Original steering wheel Vixen

[vixen]

Hi guys,
I have a mountney wooden steering wheel in my 1972 Vixen S3 but was thinking which steering wheel
was original in a S2/S3 Vixen. Was it a Spitfire or TR6 steering wheel? Pictures maybe....?

[Astacus]

There will be others along soon to comment, but I think the original fitting was an Astrali 13" leather non dished wheel. Several others have commented in the past that that is what their cars where fitted with. The boss is herald/spitfire of course as is the steering column shroud.

They come up quite frequently on E bay

[tomtrout]

I'm pretty sure I have the original steering wheel with my 69 S2 which is a black mota lita (non dished) with the small Triumph boss. I also have an original black horn push to go with it thanks to the gamekeeper.

[P100]

tomtrout said:

I'm pretty sure I have the original steering wheel with my 69 S2 which is a black mota lita (non dished) with the small Triumph boss. I also have an original black horn push to go with it thanks to the gamekeeper.

Yes the original is a Motalita, on a Truimph Herald/Spitfire boss. It's is a flat spoke one trimmed in leather.

[thegamekeeper]

The original TVR Vixen S2/S3/S4 steering wheel was a 13" thick grip "small boss" Motalita. The vast majority were black but I did see the odd polished aluminium wheel. The modern equivalent has a "large boss". All had a plain black horn push.







Original wheels are very rare,I have never seen one on ebay.

Wheels from my Museum collection

Edited by thegamekeeper on Sunday 28th October 16:33

[thegamekeeper]

S1 Vixen wheels were different, same/similar to LWB Tuscan V8 1800S.






The earlier wheels were made for TVR by Springall but had no manufactures markings. Closer examination of this particular wheel show some custom markings made by the drivers head. Anyone remember Jimmy Savile? "clunk click every trip"


More Museum photos

Edited by thegamekeeper on Sunday 28th October 16:46

[Astacus]

Great info, thanks for that Steve, I stand corrected!

[RCK974X]

thegamekeeper said:

Anyone remember Jimmy Savile? "clunk click every trip"

Hmmmm, that could take on a whole new meaning in light of recent news

[moluag]

Astacus said:

Great info, thanks for that Steve, I stand corrected!

I hate to argue with Steve, but I believe you were right about the Astrali steering wheel.

My car, ordered in August 1971 and delivered December 1971, came with an Astrali steering wheel which it still has, including the original Astrali sticker.

[heightswitch]

moluag said:

I hate to argue with Steve, but I believe you were right about the Astrali steering wheel.

My car, ordered in August 1971 and delivered December 1971, came with an Astrali steering wheel which it still has, including the original Astrali sticker.

But isn't your car one of the last vixens built? bet they ran out of the good makes and bought in some cheaper tat
N.

[thegamekeeper]

moluag said:

Astacus said:

Great info, thanks for that Steve, I stand corrected!

I hate to argue with Steve, but I believe you were right about the Astrali steering wheel.

My car, ordered in August 1971 and delivered December 1971, came with an Astrali steering wheel which it still has, including the original Astrali sticker.

Cant see what there is to argue about. They are TVR,s and as such original owners often specified things to eiher their liking or were supplied with what TVR had available. The original brochure spec of early Vixen S2,s and Tuscans had the wheel that was fitted to S1 Vixens but that doesn,t mean there was not an original factory spec, which obviously changed over the period when S1 Vixens were built and your car which as the last Tuscan V6 and probably not really representative of the majority of cars. Early "Vixen interior" M Series cars had the small boss Motalita wheel but some didn,t.

In much the same way as you say your wheel nuts were chrome and supplied from new they were not the same as the nuts fitted to most Vixens and Tuscans from the factory as standard which fitted the bespoke wheels better giving much more contact area. There were many cars
later fitted with chrome Cosmic wheel nuts by owners and in your case TVR. The factory even offered them as an accessory over the spares counter throughout the 1970,s.

Vixens were specified with Avon tyres and Tuscans with Dunlop SP Sports but I saw a LOT of Tuscans on Avons.

TVR offered prices for any "Special Equipment" on application but also reserved the right to vary prices and specification of all products at any time.

If you want to argue, go ahead but I think you will find you are arguing with yourself.


