Steering wheel

Hi Allison,

I have a Nardi wooden steering wheel (see photo), I've noticed that many Speedsters have this type of Steering wheel.  Good Luck!  As a side note you can also purchase the horn button with the large Porsche Logo, from one of the Club members. If you're interested, I can dig out his SOC email address for you to contact him.

Ditto on what @Larry Scislowicz said. Nardi wheel with a horn button from Jamie @James007.

What don’t you like about the steering wheel you have on there now? Is the diameter too large? Is the diameter too small? Is it too thick? Is it too thin? The Nardi is a popular choice and so is a style of wheel called a Derrington. If it’s just the Porsche Crest Horne, but you want dad getting one from James is probably your best bet.

Flat4 Banjo is a nice look imho.

banjos too flimsy for me

I used this Derrington " look alike " 14” steering wheel with a 4” Billet hub extension ...eBay $245.

That's a nice wheel, Alan.  I've always like the Derrington look for any sports car.

I should have added, that is one very sweet interior.  The gray and tan really look nice, and the pattern on the seats is quite spiffy...

@Alan Merklin posted:

I used this Derrington " look alike " 14” steering wheel with a 4” Billet hub extension ...eBay $245.

Alan.  Is this your new outlaw?  My car will be very close to this.  No dash leather.  Similar looking Moto-Lita steering wheel.  No boot on the vintage speed shifter.  Well done.  I probably should have  just bought your car.  Of course I would have given you my Pat Downs 2.65L Type 4 to put in it. 

@barncobob posted:

banjos too flimsy for me

I have a banjo in my spyder.  If you pull the 3 little bars outward the wheel stiffens up significantly.  I do it every time I drive the car.

@550 Phil posted:

Alan.  Is this your new outlaw?  My car will be very close to this.  No dash leather.  Similar looking Moto-Lita steering wheel.  No boot on the vintage speed shifter.  Well done.  I probably should have  just bought your car.  Of course I would have given you my Pat Downs 2.65L Type 4 to put in it.

That dash looks really clean great looking Alan.

@550 Phil posted:

I have a banjo in my spyder.  If you pull the 3 little bars outward the wheel stiffens up significantly.  I do it every time I drive the car.

Not this ape. Not even a chance. That thing would look like a taco inside of an hour in my ham-fisted... um... fists.

Stan... Stan. One does not drive a 550 RS Spyder with "ham fists." One caresses the steering wheel gently, guiding the car with the tips of one's fingers, gripping no more tightly than one would grip the most sensitive parts of a lover's anatomy.

Im more of a texas titty twister driver with my steering wheels(sorry Theron)

@edsnova posted:

Stan... Stan. One does not drive a 550 RS Spyder with "ham fists." One caresses the steering wheel gently, guiding the car with the tips of one's fingers, gripping no more tightly than one would grip the most sensitive parts of a lover's anatomy.

Agreed.  That’s one of the sweet things about banjos and skinny old Nardis, they encourage a light touch. The only thing I need a whole hand for is shifting into reverse. Otherwise, fingertips.

@Speedster Alli ,  soooooo many options, each with their merits.  Like shoes, there is one for every occasion ;-)

Are you trying to address a particular issue? I.e. reach ( dished vs flat wheel) , diameter of wheel to facilitate access ( 420mm original large size, 400 medium size, 380mm medium/small,  360mm small size),  feel ( thin vs thicker), firmness of wheel under spirited driving (thin banjo will flex some vs aluminum core with wood trim),

Other things to consider will include how the wheel is mounted to your steering shaft ( what adaptor you need, and spacers- if needed), how the wheel is mounted to your adaptor ( 6 bolt Nardi, or momo, 9 bolt, or 3 bolt), horn button - based on the wheel you choose and adaptor used), expense of various components, and labor ( DYi vs shop rates).

Purely on the look department there are some popular options:

- a more traditional Porsche style recreation from MSW can run you +1,300$ + labor to install.

