Steering Wheel

[Bill Pollard]

Afternoon Fellow MG-TD Buffs:

Would anyone have a source for a replacement steering wheel. I have been told the one I have may be a Grant but I can’t find a brand name on it anywhere.

This one is 13 1/2″ in diameter and has three flat spokes with the outer covered in wood. The chrome is coming off this one. The wood is attached with rivets. I had thought about removing the wood and having the main frame rechromed until I encountered the rivets.

I have found “dished” steering wheels but not flat ones.

Thanks

Bill

[Keith True]

Poke around on ebay until you find what you have.Look under,vintage Volkswagen,sand rail,dune buggy,something will show up.Have you tried MG Magic?Is it held on with a ring of a half dozen bolts,or just three,or is it splined with just the big nut to hold it on?You can buy two or three steering wheels for the price of chrome now.

[Bill Pollard]

I understan MG Magic is closed until March. I don’t find one on their price list.

I knew rechroming was expensive and that is why I was trying to locate one to purchase.

I haven’t tried e-bay.

Thanks

[Keith True]

I have a dune buggy that had a rusty steering wheel,I drilled out the rivets,blasted it and painted it body color.You can have it powdercoated too.Does your wood come off in two peices? Top and bottom? Mine did so I bolted them back together with stainless machine screws.

[Bill Pollard]

That is an ideal I haven’t considered. The wood is actually four pieces to the side.

I am currently having all new upper engine tin power coated the same color as the body.

Did your steering wheel have, what appears to be, pearl inserts at each rivet on the face side?

[Keith True]

Mine had buttons to cover up the rivet heads,not pearl,but plastic.Yours is probably fancier.They were cracked with age so I never replaced them.I just used stainless bolts but the heads are recessed so they really are not seen.There are some silver and chrome powdercoats that look pretty good.The chrome looks like brushed stainless when done.Pewter looks good,as does the aluminum coating.

[Mark Hendrickson]

These steering wheels were all made by Grant. The adapter was the make of the donor steering column.

Grant has a plethora of wooden steering wheels and you could even get “banjo” steering wheels. All you need is $$

http://www.summitracing.com

http://www.jegs.com

or your local auto supplier that sells Grant products.

Keep in mind that if you change from the 3 bolt attachment to a Grant Signature series, you’ll have to change adapters.

I tried to post a picture of the one I installed on the Pink MG to replace probably the exact one that you had. I had A GM (Chevette) column, so I bought a billet adpater and a flat, wood Grant Signature wheel that attaches with 5 FHSC (#10×32).

[Bill Pollard]

Thanks for all the information.

I spoke with the company that has done the powder coating of my engine tin and they feel sure they can give it the “brushed stainless” look. I like that option. In the mean time I have painted the chrome section red like the body color.

I have ordered the 8 spoke EMPI chorme wheels and I am thinking of having the spokes powdered coated red like the body. If I do that then I’ll have the steering wheel done at the same time.

[Paul Weatherholt]

I would like to ask since the subject is going…My steering wheel has a plastic insert in the middle of a “FOX”…does anyone know what kind of wheel this would be ??

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Mark Hendrickson]

Bill, I used a set of those Empi 8 spokes on the first Pink MG, now Angelica. I powder coated them beige to match the main body.

Be careful of the valve location on these rims. When I swapped my brakes over to disc brakes, the tire valve interferred with the caliper and I could not use the rims. I ended up getting a set of the 10 spoke VW rims (the special edition beetle model slips my old mind). They are shown in the picture Bill Collins has posted in the Photo Gallery.

The Empi 8 spoke rims I had were older ones. Although Empi no longer manufactures these rims, maybe the new manufacturer has changed the valve location to clear disc brakes? If the valve is located centered on the rim, they won’t work with disc brakes. 

[Mark Hendrickson]

Almost forgot…I may have that steering wheel I removed. I’ll look in the basement and see if I save it. You are welcome to it if I have it. It’s the same one you have. Keep you posted.

[Bill Pollard]

No wonder I lost your message I was looking in the wrong subject.

“If the valve is located centered on the rim, they won’t work with disc brakes”. 

I am puzzled by this statement. Are you indicating the valve stem is located between the spokes and not on the outer rim like other car wheels?

Please let me know about the steering wheel.

Also I posted a question to you about the rear suspension. When you have time please review and see if you can answer it. I’m sure others will be interested in your observation.

Thanks,

Bill

[Mark Hendrickson]

By the center of rim I mean that the valve hole is placed equally between the outer and inner beads of the rim.

In other words, if you stood the rim up so it would roll, turned the thing sideways so that you are looking at the inner part of the rim (you’d have the tire tread pointed squarely at your face), the valve hole is dead center between the beads.

If you have disc brakes, the caliper sticks out closer to the rim and the valve hits the caliper. Drum brakes are not a problem.

Just be sure you see the rims before you buy them. I lucked out and sold my freshly powder coated rims to VW guy that was not converting to disc brakes.

In all of this conversation, I am assuming you have a “ball joint” chassis that used 4 lug wheels. The older “Wide-5” configuration may also have the same problem, but those disc brake conversion kits are pricey compared to the 4 lug.

Pink MG39510.4758564815

[Bill Pollard]

You are correct. I have the 4 bolt pattern.

I will be purchasing them from a local and maybe they will have information on the newer wheels. I will bring this to their attention.

Thanks again,

Bill

[Mark Hendrickson]

So, your car is based on a ’68 and up Beetle donor, has a ball joint front end and IRS rear suspension.

If the valve location is on the outer edge (as normally found on most rims) you should have no problems using disc or drum front and/or rear brakes.

[Bill Pollard]

Yes sir that is correct. It is on a 1973 chassis.

I don’t guess it should but it blows my mind on how little maintenance work was performed on this car. They kept the body shinny.

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