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Special Steering Wheel

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Hi Mike-

There were a few styles of dealer or factory add on wood wheels, and this may be one of them. It may very well have varied between UK sold cars and US sold cars - in the UK for example, the Les Leston wood wheel was quite common. I don't think yours is one of them, if it were it would have a small LL on the spoke.

Yours does indeed look right, especially the hub piece - the hub in fact seems to be the rarest piece to get, for whatever reason I've see a lot of reasonable vintage steering wheels but they rarely have the hub. In your case, a stock TR horn button would finish off the wheel nicely.

Someone else I'm sure can chime in to verify what this particular one is.

Randy
65 TR4
 
That looks like a Nardi classic. I have an older version on my TR and it looks just like that.

If it's a Nardi it will have "Nardi" written on one of the spokes.

They're very expensive wheels ($300+)
 
Thanks for your answers, Randy and Shannon. I actually know a little more about the wheel than I said. My objective was to learn more about it, so I left it a simple question.

I remember hearing that this was a factory optional wheel for TR4. That's how I remember it, but am hoping to verify or be corrected. I don't have the TR books to use as reference. The wheel has been referred to as Nardi, but that is not likely to be correct. It may have been made in Italy - I just can't be sure. The construction is unique in a few ways. There are some other wheels from the same maker (can tell by construction) that were fitted to Apollo and Lotus and maybe some others. I think in each case it was a direct factory thing and not aftermarket.

Still hoping a TR historian might jump in here with some information.

Thanks again.

Mike L.
 
The steering wheel in the picture is definitely an aftermarket wheel. I think it is a Nardi, too.

The factory option wood-rimmed wheel, available for both the TR4A and Spitfire, had 5 round holes in each of the three polished metal spokes and a Triumph shield horn push. (The GT6 had the same spokes with a black rim.) They turn up quite a bit on eBay. I am waiting for one that goes for less than $200.

There is a recent discussion on the forum titled "TR4A for Sale." Click on the link and that is steering wheel if I recollect correctly.
 
Thanks CinneaghTR for your comments. I think I know the wheel you're talking about with the five holes. The wheel on the "For Sale TR4A" does not match that description. It's a Personal wheel (a line from Nardi). I don't know if it had any special connection with Triumph, but it was once offered by MG as part of a special package for a limited number of MGB-GTs.

We may have a misunderstanding of what I'm talking about. Many of the old cars had limited special optional wood wheel offerings from the factory. These type wheels are rare and have high values today. I believe the wheel I have pictured is one of those. I just need to find documentation. I don't think it was available as a choice of aftermarket wheel, it is too uncommon for that. Every one I've seen has been associated with a specific car on a limited basis.

Regards,
Mike L.
 
The wheel we have on the B is a "Personal" with the holes. It was offered (actually installed at dealerships) as a part of the MGB-GT "Special Edition" package: stickers, a plauqe on the glovebox door and front wings, and the wheel, IIRC. Got mine after the campaign ended, paid $35 for it! 'course that was in '70.
 
Mace and CinneaghTR are both correct,a good photo of one is on the Kastner 250K.I have one also. Its not a Nardi,look at the construction under the hub.I have a few of those also(50's/60's).Not (bragging) I just restore old wheels.It may very well be a formula type,but one I have never seen.
 
Box.... Thanks. I'd appreciate seeing it. You can email directly to me at mlempert@bellsouth.net

I have posted this thread subject to the Lotus forum as well. I was able to confirm there that it was indeed also a Lotus wheel, perhaps even more so than Triumph. It was fitted to many of the Elans. There was also a version with evenly spaced spokes as well.
20060609002.jpg
 
sure,i can take a pix, mines got the holes.in your pix i didnt see any dish. if it does fit an elan then it fits spit and tr6.elans used the spit steering column,among other spit parts.
 
Looks like the wheel on my Cortina,if my memory serves me.
 
Box-O: Sounds like yours is probably a "Personal" wheel. I don't believe the one I have ever had drilled spokes.
 
well,nope,its a formula. trying to post pix on this forum is worse that going to the dentist.I just tried,wont go,said hit back button,I did...lost my entire post.
 
DNK said:
Looks like the wheel on my Cortina,if my memory serves me.
Click to expand...

See my Cortina photos in the Lotus forum. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Hi There Woodrim;

In my opinion, Its definitely not a Nardi as they All have the Nardi Name etched on one of the spokes facing the driver:

It would be int. to know what the Diameter Size of the Hub is: Like TR4nut says; A Stock TR4 Horn Button would really finish it off nicely:

In My "Orig Triumph TR4/4A/5/6" by Bill Piggot; Under Options, Extras & Accessories they do list a "Wood-Rim Steering Wheel"; "Part Number 307245"! That`s It!! No Pics or Description or anything else: You just may have yourself one Rare Beast there!!

Interested in Selling It??

Good Luck in your venture;

Regards, Russ
 
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wall.gif
 
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