Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Formuling Steering Wheel
Page: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7  Next
Forum Index -> General/Chat Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
vanillagorilla1969
Samba Member


Joined: June 15, 2010
Posts: 10
Location: Seattle, WA
vanillagorilla1969 is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 9:30 am    Post subject: Formuling Steering Wheel Reply with quote

It seems there is no clear answer to the age-old question - Where can I find a center cap for my Formuling steering wheel? I appreciate any feedback I can get on this topic. Thanks for reading
_________________
Topher
'63 Bug
'73 Squareback
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Mike Fisher
Samba Member


Joined: January 30, 2006
Posts: 17963
Location: Eugene, OR
Mike Fisher is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Show a picture of it to www.vwispwest.com as they have lots of good stuff!
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Facebook Gallery Classifieds Feedback
vwracerdave
Samba Member


Joined: November 11, 2004
Posts: 15280
Location: Deep in the 405
vwracerdave is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 6:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think Formuling make steering wheels anymore. The classified's or ebay might be your best choice.
_________________
2017 Street Comp Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble, OK
2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK
Featured in Dec. 2001 HOT VW's Magazine page 63

Watch my racing video's http://www.youtube.com/user/okvwracer/videos
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 2:41 am    Post subject: Formuling centre button Reply with quote

found one and made a casting, not pretty, but it's better than a hole in the middle of your steering wheel. email me if you want one or you can buy it on ebay (homemade, so you might have to wait- urethane takes a week to cure)

party on! Razz

photos in the gallery under parts/accessories - bug you'll see the first one is.... at best passable.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_cat.php?cat_id=39
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:56 am    Post subject: formuling france center button Reply with quote

I had a look on the Samba and apparently I'm not the only one trying to do repros, so you could try someone called docbrown perhaps. It's a laborious process to make them, but afaik there's not much in the way of other options. Took me years to find one to make a mold from, and pretty much everything I came across was either missing them or broken and cracked. mine are made from two part polyurethane with black tint, but theoretically I could make them blue or purple or whatever.

No expert here! I'm sure by the 20th button they'll look reeeeaalllly nice Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fredges
Samba Member


Joined: May 05, 2011
Posts: 52
Location: Seattle-ish
fredges is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 11:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PM'ed ya Hoobie! Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:04 am    Post subject: Production has commenced! Reply with quote

PM'd back Fredges Smile

Made two more black ones on Sunday and they turned out pretty well, and Some purple ones may be turning up in Texas very shortly Smile

Postage is pricey, but unregistered letter bubble pack thingy works out at only $5 each (ONE ONLY per packet) or about $AUD22 for a registered box with up to 4 in it. Button price depends on colour so you'll have to PM me for the deets. No, sadly I will not get rich selling these to enthusiasts Laughing but I perversely like the idea that people will once again be able to make their VWs swear at people who cut them off (without using a button on the dash).


When I was looking for one of these I had to pay $120 plus p@h for a whole steering wheel and even then the button was still made of the same rotten plastic they always are. damn close to impossible to get one in decent condition, hence why I'm having a go at bringing them back; great wheel apart from the button (except for the three spoke ones with the holes in them, they fatigue and crack and cause accidents... like mine... but that's another story). Also you can buy SS countersunk allen head machine screws to replace the original black/rusty ones and make them look sweeeeet again.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fredges
Samba Member


Joined: May 05, 2011
Posts: 52
Location: Seattle-ish
fredges is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hoobie, you rock! The more I look at that, the more I wonder how cool and clean it would look with nothing on the face of it. just smooth, no diagonal ripples or button recess. hmm.... is that simple enough to do?

Even better would be the Wolfsburg crest, but now I'm just dreaming! Very Happy

Or am I?
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
I'm looking for a pre-'68 bus or double cab.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 2:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is true about my rocking, but mainly due to one leg being marginally shorter than the other.
Anything is possible, just need to tool it up, if you want a dead smooth one I should be able to make it, and even a wolfsburg one is doable (as long as you don't mind artistic license making the wolf look more like the elephant man).

I've thought about casting the VW symbol directly into the mold, but one-offs take mucho time for minimal karma Smile

group buy anyone? Cool getting together a bunch of samba peeps who want SAMBA on the face might be easier Laughing

Nice photochopping Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Ian M
Samba Member


Joined: August 21, 2004
Posts: 221

Ian M is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 1:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've never liked the late '80s-early '90s version of the formuling button with the lines and the offset emblem indention. Seemed to go with the neon grips and splash graphics of the day.

