Steering wheels

[Scgreen620]

Does any know a good brand of steering wheels .. Not like the ones they sell at the auto part store good designs you know .. Any links would help thanks

[r0p0doe]

momo,sparco(I think), royal origin, jimmy up...

[Just Joel]

Izumi, nardi, personal...

[]2eDeYe]

Datsun

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Grant..Nardi..720 st or make your own like me.

[shacks510]

Grant has some fancier wheels.

[Just Joel]

But priced similar to actually fancy wheels ;)

[findmuck]

Grant..Nardi..720 st or make your own like me.

May I ask how you made your own?

[Just Joel]

 

:D

[Pacific coast Datsun]

May I ask how you made your own?

 

I took an old wheel & removed the foam..cut out the center so its just a circle...weld 2 sections of 1/2 inch tubing in the 3&6 positions then weld those to a VW gear/spocket...drill holes & mount to a Grant adapter.

[datzenmike]

Does any know a good brand of steering wheels .. Not like the ones they sell at the auto part store good designs you know .. Any links would help thanks

 

2eDeYe" post="1177022" timestamp="1417797725"]

 

Datsun

 

 

The problem I have with most '70s Datsun steering wheels is they are too thin and much like hanging onto coat hanger wire. Try driving long distance like to Canby and you girly hands are bruised. I have always liked the zx wheels. Slightly smaller diameter but well padded for comfortable grip. Two spokes at 8 and 4 so you can see the dash gauges and easy use close by thumb horn buttons. The center is also a padded horn button for using when turning so you don't have to hunt for it. The one I had in my 620 was brown and matched the 720 wood grain dash. When used with the 620 column the clam shell was short 1/2" and the two roll pins used to cancel the turn signals did not reach. I drove shortened nails into the roll pins and bent the copper contact down so the horn worked. When I swapped the 720 column in everything fit perfectly. Surprisingly the zx wheel fits my 710s perfectly also. I have a reddish/maroon/brown one in my sedan that matches the exterior/interior paint. The brown one is in my goon and I have a black one I'd like to try to match the black interior.

 

Steering wheels are like rims, expensive and universally almost always an expression of the owner's bad taste. Don't go overboard and keep it Datsun where you can.

[john510]

 

:D

Thats not a steering wheel

[Charlie69]

Good Post Mike.  Did not know the ZX wheel worked well with the 720 column.  Is the column a tilt or non tilt?

[69datsun510]

Momo, I have an old school wood one, smaller diameter then stock wheel, thicker at the grip, and I think they are still closer to period look.  I also like the Nardi wood wheels.  Both are not cheap and you will need a steering wheel hub adapter.

 

Mike has a nice options if on a budget and looking for a straight bolt on.

 

Here is my Momo below

[datzenmike]

 

 

Did not know the ZX wheel worked well with the 720 column.  Is the column a tilt or non tilt?

 

It's non tilt but I have a tilt in the shed. I imagine it would fit both. The top rim gently rubs the underside of the wheel and squeeks sometines on turns, but it's a good fit. Have never tried to adjust it.

 

 

 

 

 

Momo, I have an old school wood one, smaller diameter then stock wheel, thicker at the grip,

 

Did not know the ZX wheel worked well with the 720 column.  Is the column a tilt or non tilt?

 

The biggest problem I have with period wheels is how friggin' thin they are. It's style over function. Comfort reduces driver fatigue.

[69datsun510]

Take a closer look at my wheel, its not the thin wood designed wheels of the era.  My wheel is thicker then old school wood design and stock wheels.  Porsche used the wood wheel I have, overall smaller diameter at around 13 3/4, and 1 1/4 diameter on the grip.  Wood Nardi old school wheels and the likes are about 14 3/8 overall diameter, and 3/4 on the grip.  I'm with you on hand fatique and with the thinner wheels, and why I like your choices and my size wood wheel too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOMO-INDY-Classic-Wood-Steering-Wheel-MOMO-Hub-Adapter-BMW-1600-2002-/301286120507?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item46260d5c3b&vxp=mtr

versus this, the above similar to mine and the below thinner design.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NRG-365MM-6-HOLE-WOOD-GRAIN-LARGE-STEERING-WHEEL-POLISHED-ALUMINUM-RIVET-HORN/150880970556?_trksid=p2054897.c100204.m3164&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140407115239%26meid%3D89cae2b7833a48f2813b7a99a649cf81%26pid%3D100204%26prg%3D20140407115239%26rk%3D8%26rkt%3D30%26sd%3D191302737490

 

When you get a chance measure you grip diameter, see if it is bigger then 1 1/4.  If you want exact specs on my wheel for the grip diameter, would be 1.18 at thinnest, and 1.3 at the thickest.

 

My wife loves the feel of the wood wheel vs a vinyl or plastic molded one.  I need to keep her happy, 25 years and counting, and she loves 510's!

 

I do like your choices, especially on price, and not having to run an adapter.  We are both on the same page, on its all on the owner to get the look he wants and functionality.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Dolomite]

I have a hardwood grant, cherry I believe, my step mom gave me for Christmas. It's nice and thick with subtle finger grooves on the back, much more aesthetic and comfortable than the old school ''indy'' I had before.

[q-tip]

I've had a grant gt, Nardi classic wood, and I currently have have a suede personal. All are comfortable and looks good. For looks the Nardi was top notch, the personal is the most comfortable and the grant was priced the best.

[Guest Rick-rat]

  I use the stock wheel, had a lace up cover on it. When the cover started coming apart I taped all the way around the old cover and then put a new lace up cover over the top of it. Made the wheel slightly bigger and has a much better feel now 

 

 

 

 

 Besides, I'm a cheap bastard and this only cost me 10 bucks including the electrical tape    :rofl:

[bananahamuck]

  I use the stock wheel, had a lace up cover on it. When the cover started coming apart I taped all the way around the old cover and then put a new lace up cover over the top of it. Made the wheel slightly bigger and has a much better feel now 

 

 

 

 

 Besides, I'm a cheap bastard and this only cost me 10 bucks including the electrical tape    :rofl:

 

Are you using steering wheel in the correct sense ,,, or some twisted old man sexual deviate way?

[Guest Rick-rat]

There is no such thing as a twisted old man that could possibly use a steering wheel to be a sexual deviate,...............as long as nobody sees it   :angel:

 

Does that go on in Tumwater?

[q-tip]

There's a pirate with a steering wheel for a belt buckle, a guy asks him "what's with the steering wheel?". The pirate says "arrr it be drivin me nuts!"

 

 

They probably do much worse things with steering wheels in Tumwater....

[JoeCool]

 

:D

 

That thing reminds me of the steering wheel on KITT in Knight Rider.

 

[5t341tH]

My wheel. Morningwood brand from eBay. Nice wood wheel

[JoeCool]

I am using a Grant wheel I restored that I got for free from an old junked Toyota he was using as a parts truck. Quality is awesome for a "cheap" steering wheel. At around $150 new I wouldn't exactly call it cheap, but compared to the overpriced $500 Euro models I guess it is. However, this IS NOT the el cheapo parts store wheel for $30, this is the catalog ones from the website. www.grantproducts.com

Thick powdercoated steel, nice firm foam rubber grip wrapped with genuine leather. I did buy the more expensive adapter kit that Grant had. It was around $60 I think. Replaces the cheap looking rubber sleeve with powdercoated billet aluminum.