would like thoughts on steering wheel

356 Porsche-related discussions and questions.
Message
Author
User avatar
Bill Waite
356 Fan
Posts: 297
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:05 pm
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#31 Post by Bill Waite »

Paul Hatfield wrote: Mon Apr 22, 2019 10:19 am Some years back I bought a wood wheel for a C coupe I owned at the time. Really loved it. Now no longer have the car.
But.....
Since that time it seems to me there has been a flood of reproduction wood rimmed steering wheels sold and put on 356's. To the extent that it seems more rare now to have a great condition original plastic rim wheel than a modern reproduction wood rim wheel.

Maybe I'm nuts but I think the pendulum has swung back the other way now, and I am keeping a great condition original plastic rim steering wheel on Miss April.

One more personal opinion. The chrome horn rim is beautiful/elegant, but not sporty. These are sports cars!

Paul
Plus 1, Paul (what you said). Our original steering wheel is in great condition and I love the way it looks!
Bill Waite
Grand Rapids, MI

1965 356C Coupe "Reversible Outlaw"

User avatar
Lockie McKinnon
356 Fan
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:35 pm
Location: Victoria B.C. Canada

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#32 Post by Lockie McKinnon »

Martin Benade wrote: Sun Apr 21, 2019 10:56 pm It's easy to switch. Maybe run the stock one every other year. after a while, you will leave one of them on as your favorite.
hmmm. now I have decided to remove it.....any tips on how to take it off? The horn button looks pretty tight..
thanks for all the great comments
Lockie

User avatar
Mike Wilson
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 11490
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: SW Los Angeles

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#33 Post by Mike Wilson »

There was a previous thread on removing the steering wheel. You can find it by searching the topic.

Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

Dick Weiss
356 Fan
Posts: 4181
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:54 am

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#34 Post by Dick Weiss »

One serious note I forgot to add;

If using a wood-rimmed wheel, you should consider a 3-point safety belts to prevent serious facial injury if an accident occurs!
I once knew a college professor who totaled is 4-cam coupe back in the '60s and received a lotta splinters!

User avatar
Mike Wilson
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 11490
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: SW Los Angeles

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#35 Post by Mike Wilson »

Good point, Dick. I would recommend a 3-point regardless of the type of steering wheel. Face + wheel (wood/plastic) = injuries.

Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

User avatar
Dave Wildrick
356 Fan
Posts: 1953
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:10 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#36 Post by Dave Wildrick »

Grasp the 3-eared hub of the horn button and with a firm downward pressure and a counterclockwise twist, the horn button (& its hub) will pop off. It is a bayonet type of catch, so you need to turn it about 45degrees. The wheel is held on by a 27mm nut; so you need a large combination wrench. After you remove the wheel, the parts you see should look like the following in pictures provided by Jim Breazeale in 2011:

File comment: Steering shaft bearing that is ridiculously expensive and rarely the cause of problems
shaftbearing.jpg
shaftbearing.jpg (31.1 KiB) Viewed 1045 times
File comment: "split ring" and spring installed on the back of the steering wheel in the correct orientation
split ring& spring.jpg
split ring& spring.jpg (57.36 KiB) Viewed 1045 times
File comment: "split ring" and spring. The lack of the split ring or improper installation is the cause of most people's grief
Split ring & spring separated.jpg
Split ring & spring separated.jpg (43.37 KiB) Viewed 1045 times
File comment: 61 356B with steering wheel removed, exposing the steering shaft bearing
steeringwhl-removed.jpg
steeringwhl-removed.jpg (55.86 KiB) Viewed 1045 times
Dave Wildrick
Houston, TX
#10230
64C coupe
65C coupe

User avatar
Lockie McKinnon
356 Fan
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:35 pm
Location: Victoria B.C. Canada

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#37 Post by Lockie McKinnon »

Did the switch and love the new look.
Thanks for all the advice.
Attachments
New Look
New Look
IMG_5365.jpg (114.29 KiB) Viewed 1023 times
Old Look
Old Look
IMG_5277.PNG (812.26 KiB) Viewed 1023 times
Lockie

User avatar
Mike Wilson
Classifieds Monitor
Posts: 11490
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: SW Los Angeles

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#38 Post by Mike Wilson »

Looks great but more importantly, you like it!

Mike
Mike Wilson
Lomita, CA
'63 B coupe

User avatar
Eric McKinley
356 Fan
Posts: 1348
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2013 12:09 pm
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#39 Post by Eric McKinley »

It just looks right.

Richard Emerson
356 Fan
Posts: 773
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:43 am

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#40 Post by Richard Emerson »

Looks definitely better and more original.

User avatar
Sean M Rooks
356 Fan
Posts: 492
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2014 8:00 pm
Tag: '64 C Coupe
Location: Richmond, VA

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#41 Post by Sean M Rooks »

Good change Lockie! Sharp car. Looks great with a black interior.

User avatar
Harlan Halsey
356 Fan
Posts: 2339
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 2:05 pm
Location: No Cal SF Peninsula

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#42 Post by Harlan Halsey »

Since you asked, I think the laminated B Carrera wheel is the most elegant, followed closely by the original 415 mm Nardi. I saw one of those laminated wheels at Bryar back in the 1960s and have never forgotten it. Fortunately my '63 SC came with the Nardi, and I recently went to some trouble to put a flat A Nardi on my '59 GT Carrera. The thick rim, small dia. Nardi repros look odd to me. I don't find any difference in the driving, and the common black BC plastic ones or the multi colored A ones are good wheels too.

User avatar
Joris Koning
356 Fan
Posts: 2505
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:38 pm
Location: Netherlands

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#43 Post by Joris Koning »

I think nothing beats the flat VDM wheel as introduced with the 550A's and available as an option from about late '56 on the A cars
'56 Coupe
'57 Coupe
'59 Cab 
'60 Coupe

User avatar
Lockie McKinnon
356 Fan
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:35 pm
Location: Victoria B.C. Canada

Re: would like thoughts on steering wheel

#44 Post by Lockie McKinnon »

hmmm. found an original unrestored Les Leston . It came from a 1960 Roadster. I added the Horn Ring.
Will try this for a little while.
Attachments
IMG_9081.jpg
IMG_9081.jpg (773.56 KiB) Viewed 579 times
Lockie

Post Reply