Nardi Steering Wheel

[kbshearer]

Hey there!

I will be shortly starting a restoration of my '67 230sl 5 ZF 5 speed. In the grand scheme of things, this is a minor point but I'm curious: What do you all think about a Nardi steering wheel? If you see one on a 113 do you think "cool" or "that's too bad" of does it matter? I'm really split myself on whether they are cool or not. Just curious what the general opinion might be.

Thanks!

Kirt

[stickandrudderman]

It's so easily reversible you should only worry about what you think.

[JamesL]

I have one and it is beautiful and looks stunning on the car, esp with my cognac interior.
But even the biggest one (380mm?) obscures the 10 o’clock position and the 2 o’clock position for me on the tacho/speedo

So my beautiful 60s Nardi is hanging in the garage...

[john.mancini]

Stickandrudderman is absolutely correct. It's an easy change if you don't like it. I like the Nardi wheel in the 17" (420mm) diameter, but they get expensive at that size.

[Pawel66]

Hey there!

I will be shortly starting a restoration of my '67 230sl 5 ZF 5 speed. In the grand scheme of things, this is a minor point but I'm curious: What do you all think about a Nardi steering wheel? If you see one on a 113 do you think "cool" or "that's too bad" of does it matter? I'm really split myself on whether they are cool or not. Just curious what the general opinion might be.

Thanks!

Kirt

I asked my wife, then all was clear to me.

[MikeSimon]

The Nardi is a nice, period correct accessory/modification. I would have no problem replacing a black original wheel with a Nardi. The ivory one in my car - not so much.

[scoot]

I very much prefer the original wheel to the Nardi wheel. 

[Pawel66]

I am switching to Nardi.

I like the stock wheel (black in my case). But I have four issues with it (they make or do not make sense, I know):
1. It is the same as for other Mercedes cars of the era, therefore not underlining specific character of a Pagoda vs. other types, big luxury cruisers
2. I am fearing of it cracking every time I accidentally put pressure on it, e.g. while getting in and off, trying to turn the wheel when engine is not running or pressing it unintentionally when pushing the car, etc.
3. The rim of the wheel is too thin - I would prefer a bit thicker touch
4. There may be a day when I leave the car in the frost. Or someone forgets to close garage door in the winter. At -20 I think it may be likely that cracks appear...

I think Anni 60s model fits Pagoda very well - I saw it on the pictures - with the pattern on the aluminum similar to the Pagoda dash stripe pattern. Wood color matching will be an issue, but manageable.

[JamesL]

Mine is 390mm across the middle to the centre of the rim.
No machining on the spokes. Guilloche, I think it’s called
Martijn has a stunning wood wheel that is not a nardi with the guilloche spokes.

I have thickened ( though not strengthened) the original black wheel with some upholstery foam under a leather wheel trim, which I really like driving with. Do a search for Wheelskins

[Peter h]

https://www.lenkradshop.de/Lenkradzubehoer/Exzenterring
http://www.ezpowersteering.nl/34/195/EZ_-_SITZKOMFORT_UND_BEINFREIHEIT_F%C3%9CR_GROSSE_FAHRER.html
Try the exenter ring.
It works perfekt. I used it in my car.
I can see the speedo and have more room for the legs.
Peter

[kbshearer]

Thanks for the comments, everyone. I appreciate it. I agree with pretty much everything here. My original steering wheel is black and is in decent but not perfect shape. A couple of cracks. I’m not going for a show car by any means but I’m trying to do things correctly. I would have to repair or replace my wheel or live with the cracks. I’ve thought about changing to an ivory wheel but might hold out for the Nardi.

Thanks!

Kirt