Wood Wheel variations and values

[Rennman]

I recently read a thread where someone referenced an alloy spoke wheel selling for 9,500 Euros!!!! Holy smoke! I have owned over the years various wood wheels with steel spokes which sold in the 6 to 8 hundred range. These are the common wood wheels. It seems there are two alloy versions, one with the alloy showing around the circumference of the wheel and one not showing? Which is the earlier wheel and which is the more valuable version?? Thanks guys.

Don

[Bill Simmeth]

Don, I'm not an expert, I had just noted the wheel at auction and the price it fetched. It sold for 10,500 Euro. Here's the one picture they posted and the English version of the listing text:

PORSCHE original steering wheel , aluminum/wood, manufacturer VDM, 42 cm in diameter, (was only fitted in racing cars or avaiable as rally-special accessories), very light (920 g compared to a normal steering wheel 2.5 kg), as good as new (war noch not fitted)

[Harvey Weidman]

Aluminum survivors are rare. Mainly because not many were made but also because most of them broke and were replaced. Just about all of the ones that I've seen used on the road had cracks or welds...or broken completely. Not necessarily the best wheel for daily driving. IMHO But great to look at and hold.
Some of the ones lately that I have been asked to look at were steel. The owners thought they were alloy because the hub was alloy.
H

[210bhp]

Don
I can't believe what you are saying. Where was this advert please?
I have an aluminium wheel like the picture above and can confirm it weighs about 940 gms. The black aluminium spokes seem to continue into the wooden rim and are exposed (but as a gold colour rather than black) on the inside of the rim but not visible on the outside of the rim.

Regards
Mike

Edit are you sure it wasn't 950 euros?

[Bill Simmeth]

Mike,

Here's a screen shot of the item from the auction house website showing the minimum bid ("limit price") of 9500 euro and the selling price ("knockdown price") of 10,500 euro. There was also a buyer's premium of 16%, so it's one expensive wheel.

[210bhp]

Many thanks Bill

I will have to reassess the value of mine, or do you think this is a one off?
Mine also has the original horn button.

Regards
Mike

[steve shea]

I do not know about the 900 series wheels but do not doubt the price either if they are rare and fragile. I have owned/restored a number of 356A VDM GT flat steering wheels. Same story; bent, broken, delaminating and almost all had the top side quarter round cracked and detatched or totally missing. They are made up of 11 16th" circumferential laminations and must have been extremely labor intensive to build. They are gorgeous. Many drivers BITD would not use wooden wheels in case of a wreck splintering the wheel with the potential of stabbing the driver. So a lot were trashed or discarded. The next iteration was the red RSK wheel which was then retro fitted to many cars. I sold an original for 7G's about five years ago. About three years ago I confirmed one sold in Switzerland for north of 10G's. I have one left and would not sell for less than that. It came from Kjell Qvales totaled 58' GT coupe with a very late 56' date stamp. There is a cottage industry in fake factory wheels. Some are done well most not so much. I've never seen a well done VDM GT copy but Bruce Crawford does do it correctly, at least restos of his that I've seen. If you have to have the best ie: original factory expect to pay for the rare trinkets. BTW these were fitted only to Spyders and GT cars, GS cars had the plastic one. The VDM GT was available to anyone however and was listed in the factory accessories book. Any car could have had one. In 45 years of all things Porsche I have only seen a few on street cars and who knows if they were original VDM or to the car. I've only seen three with the correct dual stalk set up on the column. Eric Linden had an A coupe with the VDM and the dual stalk, my 58' speedster and one other in Co. The black Carrera coupe in the Photo of the day thread a few days ago had a VDM mounted and the dual stalk.

[boba]

As has been noted here these wheels were rare and fragile not to mention light and gorgeous to behold and to touch. They are referred to as the 901 wheel as they were offered on the 901 and very quickly replaced with the steel armature wheel. I have one of our reproductions at the house and will take some photos and post later today.

[210bhp]

Are there any distinguishing marks, numbers, date stamps or features to indicate a real or repro wheel?

Regards
Mike

[mike curnow]

I suppose anything is possible, but my calculations with 16% premium is 12180 Euros, and $16,418.00 US dollars. This figure is especially high since on this forum over the past 2 years there has been at least 4 of those wheels up for sale at no higher price than approx $1800.00. Go figure, I do wish I could contact the buyer, I have lots of stuff to sell at outrageous prices. As a side note, when I was racing Speedsters in the middle 1970's in SCCA you were not allowed to use a wood wheel, due to safety concerns. And thought they are somewhat rare, they are not all that rare. I have one, someone on this thread has one, 4 or so for sale on this forum. The RSR fire extinguisher system is rare, I have never seen an origional one for sale, in 30 years.