Steering Wheel Manufacturer

[literarymadness]

Quick question: who was the OEM for Europa steering wheels. They look very similar to Momo Prototipos.

[gideon]

Springall.  Available here -

http://jacobengineering.co.uk/index.php/steering-wheels-2/

[literarymadness]

Thank you!

[Bainford]

Springall.  Available here -

http://jacobengineering.co.uk/index.php/steering-wheels-2/

I just had a good look around that site. Now I have to scrape up 450 quid for a red leather steering wheel.

[Bart]

450 GBP for a wheel, nice looking for sure but, Wow.

[literarymadness]

I always loved the red steering wheel on Jim Clark's F1 car.  Too bad red would clash with Colorado Orange.

[Fotog]

So these were supposedly the original wheels for the Europas?  I have one in a box of stuff that came with my car when I got it in 1986. It has the Black Horn push.  It looks similar to what they show, but it certainly is not leather.  It's plastique.

Vince 
P.S.  Interesting, you never know what Google voice to text may choose to capitalize (or not).

[gideon]

I found a little bit about the history of Springall steering wheels online.  Here's a quote from the Colin Chapman Museum website (1) -

Allow me to introduce myself my late father Peter Springall was the founder of PD Springall Ltd who manufactured Steering wheels both as an OEM and aftermarket supplier under both the Springall and Springalex brands during the late 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

The Company was founded in a small workshop behind the Railway Hotel across the alleyway from the Lotus works After receiving an order to supply steering wheels for the elite and series 2 lotus 7 P D Springall Ltd continued to supply steering wheels both to Lotus cars and Lotus racing Most notably for Jim Clark’s 1965 F1 33, F2 32 and 38 Indy car. My father received one of the initialled knock off wheel nut ash trays which were engraved to commemorate the Historic F1 championship and Indy 500 winning year.

And this is a quote from the Lotus Elan forum (2) -

With the introduction of the +2S PVC was used as a covering for the first time, probably for cost reduction reasons. The PVC was applied around the closed-cell foam padding and then heat welded around the inside, with a single vertical seam welded at the six o?clock position. Over time the welded seam tended to become brittle and split, proving impossible (so far!) to repair effectively. Many owners have thus had their wheels recovered in leather. The PVC had a tendency to spill over onto each spoke when it was being applied. In an effort to cover this, small leather-covered spring clips or spats were used to enclose the spoke by the smallest hole, closest to where the spoke met the wheel rim. These spats were not necessary for the leather covered wheels. The later Plus 2 S/130 was fitted with the 15? rim with black anodised spokes and a leather rim.

I have no idea what the history is between the 1970s and today, but Mark Davies Racing must have acquired the rights to the Springall name.  It has to be a small business, the website says that all the wheels are hand stitched by Agnese Davies, so you have to consider the price in that context.  And it is obvious why they don't make vinyl covered steering wheels today.

(1)  http://www.colinchapmanmuseum.co.uk/?page_id=12
(2)  https://lotuselan.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=33364

[literarymadness]

Gideon: Thank you for that great information! 

[Bainford]

 Yes, thanks. That was an interesting read.