The Cal-look Lounge

While gathering parts for my "in da werks" 67, i am searching for a cool looking steering wheel ...vintage (speedwell, empi) product is not mandatory what do you have in mind for something 100% cal look and not to expensive??

thanks for your help

Moto lita ? That's what I have  :)

(http://images.izideal.com/img/product/10357675/l/fr/moto-lita-volant-mark-4-leather-rim.jpeg)

thanks flow

nice wheel what's the diameter??

I like speedwell, i think it's a very nice stuff.
But other are cool too.
Moto-Lita is nice but I prefer the 4 spoke
A black Grant 3 spoke or an original Superior 500 with OG boss Kit or with an Flat4 gt boss kit.
Wood Les Leston are cool steering wheel too.

A Formuling has 80s written all over it. I'm sure someone will post a pic. Hard to find one in good shape these days..

any links??

Complete with Triumph horn button?  ;D

Nooo, Google helps me  ;D

Here is mine, a Lecarra, but very similar with the Moto Lita  ;)

(http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/28251_1518108514991_1302868410_1444870_4679214_n.jpg)

It's all personal preference. I look at them and decide if I want to look at it while I'm driving. I don't care what other people think about it, it's there for me to turn, not them

As long as you can drive with handcuffs , Its good with me !

do you know about
www.lenker.com.br

??the orion looks good no??

I'm sure I'll be called a heretic, but I love Formuling wheels, Grant GTs are a close second.  I'm just not a fan of the big huge ol' period wheels from back in the day, but this is largely due to my stature as a long-legged tall guy.  Lol.  ;D

You'll be looking at one of these then...
[attachment=1]

a nice moto lita!!  8)

Nardi : http://www.nardi-personal.com/page.php?sid=undefined&pageid=LIV0200B

There was a great thread on Steering Wheels a while ago.

http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,15481.0.html (http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,15481.0.html)

if anyone needs a quality boss kit for these mentioned wheels, contact me  ;D

Anthony / ISP WEST

these look and work bitchen :)

  This does it for me,  My Formuling....

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/YAVE123/int1-1.jpg)

thanks for the link

Apologies for the tangental post, but please can someone tell me if these rims have any desirability/value?
& if yes, what value?

White/off-white Grant GT was fitted to a 57 Ghia i bought 15yrs ago
Black Astrali, can't remember how I came to own this one
Both have their VW bosses (Grant one is in the clear bag)

Thank you

(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/850432.jpg)

(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/850435.jpg)

(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/850433.jpg)

(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/850434.jpg)

That's what I've got, only with a balck face... love it! ;D

I got this one for my VW "Moto - Lita"

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/suravee/VW%20Parts/IMG_1252_resize.jpg)

(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e132/suravee/VW%20Parts/IMG_1251_resize.jpg)

i found what i was looking for....
http://www.vwispwest.com/MNGS277.html

Nice with the flat4GT boss kit

Here is mine with my Raid Steering Wheel.

Ted

Mine ! a springalex (probably alfa romeo steering wheel...)  ;D
(http://static.skynetblogs.be/media/98123/4107692492.jpg)

For me - a classic, 3 spoke, 12,5'' grant with a foam rim. Judging from the pictures and movies, it must have been one of the most popular, or even THE most popular wheels "back in the days".
And I like the way it looks.
The downside is that it is still in production and (this is the worst part) dirt cheap. So it's probably frowned upon by "serious collectors" digging "rare staff" even if the only reason for the rarity is hideous looks. ;)

I also like the moto-lita. I think it has good proportions of the spokes, the holes in the spokes and the hub.

Depends what era of "Back in the day" you're going for. By the time I got into cal-look (late 70s, early 80s) those Grant wheels had fallen from favor and looked too dated and "muscle car" in our eyes. Formuling France and similar wheels were the most common along with a resurgence in the popularity of Empi style wheels.

That may be a question of difference in perspective. For you muscle cars and cal-look Beetles are most probably to completely different things. With some friction in between, if my guess is right. For me, personally and subjectively, they are something simmilar. A Bug may be from Germany, but a Cal-look Bug is an American thing, just like a muscle car. People dealing with both over here are not in opposition. We share interest in drag racing, problems with getting parts from across the ocean etc. If you're hot roding a Beetle or a Camaro, the "base" may be different, but the goal is the same. And both hobbies are of foreign origin. So most people will not consider a part being "too muscle car" as something bad.
Still, I'm quite sure I've seen grants in some copies of old Hot VWs or some old pictures over here.

And, regardless of all that was said above, I still like the way this wheel looks in a Beetle ;)

     Great choice IMHO

I had a Formuling Futuro in my Bug, which I bought from Small Car Specialties in Anaheim

Not sure whether it's old skool rather than cal look or what the difference is  :) but a bit Speedwell does it for me....

