What factory WOOD steering wheels were available 1960-1961?

[Jonathan Trichel]

dick, thanks... I am not very intent on anything, other than getting to an answer. But I think your advice is the last sentence is wise, and I am going to follow it in this case...

I purchased a "Carrera 2" wheel earlier today. I know it didn't make an appearance until 62 and mine is a 61/T5. But I like the way it looks. And to my eyes, it is IDENTICAL to my regular black plastic stock steering wheel, just with a wood rim...so I am going with that

[William Block]

From my registry: Brad Ripley and Tommy Trabue both owned Drauz Roadsters with presumably wood wheels. Perhaps they could comment. A car in the Porsche museum does not necessarily represent its original state.

Please list as much "Kardex/Certificate of Authenticity" information as known so that your 356(s) may be registered in the now unofficial 356 registry. Needed are serial number and condition (driver, under restoration, restored, scrapped, project) as a minimum. PreA, original owner/family, limited production, original, 4-cam, unusual, non-US and scrapped cars especially sought. Information provided will go to a public database. It is desirable that we have your name, phone number, and/or e-mail address so that a person with a similar car can contact you. HOWEVER, IF YOU PREFER, I WILL NOT LIST SOME OR ALL OF YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS

bill

[Sebastian Gaeta]

A car in the Porsche museum does not necessarily represent its original state. bill

Yup...has anyone reading this ever compared the "#1 Roadster" as it sits now to original images of the car? Almost nothing is the same interior wise plus a host of other items, namely the Porsche crest on the horn button that didn't even exist until 4 years after the car was built. I agree with Bill, don't go by anything you see on cars today at the museum. Period photos are a much better indicator.

[Edwin Ek]

About the accuracy of Porsche factory restorations, notice the C mirror on the T-5 car.

If your new C2 wood wheel is identical to your old black plastic wheel (except for the wood), you had a T-6 plastic wheel on a T-5 car. T-6 spokes are not the same as T-5 spokes.

[Mark Reich]

When I was deciding on a wood wheel for my T5 I went through some of the same thinking. I had both T5 and T6 plastic wheels. I had Jack Arckt (RIP) make a wood rim on the T5 wheel. He told me there was never such a wheel but that is what I wanted. Those flat spokes are unique to the T5 and the wheel looks great. Don't worry - the rim was in bad shape. I have another plastic T5 wheel to hand on the wall.

My recollection from being at the museum is that this wheel did not look correct for a T5. As mentioned, many of the museum cars are not perfect restorations.

Enjoy your wheel - I am sure it is beautiful!

Mark

[Steve Hatfield]

Edwin and all,
Regarding Carrera style wood wheels: So is it a fact that T5 wheel spokes are somewhat flat with less of ‘rolled’ edges then the T6? Also, isn’t there a distinction regarding the use of black paint on the reverse back side of one but not the other?
Thanks

[Edwin Ek]

Steve, yes, to the extent that anything is ever certain with these old cars, T-5 cars have steering wheels with flatter spokes.

Nonetheless, some say early T-6 Roadsters (sometimes?) have T-5 steering wheels. My Roadster, built in February of 1962, came to me with a T-6 steering wheel.

I have never heard that claim about early T-6 coupes or cabriolets.

The usual story is oh, the workers grabbed whatever part they needed and could find to build the car. That is certainly believable in the early 1950's, but by the 1960's Porsche was building thousands of cars per year. It was a factory humming away.

However, T-6 Roadsters and the later T-5 Roadsters were made in Belgium. Only 248 or 249 T-6 Roadsters were made. So it is more believable that the early T-6 ones had some old (T-5) parts.

Black-plastic T-6 wheels have spokes painted black on the backside. Black-plastic T-5 wheels don't.

[Mark Reich]

I find it interesting that neither my T5 nor T6 wheel has black paint on the back. Neither had the spoke restored and there is no evidence of paint on the T6 wheel back. The T6 wheel does have a distinctive "channel" for its spokes whereas the T5 spokes are flat. I think the T6 wheel, with the channel spokes, would seem to be stiffer and less likely to deform in a crash. Perhaps this was a safety improvement. Opinions on styling would be personal, of course.

Mark

[Edwin Ek]

Mark, I should have added a caveat to my last sentence also. In my mind, the existence of a T-6 plastic wheel like yours is entirely believable.

What possible functionality could be gained or lost by painting or not painting the backside?

[Mark Reich]

I just always wondered about that since it is common knowledge that T6 wheels had black paint on the back side. Mine seems to be a bit of an anomaly. I have seen some with black paint on the basket weave of the spokes, but I do not believe that is correct. Maybe that is a quick way to address rust on the spokes.

[Edwin Ek]

Well, aren't the spokes on the black plastic wheels aluminum, which doesn't rust? The spokes on the C2 wood wheels are flash chromed or something like that. I have seen the front of the spokes on C2 wood wheels painted black. These are questions for Bruce Crawford, the man who has surely worked with more C2 wood wheels than anyone.

[Bil Brown]

The spokes on T5 & T6 steering wheels are steel, not aluminum

[Mike Wilson]

The original, unrestored Carrera T-6 VDM steering wheels I have seen are painted black on the spokes and unpainted on the back. Another one of those mysteries why a plastic-rimmed VDM would be painted on the back and the reverse on a Carrera wheel.

Mike

[Jonathan Trichel]

My goodness. Just when I thought that I had all this figured out...lol. My 356B Karmann Coupe (according to COA) was built in late 1960 but sold as a 1961 model. So T5, single grill, and Super 90. I had the original black steering wheel restored to perfection. It is bubble wrapped. I will need to get it back out to look at the spokes. I am 99% sure it is original to the car.

I ended up purchasing this wheel from Bruce Crawford. After going cross eyed at all the options and variations, I just liked how this one looked. It seemed very similar to my original, but with wood. He is adding a deluxe horn ring to it for me. Apparently it is unusual for him to have a wheel just "in stock"...this was displayed at Lit and has not been mounted since he restored it. I am excited because I know his reputation for craftsmanship.

He did mention that some of the original "Carrera 2" wheels seem to have the textured spoke section painted black. He asked if I wanted him to do that. I like the look better just plain metal. But I wondered what was truly correct. I have seen pictures both ways. Not that it is all original (I don't know), but in the Jay Leno garage video with his Carrera 2 that original belonged to Mike W., I noticed the spokes were just plain metal.

[Mark Reich]

Jonathan -

That looks like a beautiful wooded T5 flat spoke wheel. As I previously noted, the T6 wheel spokes were more like channels with rolled sides. Yours, like mine, has flat spokes. My understanding is that no such wheel was ever produced, but I love mine. I also have a restored black plastic wheel. We are on the same wavelength! No black paint on a T5 wheel, from my understanding and observations.

A steering wheel is one of the most personal and reversible items in the car. I enjoy mine every time I get in the car. Have fun with yours.

Mark