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Thu Oct 18, 2007 10:19 pm

I'm trying to get my head around spending big money for a Speedwell steering wheel. All the ones I have seen for sale have had a wood rim. There is one for sale here that is leather wraped (which is perfect for my project).

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=487965

I'd like to know how authentic this piece is. Did Speedwell ever produce a black leather wraped whhel. Or could this be leather wraped around the wood rim?

Fri Oct 19, 2007 4:02 am

DEFINITELY NOT SPEEDWELL !

Fri Oct 19, 2007 4:07 am

Speedwell steering wheels were made by the English automotive accessories company called Formula.

This leather wrapped steering wheel is made by Formula, so identical to Speedwell.

Formula / Speedwell offers 3 kind of dished steering wheel:
-1 quite flat,
-1 semi dished
-1 deep dished

And different kind of finish: woodrim, leather wrapped (it is not wood wrapped with leather), one with wood and plastic and a big plastic horn button with Formula logo.

Here is an example of a NOS leather wrapped one find on internet. The NOS speedwell steering wheel I got came with exactly the same box:

Fri Oct 19, 2007 12:51 pm

Richard Roth wrote: DEFINITELY NOT SPEEDWELL !

So its not "Speedwell" because it was sold by "Formula" (in your opinion)? Speedwell only sold wood rimmed models?

Is there any reason to think this leather wrapped wheel isn't (more or less) as valuable as a wood rimmed wheel from the same manufacturer?

Fri Oct 19, 2007 12:59 pm

I think Richard is making the comment that it is not a speedwell wheel that was sold through empi. And the mid 60's Speedwell catalogs with VW accessories don't mention any steering wheels like the one shown above.

From the 65 catalog:

Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:25 pm

i agree whit David and Richard i have search in every speedwell catalogs and stuff i have and no other kind of wheel beside the wooden one shows up
and even if its made by same factory its still not a speedwell wheel
sorry, it looks nice but i will say. don't call it a speedwell steering wheel
and i think its to many wooden look a like already so we don't need too have this one on the list too

Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:31 pm

mr.speedwell wrote: i agree whit David and Richard i have search in every speedwell catalogs and stuff i have and no other kind of wheel beside the wooden one shows up
and even if its made by same factory its still not a speedwell wheel
sorry, it looks nice but i will say. don't call it a speedwell steering wheel
and i think its to many wooden look a like already so we don't need too have this one on the list too

No, I wouldn't call it a "look-a-like". Its more like a "cousin". These wheels came from the same company and were probably pressed or milled on the same machine.

Fri Oct 19, 2007 2:01 pm

Critter1 wrote: These wheels came from the same company and were probably pressed or milled on the same machine.

It would be interesting to see what's underneath the leather. I suspect that wheel is identical to the plain wooden ones, and was just picked off the line and wrapped in leather before it made it to the finishing department.

Fri Oct 19, 2007 2:10 pm

I don't agree with the wheel for sale as being VW Speedwell, it has a square hole in the center, not round, and had to be re-drilled to fit the VW boss.
It is from another make and is being "dressed up" to look like a VW Speedwell wheel for more money.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=487965

Fri Oct 19, 2007 3:21 pm

8) My Speedwell steering wheels
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/389018.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/389019.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/389020.jpg
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/389021.jpg
:shock:

Critter1 wrote: I'm trying to get my head around spending big money for a Speedwell steering wheel. All the ones I have seen for sale have had a wood rim. There is one for sale here that is leather wraped (which is perfect for my project).

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=487965

I'd like to know how authentic this piece is. Did Speedwell ever produce a black leather wraped whhel. Or could this be leather wraped around the wood rim?

Fri Oct 19, 2007 3:33 pm

:arrow: For Coad: It is not a wood steering wheel with a leather wrapped. It is a foam wrapped with leather.

I had both steering wheel: round or square center hole. They are both are identical.

Keep in mind that Speedwell/Formula steering wheel were sold for many car brands, so maybe the center hole is different for different kind of hub.
Just have a look at this scanned brochure. It is a scan of Taurus perf, a brand who sold many Forumal and Speedwell accessories (they also sold the Speedwell recliner seats under their name and called it the taurus seat).
Taurus sold Formula steering wheels; look the hubs on each wheels. They are different: round or square, but all are from the Formula product range.

Fri Oct 19, 2007 4:07 pm

naughtyG wrote: <snip>(they also sold the Speedwell recliner seats under their name and called it the taurus seat)

The recliner seats sold by speedwell and empi were made by Restall and yes, the same seats were sold for a number of different cars.

I don't think anyone is arguing the wheel under discussion was not made by the same company that made the wheel sold by Speedwell and Empi for VW. Just that the style of wheel under discussion was never advertised for sale as a VW accessory.

Fri Oct 19, 2007 7:52 pm

here we go, a correct one :wink:

Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:03 am

mr.speedwell wrote:
here we go, a correct one :wink:
Hey--I've got one of those. I thought that it was made for J.C.Whitney. :?

Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:29 am

I know the steering wheels that were sold by Speedwell had aluminum center webs. Did Formula manufacture wheels that had metal (steel) centers? I just bought a steering wheel that is identical to the Speedwell wheels and Formula wheels with a wood rim, however it has steel (not aluminum) webs... I will post pics of it here soon.

Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:35 am

naughtyG wrote: :arrow: For Coad: It is not a wood steering wheel with a leather wrapped. It is a foam wrapped with leather.

I had both steering wheel: round or square center hole. They are both are identical.

Keep in mind that Speedwell/Formula steering wheel were sold for many car brands, so maybe the center hole is different for different kind of hub.
Just have a look at this scanned brochure. It is a scan of Taurus perf, a brand who sold many Forumal and Speedwell accessories (they also sold the Speedwell recliner seats under their name and called it the taurus seat).
Taurus sold Formula steering wheels; look the hubs on each wheels. They are different: round or square, but all are from the Formula product range.

naughtyG-
Does this wheel have aluminum webs or metal? What happens when you put a magnet to it?

Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:44 pm

They have aluminium webs and are light.
Nothing happen with a magnet.

Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:19 pm

Here is the wheel. It has steel webs and aprox. 5" dish.

Who manufactured it?

Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:21 pm

No idea of the brand, but the holes in the center looks more like a Grant. The holes are identical to a Flat4 and Grant steering wheel.

I think you can use a Grant hub without problem.

Sat Dec 08, 2007 9:24 am

Hey
I bought this one today.
it still has the formulla sticker on it.
Is this an real speedwell then ?
Gr Ray

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