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Special Steering Wheel

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It's what is in my S-3 Elan, also fits (if memory serves) Spitfire/GT6. I thought it was a "Personal".
 
No, definitely not Moto Lita.

I remember hearing that this was a factory optional wheel for TR4, Apollo, Lotus and maybe some others . That's how I remember it, but am hoping to verify or be corrected. I don't have the TR or Lotus 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. I think it was a direct factory thing and not aftermarket.

Mike L.
 
I'm sure the wheel in my S3 is factory. I'm the second owner, got it when it was three years old. The first owner didn't change oil, let alone the seering wheel.
 
According to hub/boss type, the wheel would fit all these cars: Lotus Elan, Seven, and Super; Triumph GT6 to '68, Herald, Spitfire to '78, TR4 & A, TR6, Vitesse;
TVR all models to '69; Marcos 1600, 3 Litre, Mantula; Caterham 1600 GT Spirit , 1700 Sprint , Ford 1600GT, RS 1600 BDR. But this is not to say it is appropriate for all of these cars or was even offered on them.
 
I have its twin hanging in my garage, and it was on a '64 Honda S600, though probably a copy.
 
The wheel on my Elan is shown below & is original - it doesn't look like yours. The car was an "Elan Coupe" (Type 36) without the air extractor vents, which makes it sort of a Series 2.75. When they added the vents they started calling them Series 3.

I don't remember seeing one like yours on a baby Elan, but if Doc says his is original I won't argue. Maybe used in the +2?

Elan01.jpg
 
Yes - the original upholstery pattern was reproduced in leather when the car was new. The dash had a leatherette covering over the standard laminated wood. The original owner was John Giles of the "J Giles" band (if I spelled that right, they were popular in the 60's) who had enough money to do these things yet was enough of a Car guy to get it done right.
 
Looks very good. Is the car from Massachusetts? His shop did the dyno tuning on my Subaru (although I believe it was under new ownership by that time)

I took a bit of artistic license with my interior as well

__hr_lotus-interior.jpg
 
Hi,

The wood steering wheel in the photo is the correct and original wheel for an S2 and early S3 Elans. Some of the S3 Coupes had the same hub and spokes, but with a leather rim.

Hope this helps...

Hayes
 
MoPho said:
Looks very good. Is the car from Massachusetts? His shop did the dyno tuning on my Subaru (although I believe it was under new ownership by that time)
I took a bit of artistic license with my interior as well
...
Click to expand...

Yes - my Coupe was originally sold by good old Dutchess Auto in Millerton and it went straight to Massachusetts. Small world.

Your interior looks great. Nothin' like an Elan - nuthin'

MoPho said:
The wood steering wheel in the photo is the correct and original wheel for an S2 and early S3 Elans....
Click to expand...

I looked in Robinshaw & Ross's book which is the most authoratative source I have and, yes, the S1, S2, and early S3's all seem to use both the wheel I showed with the round holes, and -as you said- the slotted wheel in question. Probably depended on what Lotus had on the shelf that week. Both style Elan wheels had some 'dish' to them - I can't tell if the wheel in question does or not.
 
Our +2 has the leather one with the holes in the spokes, BTW.
 
Yes, the wheel does have a couple of inches of dish. After Hayes post I did a search on Elan and came up with some pictures of the wheel on some cars. Looks like Elan is it. The wheel was also on some Triumphs - they have the same splined columns. Thanks much for your help.
20060609002.jpg

137550202_741f3d1d2f_m.jpg


Mike Lempert
 
My car was purchased in England by a USAF officer, specified LHD as he was bringing it here to CONUS on rotation. Oddly, it has a black horn push. I've not ever done a "build sheet" hunt so can't be 100% certain of the date it left Hethel. It is not a Super Safety car, so mebbe the wheel ~WAS~ changed after Clarke's Hockenheim shunt. I think it unlikely; morelike horn push was changed for the commemorative one, on a whim. Again: the original owner was not the type to do anything to the car. He got it for his wife to drive around, thought it "cute". Didn't seem to have a clue as to its performance capability, only that it kept eating chunks of his wallet regularly. <shrug>
 
Note the wheel in the "WayBack Machine" post here in the Lotus forum as well. Same wheel, same horn push. 1965 Lotus Cortina.
 
Yup, that's it. I think I've learned enough to be able to market it on ebay. Thanks to all.

Mike L.
 
Hayesh said:
Hi,

The wood steering wheel in the photo is the correct and original wheel for an S2 and early S3 Elans. Some of the S3 Coupes had the same hub and spokes, but with a leather rim.

Hope this helps...

Hayes
Click to expand...

Don't you DARE just *POP* in here, give us a single missive then disappear!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/jester.gif

Where in Florida?

Stick yer head up! We need more Lotus folks in here! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif
 
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