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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ A new steering wheel, based on the originals
Posted by: Optimusglen Jun 26 2018, 10:56 AM
Inspired by the latest Singer work, I went about the task of redesigning the factory steering wheel into a modern interpretation. Certainly it's not everyone's cup of tea, but some of you might enjoy it.
I made this to be the same diameter as the stock wheel, with a Momo bolt pattern. Outer rim could be covered in leather, other fabric, or be a wood piece. Horn button has two styles. The wheel itself would probably need to be CNC milled, and I have yet to design any of the horn mechanism.
The rim has a scalloped inner face, similar to the jaguar Type-e steering wheels.
Some of you might be wondering if this would ever be made. The short answer is probably not, but who knows what the future holds. If there's a ton of interest and an investor wants to jump on board we could probably make it happen. I more just did this as a design study.
All black with hockey puck style horn button.
Matte aluminum with brown leather
matte aluminum with black puck
Black, perforated leather, standard horn pad
Posted by: Mueller Jun 26 2018, 10:58 AM
Neat!
Posted by: jrblackbox Jun 26 2018, 11:09 AM
Nice work!
Posted by: Alphaogre Jun 26 2018, 11:24 AM
Those look amazing!!!
Posted by: mb911 Jun 26 2018, 11:51 AM
Looks great.
Posted by: Dion Jun 26 2018, 12:15 PM
Very nice. I like the first pictured example, very much so.
Love your renderings as always Glen.
Cheers
Posted by: Andyrew Jun 26 2018, 01:19 PM
I like it a lot!
The crest is really cool! Is that another one of your minimalist designs or?
Posted by: Optimusglen Jun 26 2018, 02:34 PM
I like it a lot!
The crest is really cool! Is that another one of your minimalist designs or?
That's kindof a two-fer. On one hand it's minimalist, on the other I would hope that it might get around any type of copyright issues with Porsche. On that last note though, it still may not be enough, I haven't looked far enough into it to be completely sure.
At any rate, if this was ever going to go into production I would likely try to make it so that an official crest could be added by the end user
Posted by: mb911 Jun 26 2018, 02:37 PM
I like it a lot!
The crest is really cool! Is that another one of your minimalist designs or?
That's kindof a two-fer. On one hand it's minimalist, on the other I would hope that it might get around any type of copyright issues with Porsche. On that last note though, it still may not be enough, I haven't looked far enough into it to be completely sure.
At any rate, if this was ever going to go into production I would likely try to make it so that an official crest could be added by the end user
Very cool..
Posted by: 914forme Jun 26 2018, 03:00 PM
As far as being made, I was just in a room doing a demo with a laser 3d printer that prints in Titanium, Aluminum, and other less interesting metals. Yes the technology has been out for a while, normally it is in machines the size of my current hotel room. And cost from 150K to 1 million dollars 
Todays Demo was on a machine that costs on 55K, all parts are machinable and weldable, no binders or odd containments. If I signed on the bottom line before I leave town, I can get it for 50K. I am a beating man and think if I go back latter tonight when they are getting ready to pay 5K to ship the unit via special carrier I could get it for a bit less.
Anybody want to go into a startup with me. In reality I will be getting one for the engineering school, as it will allow concepts to go from PLA / ABS or FDM, to a functional part in a matter of hours. But I would love to have one in the home shop, and make parts just like the ones above. That wheel would look very nice in a raw titanium finish. In about 5 years these will be common place, about like a 3D printer was just a few years ago.
Posted by: Optimusglen Jun 26 2018, 03:18 PM
Indeed, the sintering 3D metal printing is really pretty amazing. I have a few quotes out for a prototype of this wheel but nothing back yet. For CNC a prototype is running 2-3k depending on material. Wondering what the quality/price would be for a cast blank and CNC finishing.
