73 Steering Wheel recovering

[Simonjjb]

Should be part number 901 347 081 10
Steering wheel, leather rim.

That is what ALL 73S cars were fitted with as STD unless otherwise specified.

I agree yours does not look leather but I am tipping you have not owned the car since day 1 either so it may have had a swap out.

My 911S was manufactured in 7/72 and has a wheel dated 7/72 and 901 347 081 10

[steve shea]

My 73S coupe #310, 10/72 build, has a faux leather wheel with 72 date. But it really looks like a well used leather, smooth with a nice sheen. Also a some what thinner grip than the second generation which has an aggressive grain and a slightly thicker grip. Like the one pictured above. I have both so there are definitely two faux versions the second with a 73 date.

[RSTarga]

Should be part number 901 347 081 10
Steering wheel, leather rim.

That is what ALL 73S cars were fitted with as STD unless otherwise specified.

I agree yours does not look leather but I am tipping you have not owned the car since day 1 either so it may have had a swap out.

Actually owned since new so I can vouch for authenticity as OE. Sure seems vacuum formed like door top garnish. Put a Jackie Stewart on in the late 70's, so sitting in a box since then.

[Jay Laifman]

On my 73.5 911T it has a leather wheel. I can't say I'm the original owner. And it did come with leather seats. But, there is zero doubt it is leather.

On restoring them, the Dallas place seems to be the only shop that does it. It's a real bummer. Because on the ones I've seen from them, they don't use a thin tight grain like on the originals. There was a place in the midwest that was making kits. I bought one probably 20 years ago. I emailed them recently, but no answer. Robert Budd of Classic 9 Leather Shop.

For what it's worth, my wheel number is 901.347.180.10. Yes, 180, not 081.

Also, I'm seeing a bunch of posts about the 081 version being leather. But looking at some of those pictures, sure looks like vinyl to me. Hard to be conclusive from pictures.

Looking at PET, it says 901.347.081.10 is leather, .082.00 is "plastic material" and .081.00 is "hard rubber." But it also says to refer to a classic technical bulletin from 4/94. Perhaps it's what they have now? But no mention of a 180.

[raspy2point2]

my 70 S wheel was coming apart and asked Tony to restore it. He said the leather was soo weathered that it would not hold a stich and hold together.

[RSTarga]

For what its worth here is the original wheel off my 73S. It shows May 73 production, which matches up with my car's date. It definitely looks like molded, as can be seen on the mold marks on the edge, no thread apparent. Vinyl peeling away to reveal foam underneath.
911 347 082 00

[70SATMan]

David, I don’t believe what’s peeling away is vinyl. It’s just the top layer of foam that contacted the mold to create the faux grain.

[RSTarga]

I agree Michael, What I had said originally is that it was molded like the door tops, not vinyl covered, in response to Clyde. I can't find any stitching and the mold marks are apparent on the periphery.
The point made, was that all 73S cars had leather steering wheels, which for the US market was not the case. There seemed to be lots of scrimping by VW-Porsche for that year, no front oil cooler, and since they had a VWofA A/C dealer installed option available, very few came in with Behr factory systems. Same with factory installed radios because the dealers wanted to install them also. More profit for the dealers in other words.
Euro delivery cars were another story.

[70SATMan]

I’ve always thought the foam wheels would make a nice thick grip wheel by adding a leather cover over the top.