Finally installed the vintage Nardi wheel...

Watch Carefully · 06-08-2009, 08:22 AM

A few years ago it took me ~3 months to find the 450SL I wanted to buy, and it has requried another 3 years to finally accumulate all the items needed to swap out the OEM steering wheel in favor of a Nardi Classico:

The wheel is from a Maserati (I like this model's black finish, as opposed to the standard polished metal), the hub adapter is a different model # than the two I was told might work (by a Nardi employee in Italy), and the 3-pointed star horn button was the hardest part of all to locate.

Now I can finally see the turrn signal indicators on the dash.
Maybe I don't need to sell this car after all...

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pwogaman · 06-13-2009, 11:58 AM

I'd love to swap out my wheel to, but you can't see the instruments worth a damn with anything smaller than an original full sized wheel.

Watch Carefully · 06-17-2009, 11:30 AM

I'd say it's a trade-off on indicator visibility. The thin Nardi obscures the top of the Speedo (I don't mind that much) but other things are more easily seen than with the stock wheel. For me, the feeling of the smaller wheel and the lovely wood make it worthwhile. The original steering wheel makes me feel like Ralph Kramden.

pwogaman · 06-17-2009, 11:39 AM

Who the heck needs to look a speedometer anyway. The wheel looks nice, but I'm not so sure about the seat covers.

Watch Carefully · 06-18-2009, 06:37 PM

LOL! Yep, the Hawaiian-style seat covers aren't for everybody.

I agree, watching the speedometer is unnecessary...I drive by intuition.

themonk · 06-23-2009, 11:12 PM

Very nice.

06-13-2009, 11:58 AM	#2
pwogaman Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 47 Drives: 85 300SD, 80 280SL, 90 300TE 4Matic, 90 300D 2.5 Turbo, 91 300E 4Matic, 92 300D 2.5 Turbo	I'd love to swap out my wheel to, but you can't see the instruments worth a damn with anything smaller than an original full sized wheel. __________________ 90 300TE 4matic 87 300TD (my daily drive) 90 300D 2.5 Turbo (1st son's: slow & safe) 92 300D 2.5 Turbo (2nd son's: slow & safe) 85 300SD (antique tag use only) 80 280SL (l-o-n-g term restoration project) 01 Saab V-6 Wagon (wife's daily driver) Kombi's Uber Alles Member #7 Have had: 91 300E 4matic ; 96 Grand Caravan; 77 350SLC; 76 450SL; 87 VW Cabriolet; 96 Golf GL; 80 Rabbit; 87 Ranger; 80 Simca; 59 VW Bug; 67 VW Bug; 59 Bultaco; 77 Honda CX500 Deluxe; Honda CB50.

06-17-2009, 11:30 AM	#3
Watch Carefully Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Near Philly Posts: 31 Drives: '74 450 SL	I'd say it's a trade-off on indicator visibility. The thin Nardi obscures the top of the Speedo (I don't mind that much) but other things are more easily seen than with the stock wheel. For me, the feeling of the smaller wheel and the lovely wood make it worthwhile. The original steering wheel makes me feel like Ralph Kramden. __________________ 1974 450SL for sale

06-17-2009, 11:39 AM	#4
pwogaman Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 47 Drives: 85 300SD, 80 280SL, 90 300TE 4Matic, 90 300D 2.5 Turbo, 91 300E 4Matic, 92 300D 2.5 Turbo	Who the heck needs to look a speedometer anyway. The wheel looks nice, but I'm not so sure about the seat covers. __________________ 90 300TE 4matic 87 300TD (my daily drive) 90 300D 2.5 Turbo (1st son's: slow & safe) 92 300D 2.5 Turbo (2nd son's: slow & safe) 85 300SD (antique tag use only) 80 280SL (l-o-n-g term restoration project) 01 Saab V-6 Wagon (wife's daily driver) Kombi's Uber Alles Member #7 Have had: 91 300E 4matic ; 96 Grand Caravan; 77 350SLC; 76 450SL; 87 VW Cabriolet; 96 Golf GL; 80 Rabbit; 87 Ranger; 80 Simca; 59 VW Bug; 67 VW Bug; 59 Bultaco; 77 Honda CX500 Deluxe; Honda CB50.

06-18-2009, 06:37 PM	#5
Watch Carefully Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Near Philly Posts: 31 Drives: '74 450 SL	LOL! Yep, the Hawaiian-style seat covers aren't for everybody. I agree, watching the speedometer is unnecessary...I drive by intuition. __________________ 1974 450SL for sale

06-23-2009, 11:12 PM	#6
themonk Newbie Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 1 Drives: 1979 450 SL	Very nice. __________________ '03 Corvette convertible '00 Corvette convertible '89 Cadillac DeVille '79 M-B 450 SL

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