STEERING WHEELS
This is another interesting subject that there is lot more to it.
Whilst I have no details of a factory fitted wheel offered for XK120’s
Nardi of Italy
did make an correct wheel designed to take original horn push button for an
XK120
see pic in Roland Urban book page 175 bottom. Luckily I do have one of
these.
I have also seen a Bluemels wheel the wire and plastic type fitted to the
MGTC and TD to suit an XK120 with original horn push button but not sure
whether
this made by Bluemels or fabricated by someone.
The original XK120 steering wheel adjuster knob has impressed into it
“Adjustable Wheel Bluemel’s Pat. no 494902” and maybe the entire steering
wheel was made by Bluemels?
The same applies to the XK140 there was no factory offered woodrim wheel but
there is standard Nardi pattern that was fitted to several European XK140’s
and mainly coachbuilt cars and given that this wheels is a standard fitment
on a Ferrari or something I do not have one
On the XK150 George Camp is totally correct in what he notes see piece below
that the woodrim wheel was noted offered as a proper catalogued item, but
there is always a “but” 0n the 25 November 1958 E W Rankin wrote to Sir
William Lyons
noting he had asked the Sales Department to provide him with a complete a
list as possible
of all extras available and supplied and he noted he was amazed at the list
he goes on to
note 90% could be omitted from any published list of extras and then went on
to ask Sir William
if he would put a tick against those he would wish to be published!
I have copies of the original handwritten document dated 18 November that
starts off
by saying that the 5 page 35 lines per page was by no means comprehensive!
Anyway the list of items makes very interested reading a couple include
instrument panel in matching leather XK150 DHC : this was relatively
common
Tonneau cover XK150 DHC : I have actually seen a new one of these
But back to the subject at hand a “Bluemels wood rim steering wheel” is
noted on this list
at a retail cost of 12 pounds 10 shillings plus 6 pounds 5 shillings
purchase tax.
I have never seen in any jaguar stuff something that resembles this in any
period photos or
information and certainly nothing that looks like the MGA wheel noted on the
web site
http://www.pbase.com/mdlempert/mga2 and being the original non believer
would need
documented proof that this MGA design was in fact the one that Jaguar used,
I will admit I haven’t carefully looked through English Autocar, Motor and
Autosport magazines
where a lot of these accessories are advertised
The Derrington wheel was certainly fitted to a great number of XK’s by the
late 1950’s and in the
early 1960’s and my own XK150 “S” Tour de France S824021 had one fitted by
1960.
A another fairly common after market fitment was the Les Leston range of
wheels and one I have
seen one on an XK150 that had an engine turned finish and a pressed
signature for “stirling moss”
Further info relating to Jaguar woodrim wheels
Autocar 2 dec 1962 has an article on The Coventry Timber Bending Co
article re making E type
steering wheels and notes they made the wheels for jaguar since days of the
D type
I would love to hear from any one with any comments or further info on this
subject
Terry McGrath
“woodrim”
http://www.pbase.com/mdlempert/mga2 If anyone recognizes this
wheel from a 150, please let me know.
from George Camp
I am looking at the Jaguar
cars options list in J29/1/2 and there is no such wheel. Problem
for a car mfn. is that if it was put on a car at the factory as an
option it would have to be serviced in the field. Dealers do not
like parts on cars that they can’t order for repair (unless the
dealer bolted it on). So since it is not listed in any parts
catalogue I went to my copies of Jaguar Cars inc. list of options
(read US distributors) and it is not listed there from 1955 to
1960
So since it is not listed in any parts
catalogue I went to my copies of Jaguar Cars inc. list of options
(read US distributors) and it is not listed there from 1955 to
1960.
