Newbie - Steering Wheel Junkie | Page 4 | FerrariChat

Newbie - Steering Wheel Junkie

Discussion in 'Vintage (thru 365 GTC4)' started by woodrim, Mar 6, 2009.

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  1. woodrim

    woodrim Rookie

    Mar 6, 2009
    49
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Mike Lempert
    #76 woodrim, Mar 31, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Interesting that Les Leston attempted to market a double slotted wheel to Ferrari owners in the aftermarket. Trick with these Lestons was to find the hub adapter and horn surround pieces.
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  2. woodrim

    woodrim Rookie

    Mar 6, 2009
    49
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Mike Lempert
    #77 woodrim, Apr 13, 2013
    I'm back. I'm going to be making two four spoke steering wheel styles after the ones used by Wawthorn and Collins. There were more than just two, but I'm concentrating on one solid spoke with segmented rim and one slotted spoke with typical Nardi style rim with black inlay. I'm wonderg if any of you can help me with any data or pictures you might have. It's best to have an original in hand, but when that isn't possible I can make pretty good use of pictures and measurements I have from other original wheels. I'm assuming these wheels used 4mm thick aluminum stock. Any data you can offer is appreciated.

    Regards,
    Mike Lempert
     
  3. Athanase

    Athanase Formula Junior

    Jan 27, 2007
    311
    #78 Athanase, Apr 14, 2013
    During the Hawthorn/Collins period, theoretically the rim with black inlay was a GT thing, but at some point there are also sometimes in prototypes (315S/335S & 250TR), usually the monopostos do not have it.
     
  4. woodrim

    woodrim Rookie

    Mar 6, 2009
    49
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Mike Lempert
    #79 woodrim, Apr 14, 2013
    These are some that I find most interesting... The first two are pictures I took at Amelia Island, the remainder are borrowed from the web and poorer quality. In the older pictures you'll see both segmented rim and black inlay type.

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  5. marksgtv

    marksgtv Karting

    May 29, 2009
    64
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    Mark Morrissey
    #80 marksgtv, Apr 22, 2013
    Fantastic thread you've started here Mike. Great information. I know you're focused on the wood rimmed wheels and rightly so -- your work is terrific. Do you remember -- we spoke on the phone not terribly long ago. Anyway, I've managed to find out quite a bit about leather covered Momo wheels -- the kind you don't pay any attention to. They do have a very significant role in Ferrari history. The very first wheel Momo founder Gianpiero Moretti made for a Ferrari was mounted in a 158 Formula 1 car for 1964 -- John Surtees drove it to the championship. At least, I'm fairly certain anyway. Technically it wasn't a Momo because Momo didn't begin until 1966.
     
  6. FMofAtl Parts

    FMofAtl Parts Karting

    Jan 5, 2010
    212
    Roswell, GA
    Full Name:
    FMofAtl Parts
    #81 FMofAtl Parts, Apr 23, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I have a replica of a Hawthorn/Collins wheel hanging on the wall in our parts office.

    It was made within the last 10 years by Mark Wallach while he had an original wheel in his shop for restoration.

    I have an incorrect black horn buttom in it for now because someone managed to lose the yellow center out of the polished aluminium button but I do still have the correct type button.

    We would like to sell it for a resonable offer.

    Ken
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  7. woodrim

    woodrim Rookie

    Mar 6, 2009
    49
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Mike Lempert
    #82 woodrim, Dec 5, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I haven't been to this forum in a while and missed the past two posts. The Wallach 4-spoke is one of several styles used by both Collins and Hawthorn. I've had the intention of making them and other interesting older wheels and finally have gotten to doing a couple. I too have one available that I would like to sell. Generally I don't have any readily available because I'm always working on customer requests, but my creative obsession got the best of me and I thought this would be a good time of year to have one. Anyone interested should contact me offline.
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  8. John B

    John B Formula 3

    May 27, 2003
    1,564
    NJ
    #83 John B, Dec 6, 2013
    My '67 330 GTC has a Momo which I believe to be original to the car.
     
  9. woodrim

    woodrim Rookie

    Mar 6, 2009
    49
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Mike Lempert
    #84 woodrim, Dec 26, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  10. woodrim

    woodrim Rookie

    Mar 6, 2009
    49
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Mike Lempert
    #85 woodrim, Feb 6, 2014
    Am now accepting any reasonable offer on above steering wheel.
     
  11. woodrim

    woodrim Rookie

    Mar 6, 2009
    49
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Mike Lempert
    #86 woodrim, Feb 6, 2014
    The wheel has sold. My thanks to this Ferrari group.

    Mike L.
     
  12. woodrim

    woodrim Rookie

    Mar 6, 2009
    49
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Mike Lempert
    #87 woodrim, Aug 29, 2016
    Having received a call today from a potential customer who reference this thread, I looked it up and see that it has been seven years since this discussion. To say time flies is cliché, but it sure does.

    Since this thread in 2009, I've continued to learn a great deal about various steering wheels. It is hard to imagine very many that I have not yet seen and restored or replicated. If I were to count, which I haven't, I'd probably come up with over 100 designs that I now make. In the past five years or so I have been making more of the Italian styles; Lamborghini, Ferrari, Alfa, and some less well know marques. Have recently started offering guilloché as well. Still having fun.
     
  13. sdwessmanc

    sdwessmanc Rookie

    Aug 10, 2013
    1
    #88 sdwessmanc, Apr 3, 2017
    Hi,
    First post here. Do not have, cannot afford, a vintage Ferrari but do have a bespoke watercolor of a 365 GTB/4 commissioned by my wife for my 30th birthday more than 30 years ago in response to her question, "What is your favorite car?".
    So I do have a longstanding passion for Modena products but also for Les Leston, the man and his accessories. I have more than 20, but less than 30, LL steering wheels with very few duplicates plus other LL automobilia. For those of you who "do" Facebook, I created a "Les Leston fan club" page almost a year ago but it languished until recently when vintage Mini folks revived it. I invite anyone with a similar interest to visit and perhaps join. Unfortunately I have more LL trinkets than knowledge but the posts in this thread show that "the truth is out there".
    Thank you to this group and apologies to Mr. Lempert for stalking you all over the internet,
    Craig

    My Daytona festooned with LL autographed photos:

    [​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
     
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