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Kent, I agree. Too much setback. The rig (a standard Grant VW/3hole hub and a 1″ Forever Sharp billet aluminum adapter makes the steering wheel mounting surface 2″ aft of where the black VW tube. This one looks like 4″. FS adapters are available on amazon.com for about $23 and I would recommend buying the one that goes from 3 to 5 or 6 hole wheels in case you ever want to change again. Will the FS adapter work on a 5 hole Grant wheel, you ask? Yes. Plus on many/most 6 hole steering wheels as well.
Thanks, Roy. Looks like I need to pull mine to see what kind of adapter is on it now. The wheel looks like a Grant Challenger, but who knows…
Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...So this may be a little bit off topic of the original post but I see that the topic is now to adapters. Seeing all the posts about 3 to 5 hole adaptors doesn’t make sense to me as my steering column has 5 holes already. And it doesn’t seem like an adaptor, unless these work differently than I think.
And with the current “adaptor” I have the steering wheel is practically touching the turn signal lever (and that is without wood on it!)Any ideas?(and my steering wheel is a 13″ italian made turino “EDIT: maybe turismo, can’t remember”. Couldn’t find anything about it on the interwebs though.)Nobody2013-11-11 15:24:40
There are many variables in selecting the “right” steering wheel for your TDr. I have been surprised by a few and hope that I may help you better make a decision by eliminating a few based upon my errors.Note that our TDrs are all slightly different in the mounting of the steering shaft. The center of my shaft is 29″ off the floor at the end of the steering shaft. The shaft on my Daytona is mounted about 4″ higher up than on some other ( ex:FF & BCW) models. Since we don’t use standard VW wheels, most of us have a standard Grant like 3 hole hub splined to fit our steering shafts. The surface of my hub is 6″ out (closer to your chest) from the dash. My steering shaft comes through the wood, not under it. I like the through the dash look and it allows use of a slightly larger wheel without touching your knees. I am 6′ tall, weigh 208#, and wear a 37″ belt. But have short legs (29/30″ inseam) and sit tall in the seat. Another issue is diameter. It seems that there is no standard for diameter measuring. Some wheels advertised as 14″ are really nominal, some inner diameter and some outer. It can make quite a difference: the Forever Sharp wheel has a grip that is about 1-1/8″ in diameter or a difference of about 2-1/4″ in overall diameter, depending on where it is measured.I never liked the original steering wheel which came with my VW/TDr (aka MiGi) because of it’s inferior chrome job. It is a standard Grant like, flat 3 “spoke” with 3 holes per spoke walnut wheel at about the right diameter (outer: 13.5″) and with good grips. Here is a pic of it with a home-made “horn” button that I think compliments the wooden dash. It is rather small and does not overly intrude on the passenger space allowing easy access with our suicide doors. But, as a prior 16 year owner of a MGTF-1500 I really “needed” a proper banjo wheel.See the dueling banjo
wheels of edsnova (So-Cal Speed Shop “Bluemels Brooklands-like” 4 spoker see http://bridgetmgtd.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/test-fit-with-windlass/) and jebarry (a Flat Four “Petri style”, see https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/new-banjo/) as examples of what I considered most TD like.Unfortunately, both these wheels are quite pricey and Ed’s wheel is
just too darn big @ 16″ for me to be comfortable with. While at the Air & Auto Show 2012, Ed offered to take it off so I could try it out on MiGi but after sitting in Ed’s BCW, I could see the futility of it as I could barely get in and out of his car. I had not yet seen the Flat Four banjo “in person”.Pic #1 Standard kit OE Grant like wheel:
Experiment #1: I was browsing ebay one night and saw a Grant banjo. It was the #1057, which was their most expensive wheel. It had just gone off auction and did not sell. I wrote the seller and asked if he would take a ridiculously low offer. He accepted. I got the wheel and it is a very, very nice wheel. gkesseru has this wheel on his TDr. But, with it’s 3.5″ dish on a 14.75″ wheel with a very beefy grip, it simply didn’t work for me. I was disappointed, but sold it on ebay at a nice profit a week later.Pic #2 Grant #1057 Banjo
