Full Version: Wood Steering Wheels
I have never had a car with a wood steering wheel, and have always thought they looked pretty, and you can get a nice thick one about any diameter you like. How does wood hold up in a convertible? Never had an open car with any wooden trim, so I have no idea. Anyone?
They splinter in an accident...not good...pretty, but not the safest.
QUOTE(SLITS @ Apr 16 2006, 08:24 AM) 
They splinter in an accident...not good...pretty, but not the safest.
Maybe so, but I like mine. It was in my car when I got it almost three years ago. I'm not sure how long the PO had it on the car.
They are stunning to look at.
Cept when it gets warm. Or worse hot. And you are not wearing driving gloves.
The slick finish slips on my sweaty hands. That can be disatrous....
So ifn ya don't wear gloves on hot days. Or your hands sweat at all...
Try sumpin else.
My life is more important than looks....
Thats simply my experiance. Your's may be differant.
Twystd1
Cept when it gets warm. Or worse hot. And you are not wearing driving gloves.
The slick finish slips on my sweaty hands. That can be disatrous....
So ifn ya don't wear gloves on hot days. Or your hands sweat at all...
Try sumpin else.
My life is more important than looks....
Thats simply my experiance. Your's may be differant.
Twystd1
This Thread has some info and pics....including this one of mine (horn button has been replaced since pic):
There was a 3 week beeyotch session on wood steering wheels on the 356 list recently......old farts went at it like prison Queens in Heat.
Nice avatar, prison queens in heat, you slay me.
I like the wood dash too, is that a glued on veneer or is it faux wood, which my Super Beetle had in a similar fashion
Had not thought of the splintering in a crash, not a pretty mental image for me. Don't really like the horn button on the stock wheel, mine works, and sounds sweet with $25 worth of new horns, but I don't like the design of the button assembly
I like the wood dash too, is that a glued on veneer or is it faux wood, which my Super Beetle had in a similar fashion
Had not thought of the splintering in a crash, not a pretty mental image for me. Don't really like the horn button on the stock wheel, mine works, and sounds sweet with $25 worth of new horns, but I don't like the design of the button assembly
As I understand it, wood steering wheels come in several flavours. Some of the more common ones are essentially constructed like plywood i.e. cross grain laminations that make up the wheel. I suspect that splintering would be much less an issue with these. Downside is, they don't look as good as the more traditional wheels.
The nicer wheels are made from thin laminations that are bent all around the wheel. The grain of the wood goes around the whle wheel. Those are the wheels that could splinter the worst, but they are also the best looking. I could be wrong but it looks like Garold's wheel is like that.
Finally, there's wheels that are carved from solid blocks of wood, in several pieces and joined together. Seanery's wheel is like that, I believe.
My .02
The nicer wheels are made from thin laminations that are bent all around the wheel. The grain of the wood goes around the whle wheel. Those are the wheels that could splinter the worst, but they are also the best looking. I could be wrong but it looks like Garold's wheel is like that.
Finally, there's wheels that are carved from solid blocks of wood, in several pieces and joined together. Seanery's wheel is like that, I believe.
My .02
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