Factory 380 mm "Thick-Grip" Steering Wheel Dissected

[lkadams]

I would like a wide-angle shot of the red sofa.



-Mike

Me too. Looks like the "casting couch" from a porno movie!

Kidding aside, thanks for your efforts Dave!

[t6dpilot]

Oh man, I thought I was going to be the only one to comment on the "red Corinthian leather!" In my best Homer Simpson voice, "Hhmmm, red Corinthian leather...."

In all seriousness, nice documentation of the wheel construction. So the second wrap of cotton seems to be a surprise as is the X stitch on the spokes. I'll bet it just depended on who was stitching the wheels on a particular day. Interesting.

[Bantam]

Good detail Dave.

A few photos to add for reference:

Photo 1 - (kindly posted by Brian "Fryardds" a couple of years ago) giving another look at a dissected thick grip wheel showing the hard wheel, the white cotton and the outer leather, so a second example that looks pretty much just like Dave's.

Photos 2 & 3 - the 380mm thick grip 914.347.803.10 wheel, dated 12/72, already without cotton & leather that was on my '68 TR when I purchased it.

[Allen Henderson]

Steering wheel geeks,

I'd just like to point out, IMHO, 914.347.803.10 is a "real" RSR (914-6GT and ST) thick grip steering wheel and this part number 914.347.803.10, while "in the raw" is a plastic steering wheel (that as such, without thick grip added) would have a DIFFERENT part number AND that that 914.347.803.10 was stamped on this wheel because it was special and thick grip, leather wrapped. To be pedantic about it, that is why the date stamp for for these wheels is circa '72. Anyone care to add or disagree? Put another way, while it was stated that Now typically, this part # would have been a 69-71 wheel" this is a little misleading in that this part number was never JUST a plastic wheel and was ALWAYS, leather wrapped (thick grip, in fact). This part number is UNIQUE to "thick grip" 380mm flat hub wheels.

I also don't, therefore, agree with the circled item from my friend John below...this part number is ALWAYS thick grip leather wrapped. Thanks.

-Allen-
PS A small sample of why I say this:

[andyjboy]

I have owned a number of hard plastic 803.10 wheels - here's a couple of pictures of the centre of one of them:

[Allen Henderson]

I have owned a number of hard plastic 803.10 wheels - here's a couple of pictures of the centre of one of them:

Andy, Were these originally JUST plastic wheels, i.e. without leather? It is strange that there would be several identical plastic wheels with different part numbers? Thanks

-Allen-

[orange911]

Is there an actual "kit" to do this, or is this a trade only few have mastered using raw materials? Of the searches I have done, I have yet to see a complete DIY on this subject. It would be nice to know what kind of leather and "felt" to get, where to get it, how much to get, and a template to cut it out. Other details such as twine/thread used and a nice youTube video of how to do the baseball stitches. Then and only then would I attempt to do this. I have the 806.10 wheel and I hope to have it refinished someday.

[andyjboy]

Andy, Were these originally JUST plastic wheels, i.e. without leather? It is strange that there would be several identical plastic wheels with different part numbers? Thanks

-Allen-

Allen - they were std hard plastic 914/6 wheels.

Basically there are 7 original versions of the 380mm 914 wheel:

1970/'71 914/6 - 803.10 (hard plastic) 806.10 (leather)

1970/'71 914/4 - 804.10 (hard plastic) 805.10 (leather)

1972-on 914/4 - 804.11 (hard plastic) 805.11 (leather) 809.00 (imitation leather)


803.10 was used as the basis of the 'thick rim' RSR wheel

806.10 was used on the '73 2.7RS

.

[70SATMan]

Andy, Were these originally JUST plastic wheels, i.e. without leather? It is strange that there would be several identical plastic wheels with different part numbers? Thanks

-Allen-

Allen, I've got one as well. It was never covered and I plan to do a thick grip one of these days. Lost out on this one recently...Though it looked to be the real deal...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270864323890...#ht_500wt_1413