Posted by: Mark Henry Jun 26 2018, 06:05 PM
The vintage steering wheel in my bug uses pressed (center) aluminum spokes that are 4mm (.160") thick. It's plenty strong enough.
It would cost a lot less to make and would therefore be a lot cheaper sell price, with this crowd cheaper equals more possible sales.
I would be interested in the hockey puck if sold separately. 
originals and repops are stupid money.
Posted by: Mueller Jun 26 2018, 06:19 PM
As far as being made, I was just in a room doing a demo with a laser 3d printer that prints in Titanium, Aluminum, and other less interesting metals. Yes the technology has been out for a while, normally it is in machines the size of my current hotel room. And cost from 150K to 1 million dollars
Todays Demo was on a machine that costs on 55K, all parts are machinable and weldable, no binders or odd containments. If I signed on the bottom line before I leave town, I can get it for 50K. I am a beating man and think if I go back latter tonight when they are getting ready to pay 5K to ship the unit via special carrier I could get it for a bit less.
Anybody want to go into a startup with me. In reality I will be getting one for the engineering school, as it will allow concepts to go from PLA / ABS or FDM, to a functional part in a matter of hours. But I would love to have one in the home shop, and make parts just like the ones above. That wheel would look very nice in a raw titanium finish. In about 5 years these will be common place, about like a 3D printer was just a few years ago.
I work sometimes (when I'm working
) on DMLS machines (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) I wouldn't want one for home use unless someone else is paying the bills. The inert gas consumables alone gets expensive, the powder gets all over the place, people have died from forgetting to add water to the vacuum while cleaning out the chambers (not at any .gov Lab that I know of, private companies only)It is pretty darn neat and the parts that can be made is mind boggling. Careful with the yearly software maintenance, that is where companies get in trouble.
Posted by: mb911 Jun 26 2018, 06:26 PM
Around here you could get it cast for about $100 then whatever machining would be..
Posted by: Larmo63 Jun 26 2018, 10:00 PM
Glen, I love your stuff always, but I just don't know how you can improve on the classic design of the late sixties that still endures.
I don't know, maybe I'm a dinosaur?
Posted by: Optimusglen Jun 27 2018, 06:57 AM
The vintage steering wheel in my bug uses pressed (center) aluminum spokes that are 4mm (.160") thick. It's plenty strong enough.
It would cost a lot less to make and would therefore be a lot cheaper sell price, with this crowd cheaper equals more possible sales.
Remember, this was just a design study, inspired by some of the stuff Singer is putting out. That means limiting the cutting of corners for the sake of price. I suppose I did cut a corner by using a Momo bolt pattern, the thought there was that it would open up so many possibilities to other models.
I am going to design a hockey puck that would mate with the stock wheel though, once finished I'll float it and see where it goes.
Glen, I love your stuff always, but I just don't know how you can improve on the classic design of the late sixties that still endures.
I can't argue with that, the stock wheels are great, especially with the puck. This was more of a "what-if" Singer made a 914 with the dedication that they are putting into their latest DLS project and one thing they wouldn't do it leave the wheel alone.
Posted by: Optimusglen Sep 4 2018, 02:14 PM
The more that I looked at the originals above, the less I liked them. Back to the drawing board putting some ideas down. This one has an obvious semblance to the Momo Prototipo (and countless others of similar style) with a few key design elements.
-thumb groove all the way around
-wood spoke layer purely to give the spoke some depth and break up the design (non-structural)
-horn button reworked a bit, with the Porsche crest embossed
Not really intending on producing these, I've got too much on my plate as it is. But it's a fun hobby to design stuff even if it doesn't really work out.
Posted by: bmtrnavsky Sep 4 2018, 04:08 PM
I really like the first and last black ones with the puck though I must say the stock wheel looks pretty awesome with a puck as well.
Posted by: tmc914 Sep 4 2018, 05:28 PM
I like the last one in the first group (the one with the full horn pad), wonder what it would look like with a wooden looking wheel.
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