Original S1 Steering Wheel

[trw99]

Did you clock the price at which the original S1 steering wheel went for on flea bay? Item no. 220214915443

After 9 bids it sold for a remarkable ?873 (about $1,730 at todays rate)!

It was described as "Genuine, Original Woodrim/Alloy Steering Wheel, from 1963 Lotus Elan Series 1. Removed when car was rebuilt for racing and dry stored for about 35 years. Would benefit from a revarnish, one hub setscrew and one rim rivet, but sound and undamaged, with good splines. Sorry, no hornpush."

Time to dig out my spare Chapman signed Sprint steering wheel perhaps?

Tim

[types26/36]

Did you clock the price at which the original S1 steering wheel went for on flea bay? Item no. 220214915443

Oh them old things.......plenty about.....here's another
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=006

[TRACKMEISTER]

chapman wheel on the other day didnt do much really ?171.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=015

[1964 S1]

Hi Brian, that's not an Elan S1 steering wheel, that's a Cortina wheel. The Elan has spokes that are nearly 90' angles.
The Elan wheels are so dainty I can't believe they'd survive on a Cortina but supposedly they are the same. The Elan wood rim is very very thin, and no rivets. That said, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that some Cortinas left the factory with Elan wheels. (see Elan S1 & 1/2 with S2 badge for sale post)
Do Cortinas and Elans/Spitfires have the same splines?
I thank God for all this vagueness and leave the preciseness side of life to all those Porsche people.
Eric

ps; Congratulations on 1500+ posts, shouldn't that be @ 7th gear? Should we let Jeff know even the new Lexus has an 8 speed tranny?

[mazlot]

The Elan wood rim is very very thin, and no rivets

I have an original 27,000 mile 1963 Elan with the "original" wheel with rivets, the car has not seen the light of day since 1973.

The original workshop manual also shows rivets on page J12.

I thank God for all this vagueness and leave the preciseness side of life to all those Porsche people.

I must be a Porsche person

[types26/36]

[quote="1964 S1"]Hi Brian, that's not an Elan S1 steering wheel, that's a Cortina wheel. The Elan has spokes that are nearly 90' angles.
The Elan wheels are so dainty I can't believe they'd survive on a Cortina but supposedly they are the same. The Elan wood rim is very very thin, and no rivets. quote]

Hi Eric, I like you used to think that the Cortina spokes were different but so many have come upon ebay (reputedly from S1/2 Elans) that I think Lotus just fitted what was in the bins at the time.
Even the one refered to by Tim ln the original post had rivets and that was also supposed to be an original S1 Elan wheel.(see pics)
Can you post a pic of your wheel as I'd be inerested to see it.

[1964 S1]

Yes, I'll post a pic or two, asap. I've got two wheels, one is the original from my '64 Elan, the other an identical mint one I bought on eBay a few years ago.
Eric

[Alasdair]

Interesting, I have a steering wheel I removed from a 63/4? Lotus Cortina less hub, no rivets, very good condition, going to sell it as taking up wall space, E bay perhaps.

I did not recall it being the same as a S1 Elan?

Not sure if I list under Lotus Elan or Lotus Cortina, UK or....?

[1964 S1]

The first pic is the back of the wheel I bought on eBay, flat head screws. 2nd and 3rd shots are my original wheel from the car, Philips head screws on the spokes, front shot (almost showed) spoke angles. No rivets, wheels are just a tad under fifteen inches in diameter, the wood rim is two and a half inches in circumfrence. Rear of hub is two and three quarters of an inch across with six bolts. This is original S1 stuff, they seem too thin rimmed and delicate for a Cortina with a Lotus engine in it to me. One hefty essential rim pull or push = wood crack failure.
I looked at the drawings in the early factory Elan shop manual (part #26T327,) and indeed there are rivets in the wheel.... enough to drive a Porsche owner to madness.