What size steering wheel?

What is the size that most people use on speedsters?

Thanks

Dave

Dave, I used the 15" Nardi in my VS and will be using the 15" flat Derrington Repro in my IM. I think they are putting out a limited number of either 16 or 17" Derringtons through E-Bay.

I like the 15" because I am long legged and it helps give room in slipping in/out of the car.

David

I have 14" Grant steering wheel.

David,

Original Porsche 356s came with 400mm (15.75") steering wheels and you could get a 425mm (16.75") as an option. In today's auto world those steering wheels look and feel big enough to drive a bus.

Most turnkey replicas are equipped with Nardi 390mm (15.35") wheels. Some have the even smaller 360mm (14.17"). The 14-15.5" range is about right for these cars...maximizing entry/exit but not small enough to look "hot rod."

I'm running a 390mm Derrington "look alike." It's slightly "dished," unlike the real Derringtons which were flat.

With steering wheels, a small change in diameter makes quite a difference.

Thanks guys.

John, it looks like you had a Nardi 360 wheel on your car originally.
Did it seem too small?

Thanks

Dave

My new Speedster has always had the 390mm Lacarra steering wheel - which is really a mix of a vintage VDM and a Derrington. I did fiddle with the horn button, however, winding up with the current old Porsche crest.

The 360mm seems small to me, but I'm 6'2".

I remember that my original donor car, a 1969 VW "citycar" from Brookline, near Boston, had a J.C. Whitney "NASCAR SPECIAL" steering wheel when I got it. Had a really spiffy, wicked thick, rubber hand-grip thingy on it and "JCW" on the horn button. Cool-as-a-Moose.

I would have kept it on my speedster but for two things; it was sort-of a blue-gray color (think Jeff Gordon's car color) but I had a Burgundy Speedster interior and it kind-of clashed, and then my wife bought me a Brazilian Rosewood, Momo Corsa wheel for Christmas a few years back (secretly, though, I don't think she liked the JC Whitney wheel all that much). The Momo looks a LOT like a Nardi (but they ALL do, don't they?), without the engine-turning or the vibra-pencil "signature" on the spoke, but I llove it because she bought it for ME (ok, ok.....and it looks and feels really nice, too!)

I've noticed, though, that you can't really make out the "signature" on Nardi wheels, so I thought of getting a vibra-pencil engraving tool and engraving "Frank Zappa" on one of my spokes to see if anyone asks me about it. I could tell them he was my fraternity brother in "Phi Zappa Crappa" (BOY! Does THAT take me back!) and later had a great record album called "Weasels eat my flesh"

Oops! Not enough meds today.........

Oh! and my Momo is a 14.75" gem of a wheel........too bad my engraving pencil is still back in Rhode Island.........

Gordon
One of the spaced out "Speedstah Guys" from Beaufort (and Rhode Island)

P.S.....if you look closely at the tunnel in front of the Berg shifter, you'll see my "Mickey Mouse" German flag, straight from EPCOT........Everybody's car is different.........

P.P.S: If I had another choice, I would go for something over 15.5" in diameter, as I've grown soft from too many years of overly-powerful assisted steering in my recent American cars, and the wider steering wheel would make it a bit easier to maneuver into parking spaces. That's the whole point of a larger diameter steering wheel, right? To make it easier to steer the car!!!!

I had the chance of seeing the 360mm and opted for the 390mm. I agree with John, besides I read that some original 356 wheels were even bigger than 400mm. If your seats are like originals (low) and youre normal or skinny, you wont have any trouble, 390mm is definitely it. cheers - jj

David,
The early (pre-A) Speedsters had the 'small' VDM (400mm) steering wheel. Sometimes they had a small horn ring (third of a circle). The later A's (from '57 and later) had the bigger VDM wheels with the complete round horn ring.
I both have them in stock.
M.

I've got a 13" abarth 3 spoke wheel I'm going to use when I get around to finding an adapter. Only problem I forsee isthe rim obscuring some of the tack and speedo. It has a nice fat grip for these arthritic old hands.
ed

" . . . a great record album called 'Weasels eat my flesh' "

You KNEW that THAT ONE was gonna draw me out of the woodwork, didn't ya?!

UNBELIEVABLE album with an outstanding cover as well. It always looked like he was shaving with a gerbil . . . of course, I took ALL of my meds back then . . . and anything anyone else brought through the door as well.

More snow for the weekend . . . hows your tan coming along?!?

TC:

Weather's not been especially conducive to a "So' Ca'lina" tan......been in the low 20's at night and creeping up to mid 30's during the day. Taking the time to polish out those stains on the inside of my windshield or, if that doesn't work out, then I'm planning on sanding/polishing the spokes of my Fuchs rims back to silver (when it warms up in the garage). That should look a bit better against the Pearl and give it a little more flash (like it needs more of that).

The "Phi Zappa Crappa" cover had Frank sitting on a John, wih his drawers down around his ankles, looking up with a quisitive look.....Wierd album cover (weren't they ALL from him?) but the "Mothers" had, IMHO, more thoughtful stuff than a lot of other bands back then. They were just SO Wierd......and then, to name your kids "Dweezel" and "Moon Unit".........that sure makes for tough kids......

TC, Gordon, you are some sick people. We need to get together.

13" Grant, "D" shape add extra space for you legs when entering of exiting.

Jerome

Jerome,

That's like a slightly more elaborate version of the MOMO wheel that I picked up. I was kind of wondering if a "D" wheel would work in a "vintage" style car, but it sure looks sensational with your interior.

VERY NICE ! ! !

TC

Frank was light-years ahead with Suzy Creamcheese. That was downright alien in '67!

TC,

Thanks, what would really set it off is a nice horn button. Right now I have the little cheesy black one that says"grant" on it.

Any ideas?

Jerome

Yeah......

Change your name to "Grant"

After all, People look at my Berg shifter and then say, "Gene, I like your car!"

Hey! Can I plug my IPOD into your killer stereo?? Got some tunes that would work well at Carlisle......

Oh, COOL! I've got my smiley face back! (thanks, Theron! and yes, I know it's "software automatic"!)

Gordon,

I think the head unit has an AUX jack in the back. Otherwise cut a bunch of MP3's to a disc and we'll have the "Mobile Speedster Dance Party". Now we need to figure out where to mount the disco ball.

Later,

Jerome Grant

Jerome,

I had a Grant wheel on my first car. I ordered a blank black button from the local AutoZone, and glued a Porsche lapel pin on the button portion. Total cost? about 20 bucks... If I had it to do again, I'd skip ordering the blank button, and just paint the one that comes with the wheel.

13" Formuling France wood wheel with 4 silver spokes. Has nice medium thick grip.

Jerome,

I was giving a little thought to your steering wheel/horn button question.

How about placing a hubcap "PORCHE" crest in the steering wheel center. One of the crests from the five lug nipple-style caps, it fits just right in the hole of a Grant wheel and even clears the screw heads in case you want to go with a raised heads later on.

If you're using a Beetle blinker from '66 or '76 (it looks like you are . . . ), with the high beam switch in the arm, rewire it to actuate the horn instead and put an early style high beam switch on the floor for a vintage effect.

You're all set. Center emblem, horn on the stalk, and re-positioned high/low beam switch. Neat as a pin and looking good.

Livin' large and lappin' easy . . . just like Bob.