If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know that I have a totally rational and justified obsession with the tube-frame silhouette racers of the ’80s and ’90s. Point me at a Trans Am spec Buick Somerset, or a GTO Merkur, or a Kelly Challenge Camaro, and I’ll be busy for hours poring over tiny details and checking my …
Man, I thought the question would be answered if I read far enough.
I wonder if the original awesome steering wheels went away with the teams that ran them and these bargain bin pieces of crap are what you're left with?
Do you also fret over the rear wings on 00's race cars that look the same as those hung in the back corner of the local parts stores, and like they'd be at home on your other weird cousin's (badly) modded Civic? If you got a pro race car of that vintage, would that make you want to change the wing to one of a modern design?
If the drivers of the day were happy enough with it to be the option of choice, I fail to see the problem. To me, the historical context of the period is part of the experience and reason for getting a vintage race car. So if I got one of those, I'd probably keep that steering wheel for the authenticity of the look and feel.
What steering wheel would look more 'correct' in one of those cars?
Maybe the high buck fitted Momo etc wheels were the property of the driver and with quick change wheels they had cheaply for the techs to get their ggreasy mits on.
That's the same wheel I have in my car. They are functional and back then some/most of the cars didn't have power steering or rack and pinion. So they used the larger diameter steering wheel. When power steering came along, people were used to the big wheels.
What awesome wheels are you referring to? Hopefully not those 12 inch things that you have to change hand position 48 times to change lanes.
Gotta save a few bucks somewhere, I guess.
My guess: the folks who built a lot of these sourced a lot of parts from circle track sources.
Is it round-ish?
Is it light weight?
Is it firmly connected?
Does it make the wheels turn?
Form follows function in most race car decisions.
I'm with J.G.....something about them looks "off" to me. Chrome is worst, but the silver ones aren't much better. Maybe black painted spokes would help. My Challenge car will have a better looking wheel than those pictured.
BA5 saidMy guess: the folks who built a lot of these sourced a lot of parts from circle track sources.
Yes , this!
In reply to Driven5 : the one from Cheech and Chong's hippy van!
Not my favorite steering wheels either. They look way cheap, despite being functional. Almost the same difference between steel stock car wheels and BBS racing wheels. The difference is that a racing class will dictate what is on the car, but I have no idea about the steering wheel, so what's up with that?
That exact wheel is currently under $40 at speedway motors and uses a very cheap 3 bolt adapter.
The way those cars are abused, I wouldn't spend more than that either
Didn't you guys have an old tube-framed ex-roundy round car in the project fleet that was being converted to road course use? Where's that thing at?
They always looked cheesy to me.
Lof8 - Andy said:Didn't you guys have an old tube-framed ex-roundy round car in the project fleet that was being converted to road course use? Where's that thing at?
In project car budget and schedule purgatory. Some day...
DavyZ said:They look way cheap, despite being functional.
So it matches the rest of the car.
Not much different than Winston Cup cars of the time, including the center pad.
What's the steering wheel equivalent of the Ronal Teddy? I'll take that.
Just remembered that, at one point, I had one of those center pads. JG, Tim Lee gave it to me–he knew we were into them.
Wonder if I still have it somewhere....
Maybe it's because that's what was in the tube frame cars from the '80s and '90s but I like those wheels. I don't like wheels that aren't round, have weird lumps that are supposed to fit your hand and a have weird fuzzy texture.
What do you consider a decent steering wheel and what does it do that the ones you dislike doesn't.
BA5 said:Gotta save a few bucks somewhere, I guess.
My guess: the folks who built a lot of these sourced a lot of parts from circle track sources.
Definitely looks circle track. Those circle track steering wheels are tough and lightweight, and the cars at that time didn't have a ton of buttons for the driver, so it doesn't surprise me that practical seems to have been the main consideration.
Well, uhm..
I'm pretty sure those were the wheels used up to a decade or two ago. Gripped by Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and so on down the line.
In reply to Streetwiseguy :
Not sure exactly how I quoted myself there...
Same wheels are in top NASCAR builds. Maybe the appearance of the wheel, much less how "cool" it is doesn't matter? I have cars with cool looking D-shaped wheels, some even have a bunch of super-cool buttons on them, and I have some with these wheels. They work the same.
I would never run the wheel from my Miata in my vintage stockcar.
That pad can protect your hands and forearms in a serious front end collision.
RIght tool for the right job.
Also, manual racks with Hog-ass slicks make these wheels a necessity. :-)
I saw a video of Jay Signore from IROC talking about Graham Hill getting in one of the early Camaros and saying, "that's a bloody big wheel mate". Signore told him, just try it. Graham Hill goes out, runs a couple of laps, cames back in and says, got a bigger wheel?
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