Steering Wheel - Horn Button Upgrade

There are several here:  http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html...rn+button&crdt=0

Grant, here's some food for thought. Included here are 4 wheel treatments:

Joe Soltis', Marty G's, Allan Shapiros's and mine. Perhaps they could give you their sources. Mine is a Nardi that I got through Carey at Special Editions. But in all honesty, I like yours just the way it is which looks pretty similar to Joe's.

I agree with Rich.  I think your's looks fine the way it is.  Save your money.  I'm sure that you'll find something else to spend it on for your car.  Ask me how I know :-)

Rich--from what I believe, metal  (real) Speedsters never were delivered with anything but the "regular" Nardi wheel and none of the pix you posted are of what I would call the "regular" Nardi wheel.

 

Am I right--anyone?

Jack, your question is beyond my knowledge, Grant was looking for horn button improvements/changes...whether or not any of these are "period" correct, I don't know.

 

Wiki shows this:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrico_Nardi

 

My understanding is that Nardi's were a dealer installed option along with Derringtons.  I thought originals were banjo wheels.

True.... but not just any banjo (like the flat 4). Something much cooler (and much, much, much more expensive these days). I've seen the horn rings alone are going for north of $2K.

 

 

FWIW, here's a horn button link:

http://www.sierramadrecollecti...roduct_list&c=13

Stan, post a photo of your wheel, I didn't have a photo of it...I think that's what Grant really wants to know, horn button options for "Derrington" type wheels. Which, btw, is what I should have gotten.

Stan's got it right and those pics are of the factory installed steering wheel.  Nardis, Derringtons or any other wheel were installed by the dealers, just like the outside mirrors.

 

An interesting (and functional) feature of those dealer wheels (often lost when going to the "cooler" aftermarket wheels) is that pressing on the "horn ring" made the high beams flash (with no horn), while pressing on the horn button made the horn beep.  Way cool for the '50's.......hitting that Horn Ring said "Get outa my way, man!"

Grant, I agree its the plastic that throws off your good looking wood wheel.  Need more of an enamel finish for it too look more old school and classic.  Contact IM for other center options.  This is close to yours.  Same 9 hole design.  Or try these guys too.

 

  http://www.classicowheels.com/hornbuttons.htm 

 

Thanks all for the responses and helpful info. 

 

I was doing some reading on the 356 Registry site and learned that the factory 356A horn button is supposed to fit the Darrington wheel but not the Nardi.  Since what I have appears to be a Darrington or a Darrington reproduction I am going to experiment to see if the 356A horn button is interchangable.  I really like the look, and believe that it gives the car alittle more of that period currect look and alittle less of the kit car look.  It looks like Sierra Madre Collection has them, and they are just a few miles away from me so its worth a shot.

 

Thanks again, Grant 

 

Someone on here (Gerry in the UK? ) just did a horn button by using a hubcap crest onto something.  Like within the last three months, too.  Do a search on here.

I wish someone would offer a trim ring for the banjo wheel so I could add the flash to pass feature in the factory manor.
I

I hope the Sierra Madre repro horn button works out on your derrington.  I bet it will look good.

 

I like my Nardi but wish someone manufactured affordable repros of the original steering wheels:

 

me.  i used the stoddard hub cap crest on my setup.  worked awesome and was pretty reasonable ($).

I agree .someone needs to make the original wheel. But at the 15 inch diameter wth a houn ring.

Lane, how about your buddy, the steering wheel maker?

Lane, how about your buddy, the steering wheel maker?

Old yeler has a point - I think the original wheels were close to 16 inches in diameter. 

 

Sierra madre sells reproductions but they're around $2000, not including the horn ring and button. 

He only makes wooden wheels, Tom.

If I could get my hands on a real wheel, I don't think it would be super hard to make a replica.

Jeff

Hey Jeff,

 

I have a real wheel (white banjo with horn ring and porsche crest button) on my IM. Original owner had it installed when he took delivery in 2005. Wheel is in pristine condition with only a couple of surface hairline cracks in outer wheel. Problem is, I don't think it pops off real easy.....