Leather-Rimmed Factory Steering Wheel: Guidance Needed

[Conserv]

(Photo from forum member dlhoovler. Thank you, Dave)

 

These leather-rimmed, metal-spoked wheels, also known as “sport wheels,” are best known here in the U.S. from their appearance on many 1970 model year '02s, the result — as the story goes — of a fire or labor strike at a steering wheel factory. I know no more. I’m largely after a tidbit today!

 

What IS the metal finish on the 3 small trim pieces, applied where the spokes meet the rim (bottom photo below)? I have two of these rims -- in "core" condition -- and both have dull, pitted trim pieces. I don't want to restore the rims without restoring these trim pieces. None of my 6 trim pieces exhibits an actual "brushed" appearance but they are all dull and pitted, and thus may not reveal an accurate image of their original finish. How much of the present finish is due to deterioration and how much represents the original finish?

 

Of less pressing importance, is the factory fire or strike the whole story behind these rims? My wheels are clearly dated '71 and '72. Were they simply replacement wheels for '70 cars with bad wheels? It seems to me that the (imitation) leather rims are a clear upgrade over the more common hard-plastic rims. But I don't believe you could get one of these as a factory option on a U.S. car (Hoffman Motors' importing process wouldn't facilitate it) -- apart from the '70 cars that just "came" with them. Could they have been a dealer accessory in the U.S? Outside the U.S., many, but not all, ti’s — both 1600ti’s and 2002ti’s — appear to have received Euro versions of this wheel, perhaps from the factory. Was it standard equipment at times for tii’s? Was it a factory option only on ti’s, and possibly a dealer accessory for others? I don’t have answers, only questions!

 

Here’s my entirely conjectural timeline:

 

1. "Euro" leather-rimmed steering wheel with cut-outs is introduced as standard equipment (ti’s only), a factory option, and/or a dealer xaccessory for the European market, coincident with the introduction of the 1600ti in late 1967. Note, I have not yet seen a U.S. version of the wheel dated before 1970. 

2. Fast forward to 1970: “Oh s**t: the steering wheel factory burned down, er... the steering wheel factory is on strike!" "No problem: we can install leather-rimmed wheels temporarily,"

3. "Oh s**t: U.S. DOT says our European leather-rimmed wheels don't meet their requirements because of the spoke perforations!" "No problem: make them comply: don’t stamp out the ovals, indent them!"

4. "U.S." version of leather-rimmed wheel with indentations is introduced to solve the supply issue: ca. 1970.

5. Smart BMW business-school type says, "Hey, now that these things are U.S. legal, let's sell all we can through the dealer network." Later becomes CEO. I have examples of the U.S. version sport wheel dated 1971 and 1972. Frankly, U.S. versions are not particularly rare in the U.S. And I can’t believe all these wheels were pulled off 1970-model ‘02’s.

 

If you don’t like my history, please give me more details, more dates, and we’ll modify it!

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by Conserv

[Mike Self]

Those little trim pieces are similar to but not exactly the same as those used on the (real) wood-rimmed factory "bus wheels" fitted to CS coupes and 2800 sedans in the late 60s-early 70s.  The finish is a sandblast (dull) silver, similar to the best of the three pieces pictured.  They were never available as spare parts, so your best bet is to either cast new ones out of aluminum and then give 'em a sandblasted finish, or try to find a derelict wheel with good trim pieces.  Or you might try sanding the pits out of yours and grit blast 'em for the proper finish, then clearcoat.  

 

I've never seen a good explanation as to why the Euro wheels have the cutouts and ours don't, but it might be that they came from different suppliers, as a number of contemporary European cars (Alfa comes to mind) had steering wheels with cutouts in the spokes, and DOT didn't have a problem with them.  The BMW factory did some strange things back then...

 

mike

[bluedevils]

Steve I have the same wheel and they look like polished steel. Not sure if they were plated but they look like aluminum but I think they are steel. 

[esty]

and fwiw...they aren't leather in their original state...

[Conserv]

Thank you, mike; thank you, al!

I just checked: the trim pieces are non-magnetic. And their finish, for better or worse, is the same on all sides. I believe I will follow mike's suggestion to sand down the pits and media blast one. If the coloration is a function of the underlying metal, and not a matter of plating, I should be able to easily create an appropriately-dull finish. Part of me feared, however, that I was looking at a badly-deteriorated chrome finish. I've crossed that possibility out now!

