Nardi Steering wheels

Art, I have 2 Nardi wheels from fiat2300S coupes, one a '62 and the other a '67 and both were signed

 

For what it's worth, I've got a Momo wheel on my 1971 365 GTC. Momo is stamped on the lower back portion of the rim. It looked authentic enough that I had it restored before I found the "Momo" stamping. Cant say one way or another whether it came with the car when new. My 365 2+2 of the same 1971 vintage has a Nardi.

The DB4 wheel in the previous photos appears to be identical in size and thickness to a new Nardi wheel I purchased 3 years ago as a spare wheel while I was having the others restored. These newer wheels have a different hub, and require a $50 adapter to fit the old Ferrari steering columns.

 

1969

 

In my experience, depends on the Nardi. I've had a number of Porsche 356's, and Nardis were a factory option from pretty far back (I'd say 55? just a guess) -the factory "flat" Nardis look just like the one in the 300sl photo- large diameter, no dish, thin rim. So if you show up with a Nardi that is period correct, you're cool. A new one? Not so much.

VDM made most of the Porsche racing car wheels in the 50's (spyders, Carreras) and you sometimes see them as a (very expensive) option in regular cars. The VDMs are very similar in appearance to the flat Nardi- the size and shape of the cut outs are the most basic giveaway. Nardi went on to make very limited numbers of "dished" large diameter thin rimmed wheels for the post 1960 cars (mostly seen in GT or GC carrera coupes) and today these wheels are made of unobtainium.

The center photo is a later (modern) vintage Nardi- smaller diameter, thicker rim, wood is generally lighter on these wheels (marketed as the "Classic Nardi") I would expect to see a Les Leston or Moto Lita wheel in a British car of that vintage from the factory.

Most of the old F cars I've seen have Nardis- they make a reasonable facsimile to this wheel today called the "Anni 50" - large diamter, thin rim, no signature- with a checkered texture on the spokes. But you guys know a lot more about that than I do.

 

Tom, I'm not sure. Individual dealers could have done so. But it has always been my understanding that it was an owner installed item. I know of two real (eg. made for the Gullwing and fold as the stock wheel does) 300sl Nardis - they were installed in the 50's and are still on the cars. Nardi made very few of them. Copies of the Nardis were made later in LA - can't remember the guy's name... Even these are very hard to come by.

 

Just to correct an old thread… Nardi’s were available as a factory installed option. Mine came with one.

 

where is the original poster 410SA these days? he hasnt posted in a long time.