SL/R107: Finally installed the vintage Nardi wheel...
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Near Philly
'74 450 SL
Finally installed the vintage Nardi wheel...
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...
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...
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
85 300SD, 80 280SL, 90 300TE 4Matic, 90 300D 2.5 Turbo, 91 300E 4Matic, 92 300D 2.5 Turbo, 87 300TD
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.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Near Philly
'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.
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
85 300SD, 80 280SL, 90 300TE 4Matic, 90 300D 2.5 Turbo, 91 300E 4Matic, 92 300D 2.5 Turbo, 87 300TD
Who the heck needs to look a speedometer anyway. The wheel looks nice, but I'm not so sure about the seat covers.