- the traditional and popular Banjo option (400mm), pictured above.

- an ISP West  Darrington (sp) example will run you - 460$, typically 380mm, with 1”dish… and they sell a complete kit for the above price. wheel ( in multiple wood type/finishes), adaptors to fit the various VW steering shafts , horn ring and horn button.

- the. You have the Nardi style wood wheels… many options out there as referenced above. That can be found in 9 hole, 6 hole ( nardi/momo, or combination of both).  Flat, or dished. moto-lita has a great catalog to give you ideas. Prices between $120-400$ for the wheel alone… then you need to sort out adaptors, horn rings, horns, spaceres if needed, etc…  https://www.moto-lita.co.uk/steering-wheels/

Alan referenced an eBay example above…

- or you can go custom build with artisans like Mike Lempert.- he has a great write-up with popular styles for our cars on his site.    https://pbase.com/mdlempert/replicas

I

like shoes this one car interface point is highly personal…I have tried many wheel set ups over the past 10yrs, and would be happy to share what I learned along the way.  Also, if you search the magnifying glass in the upper right hand corner of the forum web page for “ steering wheels” you will find many postings from owners on our steering wheel journey and items to consider.

oh, and you may want to try Greg at Vintage Motorcars… they may sell the Darlington style wheel/hub/horn ring with exposed bolts as a part kit as well.  Attached a picture from a recent owner who took delivery recently of his new car.

Happy shopping,

Some of the wheels that have adorned my car over the last decade:  some are similar style, but in different finishes, number of decorative rivets, vs inlay of different color wood lines, , and dished vs flat.  Sizes varied from 400mm to 380mm (15”)… which is now my personal preference.  Also played between black and ivory horn buttons, 6 bolt vs 9 bolt, and horn ring where bolts are visible vs. not visible:

currently on the car, a Derrinton style,, 9 bolt wheel, 1” dish with ISP West hub/9cm spacer to bring the wheel closer to me… as I’m 6’’1” and my seat is set way back.

I’m also attaching a picture from another owner comparing the site of a 420mm to a 380mm wheel, for reference… shows that the larger wheel really limits the space between your leg, wheel and shifter.

Oh, and don’t forget your shoes must match your belt… so I played with shift knobs as wheel as my wheels changed. Unfortunately the artisan that made the wood/inlay ones pictured below passed during the COVID pandemic, but you can find similar ones in eBay, or sierra madre/NLA.  … you would kneed to know what thread your shifter has.

it’s all about the touch points ;-)

the one currently installed

I just pulled the piano black one… for change of season :-)… it gets hot when parked out in the sun!

@Lfepardo-

When you talk about steering wheels we all listen.

The thing is - in your first post, the first 5 and last 2 pictures didn't show up. Of the 10 pictures total, I can only see 4 of them (6, 7, 8, and 9). I'd really like to see what you're talking about.

Flattery will get you everywhere Stan ;-) Sorry, user error from my cell on my part.  Will attach from my computer when I get home leater today.   

As long as the car/engine keeps running smoothly/yto my liking  it seems like these touch points are the only bits I can consitently play with on the weekends to finetune my driving experience .   ;-)

Cheers,

Allie........Just for a little levity.  Here is a different approach to selecting a steering wheel. Probably the least expensive way to go and has a lot of excellent features that no other steering wheel has. Such as, easy ingress and egress, wide open and unencumbered view of instrument panel and for security.......A steering lock !  Power steering is recommended but still offered as optional..............Bruce

420mm Now that is a wheel...

@Speedster Alli you can't go wrong with the look of a nardi wheel....just curious when were going to see this car at SUPERCAR SUNDAY?....this sunday 6/11 is another PORSCHE MARQUE day...although rain possible , we'llsee  @Lfepardo very sad the shift knob guy passed ...he made mine...a piece of art by a true master woodworker...just makes the car

Make sure you don't go too big on the wheel size.

