Restored Steering Wheel

[Elanintheforest]

He can change those pretty quickly!

The leather covered signed wheels will come down to a realistic price for sure, but the plastic covered ones, as original for the Sprint, will now be worth millions!!

Mark

[hatman]

Penarth - a coastal town of South Wales famed for it's pier.

Or even 'its pier'.

[elanfan1]

Seems I am not the only 'smart arse'

Corrected just for you.

[mac5777]

It will be interesting to see what this one goes for:
Frizer
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160639277455

I have been restoring original Springall wood steering wheels and here is one I just finished. The one on Ebay states its for a Cortina/Elan. The spokes are evenly spaced unlike the Elan Springall ones. I learn something every day.
Frizer, I'm also curiously watching the bidding.

Sarto

[ceejay]

Nice job on the steering wheel, I had the remains of one of these
wheels, but flogged the parts off on ebay a couple of years ago.

While I had the wheel, I examined the way the spokes were held into
the rim, (Just a couple of slim screws on each spoke)
I questioned whether I would actually drive with it, my reason being
that there was no inner metal reinforcing ring laminated between
the plywood rim, most wood rims are made that way, most also
have rivets inserted through for added strength.

As I said, a nice looking wheel, but there's not a lot of strength
with the design.

Ceejay.

[Gordon Sauer]

Aybody know the tensile strength of laminated beech (it's not plywood)--what they made work benches out of for a long time, I bet we'd be surprised at how strong it is. Gordon Sauer

[Steeringwheel]

There you go leather thumb pads same size as originals.






You just do not know what's going on in side those old original steering wheels,

Len.

[spanner]

Aybody know the tensile strength of laminated beech (it's not plywood)--what they made work benches out of for a long time, I bet we'd be surprised at how strong it is. Gordon Sauer

Hi Gordon,
ANC-18 and -19 would be a good place to start looking..... http://www.westcoastpiet.com/construction.htm
Jim

[Robbie693]

You just do not know what's going on in side those old original steering wheels,

Len.

Len makes a good point, I'd not considered the effects of metal fatigue/corrosion/dodgy repairs over the years. Despite the fact that I had a steering wheel break on and old Fiat X-1/9 I once owned! I'm certainly pleased with the job he did on my Plus 2 wheel.

Cheers

Robbie

[mac5777]

It will be interesting to see what this one goes for:
Frizer
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160639277455

Frizer, the wheel sold for about $872.00 USD, delivered to the US, even with the well done patched wood repair and the unusual spoke spacing that I had not seen before.

I'm about to offer up my original Lotus S2, fully restored, Springall wood steering wheel for auction. It has an original Yellow and Green horn push which is correct for the early years, not the black and silver push on the later years. This wheel needed no wood repairs and has the Springall metal spoke spacing. My other original Springall wheels have sold for more than the wheel that just sold. These wheels have to be going to a select few enthusiast. I wish I had kept my first wheel that I basically gave away.

Sarto

[ardee_selby]

...the wheel sold for about $872.00 USD, delivered to the US, even with the well done patched wood repair and the unusual spoke spacing that I had not seen before. Sarto

Who did the artwork, and why was it shown upside down?

[Elanintheforest]

Jim Ferrett...he was Australian.

Mark

[ardee_selby]

Jim Ferrett...he was Australian.

Mark

I guess the guy who designed the injection moulding dies for the "Corgi Toys" Elan was also antipodean!

[type28jp]

I used to own very early Elan S1 in USA and the steering wheel is as shown on the artwork.
The spokes are shaped upside down "Y". I have actually seen one other Elan had same steering wheel in USA.

I sold the S1 to friend of mine in Japan 10 years ago and he restored the steering wheel recently.

type28jp

[ardee_selby]

I used to own very early Elan S1 in USA and the steering wheel is as shown on the artwork.
The spokes are shaped upside down "Y". I have actually seen one other Elan had same steering wheel in USA.

I sold the S1 to friend of mine in Japan 10 years ago and he restored the steering wheel recently.

type28jp

Interesting! But from the nominal straight-ahead position, with some bendy bits in the road, don't the instruments get obscured? Appears to give a better view of ones knees!