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Styling Steering Wheel style

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Styling Steering Wheel style

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AndrewHarvey

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Whilst it still 14 days 'til I pick up my 500 in Italy.......I've rapidly gaining parts - my workshop is brimming.
Cleaned and stripped 650 gearbox - with box of new bearings and main shaft and 500 drive shafts.
New wheels
New carb
2 heads - one bare one complete
1 crank pistons and barrels
1 short engine - due in soon
I've been considering the steering wheel.
All my cars have had aftermarket wheels.
Its the only contact with whats going on except the seats - so
What is your experiences? Flat or dished? 13",14"15"?
MotoLita? Abarth? Nardi?Momo?
Leather or wood?
please help me with your experiences.
Andrew
 
AndrewHarvey said:
Whilst it still 14 days 'til I pick up my 500 in Italy.......I've rapidly gaining parts - my workshop is brimming.
Cleaned and stripped 650 gearbox - with box of new bearings and main shaft and 500 drive shafts.
New wheels
New carb
2 heads - one bare one complete
1 crank pistons and barrels
1 short engine - due in soon
I've been considering the steering wheel.
All my cars have had aftermarket wheels.
Its the only contact with whats going on except the seats - so
What is your experiences? Flat or dished? 13",14"15"?
MotoLita? Abarth? Nardi?Momo?
Leather or wood?
please help me with your experiences.
Andrew
Click to expand...

Hi Andrew

Here's what I did, mods include the wood steering wheel, complemented with a new wood gear knob and a modified knee pad strip, also of wood. (Had to change the whole knee pad round from LHD to RHD fit, cutting it into new sections to make the profiles work). I also installed the centre console for the stereo. Hope you like the ideas?

Cheers
Hugh Jarce
 

Attachments

  • Centre Console 2.jpg
    Centre Console 2.jpg
    130.8 KB · Views: 61
Very smart
What diameter is the wheel?
Is it the same as the original one??
There are couple of real corkers available.....at a price
abarth wheel1.jpg
 
Hi Andrew

The wood rim steering wheel comes in at 12.5" Overall Diameter as opposed to the original steering wheel which is 15" Overall Diameter. See attachment for where I got it from

Cheers
Hugh Jarce
 

Attachments

  • Steering Wheel details.pdf
    153.8 KB · Views: 62
The white steering wheel is one of the iconic things about the 500.
But even back when they were current people may have had misgivings. Mine had been painted in matt black by the first owner. You can see from the prices they go for on Ebay that they are still sought after by many people.
 
Hi Peter
my car has a later version wheel that is not as desirable.
Kinda fancy the striped Abarth one .....but it will wait until more pressing works are carried out.
Does your car run a standard engine?
 
AndrewHarvey said:
Does your car run a standard engine?
Click to expand...

Now you're asking Andrew..opened my little can of worms:):):)
They don't call me Patinated Peter for nowt. The engine and indeed the whole car is bog standard but completely freshened up with all rubber bits and most wearable parts replaced. So I'm no help to you other than repeating what I always bore people with; the car's super to drive exactly stock and as designed.

Not saying I wouldn't like to drive a fire-breather though.:devil::devil::devil:
 
AndrewHarvey said:
Whilst it still 14 days 'til I pick up my 500 in Italy.......I've rapidly gaining parts - my workshop is brimming.
Cleaned and stripped 650 gearbox - with box of new bearings and main shaft and 500 drive shafts.
New wheels
New carb
2 heads - one bare one complete
1 crank pistons and barrels
1 short engine - due in soon
I've been considering the steering wheel.
All my cars have had aftermarket wheels.
Its the only contact with whats going on except the seats - so
What is your experiences? Flat or dished? 13",14"15"?
MotoLita? Abarth? Nardi?Momo?
Leather or wood?
please help me with your experiences.
Andrew
Click to expand...


Has anyone managed to fit a 15 inch aftermarket steering wheel of the Moto-Lita variety or similar? That Abarth one almost looks similar, but the centre is very narrow so would fit on a standard boss.

I have a really nice Moto-Lita wheel that I'm saving for a 500 some day. The original steering wheels are great but many cars here have already been converted to some kind of sports steering wheel which I'd want to avoid.

Problem seems to be getting a boss / hub that actually fits so I would be curious to know if anyone had done so with any luck?
 
Ooh very sporty. Looks like it’s in keeping with the rest of the interior judging by that dash! Interesting that the original horn seems to have fitted on fine

I’m a big fan of the original white steering wheel but not only are they hard to find and expensive, I also have a beautiful wooden one waiting for a new home
 
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