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Wood Steering Wheels

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Jim_Gruber

Jim_Gruber

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Any thoughts on replacing a BE steering wheel with a nice wood wheel as regards to size of wheel and steering effort.
There are some nice wood wheels out there from 15, 14, 13" and IIRC the original wheel is 16.5" Anyone got a favorite. And yes a Leston wheel is on my list if I will the Lottery but a nice looking wheel for a reasonable price.
 
I'm putting a 14.5" Derrington-style wheel on Penny, built by Mike Lempert. He makes very nice wheels, very slowly. :grin:

Mike Lempert site: https://www.pbase.com/mdlempert/derringtonsprite

I had the same wheel on the Tunebug. I really like the fact that it keeps the original horn push with a small hub. Not cheap by any means, but I'm very picky about steering wheels. The 14.5" size was great, gave a bit more room in the cockpit. Bugeye steering is VERY light, so the effort increase with the smaller wheel was not really noticeable to me. I'm a huge fan of the Derrington wheels, with the 3 equally spaced spokes. I had a similar styled wheel on my MGB made by Moto-Lita.

If I wasn't going with the Lempert wheel I'd do a Moto-Lita again (or the Moss Tourist Trophy wheel, a good copy of the Moto-Lita). I had to work directly with Moto-Lita to get the correct hub for my RHD MGB, and they were very responsive and helpful.

Lempert Wheel on the Tunebug
wheelhorn.jpg


Moto-Lita Derrington (on my old MGB)
mgbrhd.jpg
 
Well I have to go with what I inherited which is a 15" Moto-Lita with the three holes. I like it and the wood matches the shift knob.
 
So, about how much does Mike Lempert's wheel set a guy back??? It look's great.


Kurt.
 
Mike Lempert lists $525 for the Derrington wheel. I too have a Lempert Derrington on my list for Spritey. To my eye, a Derrington is the wheel that looks most right on these cars. In fact, Lempert reproduces the Derrington style wheels offered by Donald Healey Motor Company as optional extras.
 
Beautiful wheels but looking at one currently in EBay with hub, horn push, wood w holes in spokes for $233 w shipping IIRC.
 
One thing to consider when buying a replacement wheel is whether the spokes block the sight lines to the instruments. Note how in the Lempert Derrington wheels the spokes are oriented in an inverted "Y" so the driver can see the tach and speedo. Some other designs where the spokes are arranged in a "Y" or a "T" will prevent seeing the instruments.
 
We have a Mike Lempert wheel on our 100-6, and couldn't be happier. We're often asked where we got it, or who made it.
 
Here is my Tourist Trophy steering wheel on my old BE. I had a shift knob made to match.steering wheel.jpg
Scott in CA
 
Scott, other pics at the beginning show wheel oriented 180 degrees different. Any issue with reading gauges ?
 
I don't have a problem reading the gauges except for the gas gauge slightly, but how often do you need to check your gas gauge. PS its not and old BE it is a new BE, at least for me.
 
2006-06-12 001.jpgI made my own version of the Derrington wheel for my Bugeye. Unfortunately does not have a horn button that works. Button is a front bonnet medallion. Griz
 
They are all beautiful and I admire the craftsmanship but I have too many other things to restore and parts to buy. A less expensive wood wheel option it will be for Bugsy II.
 
Jim_Gruber said:
They are all beautiful and I admire the craftsmanship but I have too many other things to restore and parts to buy. A less expensive wood wheel option it will be for Bugsy II.
Click to expand...

I've heard good things about the Moss Tourist Trophy wheels -- essentially a Moto-Lita clone, but decently made at a lower price point. Keep an eye on eBay as well -- I found the Moto-Lita I put on my MGB there at a pretty nice discount. The Tourist Trophy hub works with a Moto-Lita wheel as well, so you can mix and match to some extent.
 
Thanks Drew.
 
I have both an older Moto-Lita and a Tourist Trophy wheel. Very similar, as Drew mentioned, but the TT's spokes have sharper edges along the sides as well as the holes. The Moto-Lita's finish is a bit smoother and a bit more "comfortable"; otherwise, hard to tell the difference.
 
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