I was still searching for the perfect wheel when Happy Jack bought his first TDr, a FF. It came with a non-banjo Forever Sharp wheel. Very nice. Right diameter @ 14.5″ and dish @ 1″ and good grip but a bit beefier than the standard kit wheel. 3 spoke 5 hole.Pic#3 Forever Sharp #2001
In the meantime, Happy Jack also bought a Flat Four Banjo. I like the look and it would work well for most TDrs. It is almost flat but due to the way it is manufactured, it will project aft about 3″. The wheel measures 15-1/2″ in diameter. Standard 3 hole mount to a Grant hub. Very pretty and original looking. The grip is a bit thinner and does not feel as secure as other wood wheels. Another surprise here: I have a nice fitting tonneau cover that no longer would snap over this wheel. This wheel is impossible to find used and is pricey new.Pic#4 Flat Four Banjo
But the quest continued for the perfect banjo. Once again, on ebay, another bid about to end with super low price. I bid and won. A Signature Series Grant #724 GT 14″ almost flat 4 spoke 5 hole. Mahogany and brushed steel look. Not your typical TDr look – a bit on the hot-rod side. But I like it – feels good.Pic#5 Grant #724
So there you have it. I have one more trick up my sleeve. I’m going to dis-assemble my original wheel. Grind and sand the chrome til smooth and powder coat the metal bright red. Refinish the wood and re-assemble. I’ll post a pic when done.In the meantime, which wheel do you like best?PMOSSBERG2013-11-11 18:37:17
Nobody, you apparently have what is called a 5 hole hub, not an adapter. The more common hub is a 3 hole type. But if you find the steering wheel you like in a 5 hole pattern you probably could just bolt it on. If it is too close to the dash, there are spacers/adapters made and sold by Grant and Forever Sharp and others. If the wheel that you love happens to have a 3 hole pattern, there is a 5 to 3 hold adapter also.
Roy, I really like the FS wheel with the rivets you first posted from Amazon, but of the ones you have pictured on your TDr I like the wheel in Pic #3 best.
Sam
Ok, for some reason my text didn’t post, so here it is again. I really like the FS wheel with the rivets you first posted from Amazon. Of the pics you posted above of the wheels on your TDr, I like Pic #3 best.
Sam
Thxz Roy ..very nice comparison ..all of the wheels look great..
I guess it’s our personal choice.I chose the 15″white flat 4 banjo because it looks to me the most original . It also gives me a much better feel and sensitivity to the road than the stock 14″ Grant. Not to mention it keeps me on a diet so I can get behind the wheel In my LR MG TDr.Great post Roy!
Thank you!
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
When I test mounted that Grant Banjo, it was in my knees and too close to my diameter. Now it feels just right. I did three things to fix this.
1. I cut a bigger loop out of the dash and remounted my end of steering column about 1 inch higher.
2. I took the hub apart and flipped the back collar. Now the Grant adapter fastens to the inside of the back collar instead of the back side. This gains about an inch.
3. I shortened the steering column so that the wheel is closer to the dash but still clears all switches and my turn signal box.
Top of wheel is higher but still not in my way of the view forward.
Sam, I did some heavy modification on the hub adapter which allowed the wheel to be mounted 1″ closer to the dash. A lot of buffing and polishing on the wheel and surprised myself with wheel #5. It just felt good. I did buy a Forever Sharp 14″ wheel and I really like it but it came in, for me in this car at my current weight a close #2. I will be selling the FS soon (at a loss, of course).
I know that this thread is not as exciting as Ed’s Soob swap. But, here’s the final result of my steering wheel saga:
Bought one of these:
and cut the pin off the back with my Dremel tool and glued it on.Nice job, Roy.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Finally got my Forever Sharp steering wheel mounted. Looks great. You’ll have to take my word for it as I can’t remember how to post a pic.
Sam
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