bucket in the car and get an idea as to how the wheel would feel as I sat in the seat (I'm 6'1"). The end of the shaft is 5" out from the cluster fascia. Just the Nardi hub projects out another 1 1/2". with the adapter it will be way too close. I would like to have the wheel as close to the dash as practical. The directionals were modified by the previous owner to operate on a horizontal three position switch. Therefore I should be able to locate the wheel closer to the dash. The bearing in the columb is 2 1/4" from the dash. The collar projects out another 1". If I could shorten the shaft an inch and get a different/shorter hub the wheel should fit better for me.  Carey, my email is haltgg@yahoo.com.  Please let me know what option(s) I have to get this wheel better situated. 

I didn't say this before, but my the back of my wheel is 3" from the dash "eyebrow".

 

Two inches of room between the wheel and the turn stalk. I wouldn't make it any closer than that, it works fine for me. I have average size hands, and occasionally I touch the windshield when going hand over hand on the wheel. 

The threaded end of the steering shaft is 4" from the eye brow. The Nardi hub front surface without any adapter(s) is 5 1/2". Therefore the wheel will be no less than that 5 1/2". Considering your advice I could shorten the shaft at least 2 inches. The collapsible basket/cylinder on the shaft has already been shortene down to 4 1/4". I could cut the 2" out of there and cut the collar back in the cockpit. The collar in the cockpit has only 1" to the bearing. Not sure if the bearing could be located further into the steering outer housing. 

Never got around to shoot off an e-mail, so I'll just post the info here.

 

Yes, the column bearing sleeve can be shortened.  The bearings at either end can be pushed out, shorten the tube, and then press them back in.

 

Also, where the steering column pushes onto the input shaft of the steering box you'll find a pinch bolt and a flat spot about 1 1/4" long.  This is where the pinch bolt passes the column.  You can loosen the pinch bolt and move the column forward and backward here by almost an inch.  Not sure where your starting point is, obviously, but if you are all the way back then you can gain almost an inch by just doing this.

 

The smaller hub adapter will also buy you some room.

 

Lastly, you can (very carefully) shorten the column.  Any time we shorten a column or fabricate a custom column I sleeve the column with rod, drill and press in roll pins on both ends, and then weld it up solid.