steering wheel replacement

[samthedog]

The steering wheen in my 72 appears to be original, but made of plastic. A wood look alike.
Anyoen know if the OEM were plastic?
Wanted to keep it, because it looks old school.
But may be best just to replace it.
Are there any nice wheels, that look retro?

[So Cal Mark]

the oem wheels were plastic, there are hundreds of wheels on the market. I like the look of the Momo Prototipo wheel.

[DUCeditor]

I was crestfallen when I learned this apparent truth. I had even gone to the trouble of trying to match the stain on my then in progress re-doing of the dash and console wood to that on the steering wheel and had an expert look it over and make a recommendation. (Nautical varnish over a certain stain).



In the end I decided to stay with the original wheel. It looks right and after 20+ years of motoring even feels right.

Plastic? nah! Its ultra rare mahoganite taken from the depths of the Turin rain forest!

-don

[TulsaSpider]

I like the look of them... but they hurt my hands to drive any period, the diameter is so small

[samthedog]

There is another post under a different post made last week I think.
He has the steerning wheel I want,and sounds like what you want also.
IAP sell is I think.
Keeps the same look or original, but has a larger diameter.

[azruss]

many years ago, i got tired of the steering wheel being just out of reach and modified one. I cut a chunk out of the outside then sqeezed it together increasing the offset toward the driver. Rewelded the core, filled the gap with bondo and put a leather cover on it. Made for a great wheel. I now have a "as new" stock fauxwood one. To solve the hand ergonomics issue, i will use one of those stretch on covers to give it size, traction, and make it so i dont leave layers of skin on a scorching hot wheel. Cover is easily removable for show and tell.

[DUCeditor]

The size - that is its being to small in the hands - can be an issue. Primarily it is a matter of being used to it.

When I got back in my car after it being off the road for a few years I again had to make the adjustment. In my case that just took a couple of weeks of driving for an hour or two at a time.

The traditional answer to the wheel's lack of grip (which also seems to modify the 'skinny' feel of the whee)l is driving gloves.

I've worn a pair of ones I picked up at a Coach leather shop for over twenty years. Damned mice chewed off one of the snaps when the car was out of service and the gloves were in the glove box, but other than that they are better than new. I.e., they fit me like a glove.



-don