Your waist size and the wheel size matters. Make sure you'll be able to get in and out.

I have a 15" Nardi in my Spyder. I can get in and out easy enough. My customer has a larger Nardi(I don't know exact size but it's at least 16.5") and I just squeak in there. It's a matter of getting my right leg under and around the wheel. Getting in a Spyder is definitely harder than a Speedster.

This is my Nardi with matching horn button and shift knob. They don't match the wheel, but whatever. This car is a rolling experiment anyway.

I do love the look of those wheels with the rivets coming through the wood though.

@IaM-Ray posted:

420mm Now that is a wheel...

Old school power steering.

I like the skinny ones like that top one.

Unfortunately, I don’t think Nandi makes them anymore. The closest thing is the Anni 60 with the flat spokes. The last time I saw an old school one on eBay, they wanted an arm and a leg for it.

Some bargains still out there.

I will add, as a technical aside, that you'll want a flat wheel, no (or very little, less than an inch) dish for most Speedster and Spyder applications. Important to keep in mind as most aftermarket steering wheels have more dish than that.

Mine is pretty slight. About an inch iirc.

@dlearl476 posted:

Mine is pretty slight. About an inch iirc.

Would it be too soon after the great hardware debate of 2023 to point out that even inferior H/D hardware is better than no hardware at all?

Check your 7:00, Cap'n.

anyone using a suicide knob or am I showing my age

@Stan Galat posted:

Would it be too soon after the great hardware debate of 2023 to point out that even inferior H/D hardware is better than no hardware at all?

Check your 7:00, Cap'n.

Lol. That was one of my first “de-Home Depot-ing” projects after I bought my Spyder. It’s hard to see it in that pic, but the wheel had a crack in it. It given to the PO by one on Nardi’s sons who ran the US distributorship in Miami. Apparently it had sat on a shelf in their warehouse for years and when he told him he was restoring my car, he gave it to him.

I pulled it off, glued, clamped, sanded, and refinished it before replacing it with polished SS hardware and one of Jamie’s excellent horn buttons. I just don’t have a picture of it that illustrates the dish.

It’s taken almost 10 years and about $1K at Ace and Belmetric, but I’ve pretty much rid my Spyder of cabinet and plumbing hardware.

@barncobob posted:

anyone using a suicide knob or am I showing my age

In a sportscar? No.

On a Ford tractor? Absolutely.

@Stan Galat posted:

In a sportscar? No.

On a Ford tractor? Absolutely.

A friend of my older brother’s had a mid-engined V8 Corvair. He used to joke about bringing it to the local gymkanas and driving it around with one hand while he sipped a soda with the other.

Here are the pics that didn’t post from last night.

- wheels from MSW.  I have enjoyed two iterations of the ivory one, one with a half horn ring, one without. Sold both to Porsche guys who didn’t want to wait to order from MSW.

- The ISP West kit- darrington and nardi style combined ( the upper two spikes are in the same position as Nardi wheels) , with 9 rivets in front, 9 bolt, 1” dish, horn ring covers bolts,  (( they offer a couple ranging from light/golden to maple reddish), and complete kit..

- and my favorite quality wheels, from Mike Lempert:

one like the one Anant (sp’) had built black, in 400mm, and a more traditional nardi style with contrasting inlay … both thin wheels, both with rivets visible in the back only.

in momo/nardi bolt patern..l wished I would have had these made in 9 bolt… since I fa our my ISP West mount/horn ring.   They would not be hanging in my home office if I had. I could not bare selling them and ordering a new one with the proceeds… and then COVID hit and I put it in back burner,

@dlearl476 the top one in the picture you reference is a Mike Lempert wheel… thin, 380mm, flat, nardi like creation. Beautiful and great feeling solid wheel to drive!

I replaced the black MotoLita with a wooden like steering wheel also made by MotoLita on my 1956 CMC Soeedster.

I have Nardi I will sell for $250.00 plus shipping.