914 steering wheel

[roland]

Hey guys,

I'd like to find a early 914 steering wheel for my 68, a hard rubber one would be better, 380mm...

So if you have that kind of stuff around, just let me know...

[Cornpanzer]

Hi Roland,
The hard one shouldnt be difficult to find.  I will keep my eyes peeled.  Is the one in the photos yours? DO you want to sell it?

FYI, the hub changed slightly in 72.  The later ones had shallow indentation for the washer and nut to set in.

[roland]

The one on the picture isn't mine, i've found them on another board..

Actually i want to fit that to my 68 bug but i have no idea if it will, and how it will, and which hub i do need... Any experience?

[Mags]

Hello Roland,
I have one 914 steering wheel from my 74 model,
i will take foto.
Magne

[Diederick/DVK]

awesome, javabug's got one in his 67 if i'm not mistaken.
perhaps he can tell if it's a bolt-on mod

[javabug]

Hey D, good call on that.

I have both a 914 wheel as pictured above, and a Riverside 500 wheel actually in the car right now.  The difference I can see, is that the back side of the "Porsche" wheel is flat, as the one pictured.  This leaves you with a gap between the wheel and the switch bezel on the steering column.  My car is a '67, and being a '68 I'm not sure if there is much difference on the columns, I believe the '68 and later cars have a plastic cover over the signal switch gear?

On the Riverside wheel, there is a "cup" to take up this extra space, and the mounting splines are offset slightly as well.  I think some Porsche wheels actually have this cup as well, but do not know what the difference is, from a 911 or 912 versus a 914?  Cornpanzer probably knows, he has a good grasp on the early Porsche stuff, I believe.

You can almost see the cup on the backside of the wheel filling the space here.  Not a great pic, though.

[speedwell]

take one 
i want  one too, the riverside 500 is one of my favoryte steering wheel ,

[javabug]

That horn button looks so much better than mine.   

[roland]

This is great info guys, thanks!

Now waiting for Magne's pics! 

[Cornpanzer]

The riverside 500 wheel was a 400mm 911 wheel I think.  The 914 wheel is 380mm.  For the Riverside wheel to fit, they had to use that spacer on the back.  I have never tried a standard 914 wheel on a VW, but I suspect it is going to be too close to the dash.

Mike,  if you are careful, you can remove the chrome bexel and have it replated.  I have plated several.  Teh leather piece can be improved with several treatments of leather preservative.  for the plastic center, I use 0000 steel wool and some plastic plish.

[javabug]

Thanks for the tip, Dave.  I have had mine apart once, replaced the padding under the leather and added a "nicer" ring.  If they re-plate nicely, I will definetly go that route when the wheel gets a serious refurbish.