Somebody needs to repop this earlier version,looks waaay better IMO:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 3:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

do those fit the same way with the four lugs? do you have a picture of the back? I imagine being that they're not so flexible they may last longer (or are they rubbery too?)

I looked at these on my quest for a new horn button, but I never thought they'd fit the standard steering wheel and don't know how they hook up (contact wiring and clipping). Could cast new ones of them too I suppose, but it would likely be a different material.

Question
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fredges
Samba Member


Joined: May 05, 2011
Posts: 52
Location: Seattle-ish
fredges is offline 

PostPosted: Fri Aug 30, 2013 6:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

While I'm waiting to get one made, I cut a piece of 3mil PVC plastic (by hand... With an x-acto knife...!) and dropped my original horn button in. I need to find a more flexible material, though, if I want the horn button to function, but this works for the interim!

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
I'm looking for a pre-'68 bus or double cab.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 5:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Fredges,

What's the OD of your wolfsburg crest centre button thing?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fredges
Samba Member


Joined: May 05, 2011
Posts: 52
Location: Seattle-ish
fredges is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 10:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hoobie wrote:
What's the OD of your wolfsburg crest centre button thing?
I assume you mean Outer Dimensions? The hole it fits very tightly into is 2 3/8 (2.375) inches. The outermost diameter is 2 1/2 (2.5).

Does that help?
_________________
I'm looking for a pre-'68 bus or double cab.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 2:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep OD = Outside Diameter
So the button thing has to be squashed into the 2.375" recess? hmm. if the OD of the emblem is 2.5" then would it not fit better into a 2.5" recess?!?!

how thick/deep is the emblem?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fredges
Samba Member


Joined: May 05, 2011
Posts: 52
Location: Seattle-ish
fredges is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, it would fall through if the hole were 2.5". It's kind of mushroom shaped. I'll check on the depth, but it's probably only about .25-.5"
_________________
I'm looking for a pre-'68 bus or double cab.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry to go all metric on you, but 2.375 inches is around 60mm, which means there would only be about 5mm (less than 1/4") of 'flex' room around the emblem if it was fitted to a standard sized formuling button shape. I'm looking into making up some little VW badges to fit the 28mm hole in stainless or 2mm aluminium, and a backing plate as Joe Public seems to be missing these bits too Smile

I wasn't planning on making a 'hole' so much as a recess in the top of the button to lay it into, but that emblem is relatively f#*@%^g big.

When I find out what the liteel custom metal bits are going to cost to have made I'll blab it here first Smile
I could always make a smooth top and centre the 28mm recess instead of having it off to one side if Joe is interested.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
manxdavid
Samba Member


Joined: November 24, 2003
Posts: 1841
Location: David Jones, Anglesey, North Wales, UK. Manxclub #678.
manxdavid is offline 

PostPosted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hope you don't mind me crashing the thread but I just won an FF wheel on eBay, I have the boss and hornpush but does anyone know the specs of the screws and nuts that I need? Length and thread?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Hoobie
Samba Member


Joined: October 27, 2012
Posts: 87
Location: Australia
Hoobie is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 6:14 am    Post subject: formuling wheel Reply with quote

I replaced my rusty ones with stainless 6mm metric thread x 10mm csk allen heads and they fit perfectly Smile

mine also needed the nuts on the back of the boss, but i suppose it depends on what steering adaptor you have. SS nylock nuts are a good choice unless you like the idea of having the wheel come loose while drifting at full lock doing 100mph in the rain one day Smile

btw still flogging repro buttons on ebay if anyone needs one, I'm pretty happy with the way they're turning out, too Very Happy
I have a guy making me up some stainless vw symbols to fit the little recess, and he's also making the horn contact ring that fits on the back, but they're not very cost effective unless I buy them 50 at a time Shocked
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
fredges
Samba Member


Joined: May 05, 2011
Posts: 52
Location: Seattle-ish
fredges is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Sep 18, 2013 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Hoobie, can I get a link to your eBay page? Thanks!
_________________
I'm looking for a pre-'68 bus or double cab.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> General/Chat All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7  Next
Page 1 of 7

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.