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/stait9/60%20Green%20Ragtop/Steeringwheel.jpg)

I sold my Lecarra for this Formula  :)

(http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/599860_4949270651900_1812904175_n.jpg)

No, no, no. You guys got it all wrong. There is only one correct steering wheel.....
(http://home.comcast.net/~mlawless29/eboost2.jpg)

Didn't 64-65 not have the half circle horn ring? Pretty sure that's not correct ;)

I knew some smart-ass would point that out Zach!

Thats one nice looking steering wheel! Damn! :D

 ;D

if you want one,i might have one for sale.

henk!!!

That is my favorite wheel Right there!! :)

I have always liked the Formuling France 3 spoke steering wheels.  Sort of difficult to find now days.  Especially the horn buttons.

off course i have the empi in the car and this speedwell laying on my shelf.

henk!!!

(http://i49.tinypic.com/2hxx3qc.jpg)

This is one of my favorite wheels for any VW  ;)

[attachment=1]

I've always been a fan of Nardi wheels.

(http://rev9auto.rev9autosport.netdna-cdn.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/2ebe3f9af00f8fff3d7b5d435f231925/1/1/1199_thumb.jpg)

-jeffrey

I'm with you on that one Jeffrey. I've got a leather one in my car and a wood one like the one in your picture for my wife's car when it gets built...

I like the Grant GT wheels. This is going in my 67, got it at a swap meet.

We sold those by the truck load at Auto Haus back in the 70's - hard to believe they are all gone. Although they  were famous for the stitching coming apart after a few years ....

same here, i have a 390mm unit in my car, but it is hard to get that size in leather.

i personally prefer the feel and grip or leather and this is my personal favorite, again unable to find one.

(http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=15481.0;attach=50772;image)

(http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h233/Iowamark/DSC00100.jpg) (http://s65.photobucket.com/user/Iowamark/media/DSC00100.jpg.html)

Just build your own!

Here's the one I have in my Oval, a late 60's Les Leston ally and wood. Had the hub fabricated using a Grant part and got a NOS boss from Dee Berg a few years ago. Still have to get a horn  button done for it to get the original one proprely fitted. Thinks it looks great![attachment=1]

Hows' Mota Lita gun schrol grab all of you!![attachment=1]

That gunscroll looks familiar  !!! :'(

Its the other one of the two known to exist, Sean the one on the car is modifiedto accomodate the line-lock button :)

how much is a good example of this wheel worth ?

cheers

jamie

There is one on EBay right now!

I like the VDM wheels alot but only the one's with the EMPI button  ;D also my les leston wheel that I'm putting on my square is pretty cool and I do consider a Cal-look wheel for sure  :)

[attachment=1][attachment=2]

My good friend picked a slightly battered one for £80 on Ebay, mine was £250, but I've seen them for £500 odd, depends on how good it is and whether it has the full boss and horn.  My friend's was the wheel only.  The boss is going to be another £150 odd.  Hope that helps.

Cheers

Since my vdm wheel was never real wood, i painted it to look like a stock wheel.

(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/407738.jpg)

I like the look of your wheel Isaac. I did the same thing a few times already to my other wheels. I might paint the one I have pictured black or maybe have it restored with real wood. I've done that once but the wheel got stolen  >:( Who ever jacked that wood VDM probably trashed it man I wish I still had it cuz it would be worth ALOT now  ;)

Hey guys i am looking for a HUB. I picked up a wheel from a Cobra restorer that i want to put in my 66. The bolt pattern is 6 bolt and measures out to be 62mm bolt circle. Any thoughts?

PM DKK Ted if he doesn't see this and have him measure his. He (and I) have Racemark/Raid steering wheels. I know they are 6 bolt and I remember them being about a 2 in bolt circle visually. I've never measured them and mine is in storage so I can't get to it easily. Ted's is on his car.

Thanks Rick, I will. Of course trying to find a RAID hub will be the next hurdle!

I think ISP West makes the Raid hubs. If I remember correctly I asked Ted a while ago and that's where he got his.

I have one of those old Racemarks also, but no hub yet.

Thanks, I'll check them out

"Zwit"

we make a 6 bolt hub with the NARDI and MOMO 6 hole patterns in them... not sure if it matches the Raid ? pattern but most likely if its a tighter 6 hole pattern its one of the two...

something like this

Anthony / ISP WEST

(http://www.vwispwest.com/ebay/GA-64-0154PY-1.jpg)
(http://www.vwispwest.com/ebay/GA-64-0154PY.jpg)

Thanks, I will probably just come see you guys and bring the wheel. I can always machine a new pattern into the hub if the centering ring is right. I think you have a few different hubs that i may be able to modify