 

Finding spare parts for these wheels is, indeed, difficult. I acquired the second of these rims, in very poor condition, solely for the hub parts: the components are different from the standard rim and long NLA, just like the three trim pieces.

 

We can only hope that some day some one will come forward with some of the missing pieces of the story behind these wheels.

 

Thanks again and best regards,

 

Steve

Edited January 9, 2019 by Conserv

[HBChris]

I have the euro version of this wheel with the cutouts on my coupe, it came on the CSi models which were not imported here. US coupes came with wood bus wheel or imitation leather covered bus wheel through 1973. As Mike said trim appears as a brushed satin but pieces are heavy. Photo below shows wood wheel trim pieces.

[Conserv]

n/t

Edited March 5, 2015 by Conserv

[Conserv]

On 3/4/2015 at 9:57 PM, esty said:

and fwiw...they aren't leather in their original state...

 

Say it isn't so, Esty,

 

In polite company, they might be referred to as "pleather-rimmed" wheels! I realize the rim wrapping was not actual leather but to put "Imitation-Leather-Rimmed Wheel.." in the title would reduce interest to ZERO! So I told a little white lie!

 

Now, as to the wheels' restoration, this creates a quandary. The "wheel guys" I've spoken to thus far are saying, "We can't do imitation leather nearly as well as we do leather." "It will look more like the original if we do it in leather." and "It certainly won't be cheaper for us to do it in imitation leather, and I'm not certain exactly what type of vinyl/plastic to use." Below is a detail of one of the wheels for those who are not familiar with them.

 

But I recognize that to recover these wheels in leather -- just as in other details where we wrongly believe "improved" is the equivalent of "restored" -- represents a "bending" of history. Will '02 enthusiasts, 50 years from now, assume these leather-covered versions were, indeed, available from the factory?

 

Although outside the original purview of this thread, thanks for bringing this subject up.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by Conserv

[Conserv]

On 3/4/2015 at 10:32 PM, HBChris said:

I have the euro version of this wheel with the cutouts on my coupe, it came on the CSi models which were not imported here. US coupes came with wood bus wheel or imitation leather covered bus wheel through 1973. As Mike said trim appears as a brushed satin but pieces are heavy. Photo below shows wood wheel trim pieces.

 

Thanks, Chris,

 

Looks like the same material and finish, but out of a slightly different mold.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by Conserv

[saaron]

A couple of pics of my car's wheel - #1 on your timeline.  It has the cut-outs, and the three pieces on it are shiny chrome.  The previous owner put the wrap on it.  

 

Scott

 

 

[Conserv]

Thank you, Scott,

But I really don't need conflicting information! :-) Shiny chrome? Could the prior owner have had them plated?

Thanks and regards,

Steve

Edited March 5, 2015 by Conserv

[saaron]

Ooops sorry.  Just kidding...I don't really have that wheel.  That is my Studebaker.

 

My car is a euro '72 car.  Mike saw it in Cincy a few years back, and I think said "it has the sport wheel" or something to that effect.  

 

Who knows what happened to it prior to me getting it in '87?

 

Scott

[Mike Self]

This steering wheel business just gets stranger and stranger.  I checked the two wood-rim bus wheels I have, and the little metal trim pieces at the end of each spoke are completely different on the two wheels.  On one (from a 2800CS coupe--I snagged it in a junkyard years ago) they are like those in Chris' picture, curved castings.  On the other (don't know what it came from but I suspect a 2800 sedan) they have angles on the corners and look like stampings.  Hadn't noticed that before.

 

This may also explain the difference in those trim pieces between the pierced Euro leather sport wheel and the US one:  two different manufacturers.  And just to muddy the waters, the pierced Euro wheel also was available with a wood rim.  I've seen one or two over the years.  

 

BTW, Chris, you wouldn't happen to have any extra curved end pieces...my CS coupe wheel is missing the one on the 6 o'clock spoke.

 

cheers

mike

[John_in_VA]

My '70 (1673695) had the non-cutout wheel like that in your first picture. The spoke trim pieces had a matte/brushed finish.

[Conserv]

On 3/5/2015 at 2:27 PM, saaron said:

Ooops sorry. Just kidding...I don't really have that wheel. That is my Studebaker.

Much better -- I thought it had a Studebaker-ish feel! ?

 

Next time I ask for guidance, I suppose I need to say "Please, I'm looking for a single simple answer; I don't need complexity or ambiguity!"

 

Thanks, Scott

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited January 9, 2019 by Conserv