Calling on steering wheel addicts. Horn button colour on std and wood wheel

[eriknetherlands]

I have gathered various wood steeering wheels. Also have one standard black.
One came with 3 black horn buttons and another with 3 silver ones.

What oem equipment is correct for a wood bus wheel, and which for a std plastic?
Can there be difference over different model years?

I will add pics on monday.
(update: pics added / Sorry Markos for the unclear question. Stupid Tapatalk requires to register to upload pics. And I refuse to register...)

 

[Markos]

The wood bus wheel and the standard wheel have a molded foam center section. The “chrome” base is integrated into the foam, and is made of plastic.

If you have a foam pad without the integrated base, it belongs to a wheel that does not have horn buttons on the spokes. Either a CSI sport wheel or a similar 2002 wheel.

 

[HB Chris]

Silver buttons on the three arms is 2002 I think, e9 had black on the three buttons.

 

[Markos]

Reading comprehension eludes me today.

 

[Stevehose]

The original bus wheel from my car:

 

[lloyd]

The wood bus wheel and the standard wheel have a molded foam center section. The “chrome” base is integrated into the foam, and is made of plastic.

If you have a foam pad without the integrated base, it belongs to a wheel that does not have horn buttons on the spokes. Either a CSI sport wheel or a similar 2002 wheel.

View attachment 51745

 

[Markos]

I suppose I took this thread a bit off course, but this is what I was referring to as the CSI sport wheel. The wheel has a chrome base, that is actually chromed steel not plastic. It is spring loaded and screwed to the wheel. Not glued to the base of the very similar
looking horn pad.

This is the wood CS wheel in my possession:

 

[aearch]

darn good lokin car

 

[eriknetherlands]

Thanks Chris & Markos for the answers.
So, consensus: E9 wood wheel has black buttons, original black bus wheel has light grey.
Pics added in first post for posterity.

 

[Markos]

Thanks Chris & Markos for the answers.
E9 wood wheel has black buttons, original black bus wheel has light grey.
Pics added in first post for posterity.

I wonder if someone can clarify if e3’s were different? I recall that the e3 bus wheel that I found at a parts yard had silver buttons. It disappeared before I picked it up.

 

[Ohmess]

Is there a clinical term for an obsession with steering wheels?

 

[adawil2002]

Silver buttons on the three arms is 2002 I think, e9 had black on the three buttons.

Have only seen the silver horn buttons on the Bavaria & 3.0Si models. 2002s had 2 steering wheels, the smaller black button bus wheel which fits inside the Coupe wood bus wheel and the 'sport' wheel which has center horn button and chrome trimmed metal spokes. The center horn button metal spoke 2002 wheels were used when there was a fire at one of the steering wheel suppliers according to Roundel staffer Mike Self.

 

[Markos]

Have only seen the silver horn buttons on the Bavaria & 3.0Si models. 2002s had 2 steering wheels, the smaller black button bus wheel which fits inside the Coupe wood bus wheel and the 'sport' wheel which has center horn button and chrome trimmed metal spokes. The center horn button metal spoke 2002 wheels were used when there was a fire at one of the steering wheel suppliers according to Roundel staffer Mike Self.

One more. The 1968 wheel has a smooth horn pad. I have one but was at a loss when I shipped it to someone. It wouldn’t fit, but it turns out his steering column splines were damaged. I never thought to test it out but it does fit after all. It’s stamped 1968 on the flange.

 

[Markos]

BTW - those three little chrome spoke ends on the CSI sport steering wheel are costing me $150 to chrome (and they are delayed).

I’m waiting for my modeler to get back to me. I’m aiming to reproduce in nickel plated Nylon. Expensive to print but the chrome will be $10 a piece.

 

[HB Chris]

2002s built in late 1968 got the ribbed horn pad, I think the smooth ones were 67 and maybe early 68.

 

[Markos]

2002s built in late 1968 got the ribbed horn pad, I think the smooth ones were 67 and maybe early 68.

Yeah there was some chatter about it when I posted mine. Someone said that their 1968 wheel was slightly different. My wheel is stamped 12/68. It is possible that someone swapped the horn pad. They are interchangeable.

 

[eriknetherlands]

HI Markos

BTW - those three little chrome spoke ends on the CSI sport steering wheel are costing me $150 to chrome (and they are delayed).

I’m waiting for my modeler to get back to me. I’m aiming to reproduce in nickel plated Nylon. Expensive to print but the chrome will be $10 a piece.

I think you are referring to the front chrome pieces?
I'll be curious to see how they come out 3D printed. ( I have only 2 fronts, and 3 wood wheels...)
I did an attempt yesterday at making one from polished stainless steel. All handwork, but at ~1 hour not really that difficult. See attached pic. Came out pretty OK, Colorwise it is remarkably similar, but still the shine isn't as crisp as chrome (see pics with spanner made after final polishing), nor does it have the nice reflection at the edges as the chrome has. It's just 0,017 inch (0,5mm) thick stainless, so the edge is just to thin to create a real curve and hence no reflections that flow nicely around the edge. Some pics included for anyone interested.

I'll do a second attempt by cutting a section from a square tube of 1,5mm thick stainless steel, but that needs serious polishing to get it smooth as it's sandblasted currently and I have to take a grinder to cut it out..

I still have 2 rear NOS chrome for sale and 8 satin rear ones.....

 

[Markos]

Impressive work! I need a satin front for my wood wheel. They kind of look like the same front and rear. I’ll look closely.

I’m actually making the ones for the CSI/2002 wheel with no horn buttons on the spokes. hey are made of chrome plated pot metal. They have a small threaded boss on the backside that fits a small screw. Probably an M4.

 

[eriknetherlands]

Hi Markos,
You wrote you need one satin for your wood wheel? I got one NOS satin front parts for a wood wheel....
it's in my garage doing nothing, and it's just eating up space.... I'd be happy to sell it to you. PM me.

In the meantime I've made a solid version of the chrome front trim of the wood wheel as well. Here's a pic just to show of...

The hue (shine) of the polished stainless steel is just not as blue as the chromed part is under fluorescent lighting. The reflection in terms of sharpness is also not perfect, but very close. Shapewise, I made it a tad to small in comparison with the OEM part, so it looks a bit skinny comparing it side by side with original.

However, when mounted on a wheel, 350 mm (a foot) apart, you simply can't tell the difference!

It came out better then expected, but I must say that it took 3 hours to go from raw material to shiny part. There's no business model in it....

I doing 7 reproductions in total, to finish all three wheels I have (2 wood wheels will have to go on sale as I fear I get "steering wheel infected', and my shop isn't big enough to hang them all on the wall... )

 

[Markos]

I doing 7 reproductions in total, to finish all three wheels I have (2 wood wheels will have to go on sale as I fear I get "steering wheel infected', and my shop isn't big enough to hang them all on the wall... )

Your workbench screams "I know what I'm doing". Thanks again for the satin spoke end offer. PM sent with a trade opportunity!

BTW - I measured the screw diameter on the CSI sport wheel spoke caps. It is an M3 fine thread screw and it's only a few mm long. I think for my reproductions I will use a barb to hold the trim in place, ditching the whole screw setup. I'm not confident that I can print threads that fine. Alternatively I could buy a M3 tap. Need to speak with my modeler.