The wheel nuts were originally painted black to match the black alloy wheels

Edited by thegamekeeper on Wednesday 31st October 18:50

Edited by thegamekeeper on Wednesday 31st October 19:07

Edited by thegamekeeper on Wednesday 31st October 19:07

[moluag]

Thanks for that Steve, but I don't want to argue with anyone, least of all myself.

At least I now know that TVR supplied me with a dodgy differential, a dodgy steering wheel, dodgy wheel nuts. and NOW dodgy tyres, since my car was delivered with Avon Turbospeeds.

Mike

[ATE399J]

All this and just when l thought l identified an ORIGINAL part still fitted to my car.

[62GRANTIII]

IN EARLY 80's I WORKED IN GUINEA W. AFRICA, THE ACCOUNTANT WE HAD THERE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR MOTALITA. HE TOLD ME THEY FREQUENTLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH TVR NOT PAYING BILLS. WHEN THEY STOPPED SUPPLYING, DUE TO NON PAYMENT, TVR STILL HAD TO FIT STEERING WHEELS, AFORE CAR CAN GO OUT. I BELIEVE WHATEVER WHEELS THEY COULD GET WERE USED.
I AM CURRENTLY RESTORING A VIXEN WHICH HAD AN INTERTECH WHEEL ON. I THINK THIS WAS ON FROM NEW. GEOFF STALLARD KINDLY SUPPLIED ME WITH A MOTALITA SMALL BOSS WHEEL, WHICH I HAD TOTALLY REFURBISHED BY MOTALITA. WHAT A CRACKING JOB THEY DID. WILL POST SOON A PIC !
CHEERS IAN B.

[62GRANTIII]

IN EARLY 80's I WORKED IN GUINEA W. AFRICA, THE ACCOUNTANT WE HAD THERE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR MOTALITA. HE TOLD ME THEY FREQUENTLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH TVR NOT PAYING BILLS. WHEN THEY STOPPED SUPPLYING, DUE TO NON PAYMENT, TVR STILL HAD TO FIT STEERING WHEELS, AFORE CAR CAN GO OUT. I BELIEVE WHATEVER WHEELS THEY COULD GET WERE USED.
I AM CURRENTLY RESTORING A VIXEN WHICH HAD AN INTERTECH WHEEL ON. I THINK THIS WAS ON FROM NEW. GEOFF STALLARD KINDLY SUPPLIED ME WITH A MOTALITA SMALL BOSS WHEEL, WHICH I HAD TOTALLY REFURBISHED BY MOTALITA. WHAT A CRACKING JOB THEY DID. WILL POST SOON A PIC !
CHEERS IAN B.

[thegamekeeper]

62GRANTIII said:

IN EARLY 80's I WORKED IN GUINEA W. AFRICA, THE ACCOUNTANT WE HAD THERE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR MOTALITA. HE TOLD ME THEY FREQUENTLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH TVR NOT PAYING BILLS. WHEN THEY STOPPED SUPPLYING, DUE TO NON PAYMENT, TVR STILL HAD TO FIT STEERING WHEELS, AFORE CAR CAN GO OUT. I BELIEVE WHATEVER WHEELS THEY COULD GET WERE USED.
I AM CURRENTLY RESTORING A VIXEN WHICH HAD AN INTERTECH WHEEL ON. I THINK THIS WAS ON FROM NEW. GEOFF STALLARD KINDLY SUPPLIED ME WITH A MOTALITA SMALL BOSS WHEEL, WHICH I HAD TOTALLY REFURBISHED BY MOTALITA. WHAT A CRACKING JOB THEY DID. WILL POST SOON A PIC !
CHEERS IAN B.

Not only does he SHOUT, he now repeats himself.

[thegamekeeper]

62GRANTIII said:

IN EARLY 80's I WORKED IN GUINEA W. AFRICA, THE ACCOUNTANT WE HAD THERE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR MOTALITA. HE TOLD ME THEY FREQUENTLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH TVR NOT PAYING BILLS. WHEN THEY STOPPED SUPPLYING, DUE TO NON PAYMENT, TVR STILL HAD TO FIT STEERING WHEELS, AFORE CAR CAN GO OUT. I BELIEVE WHATEVER WHEELS THEY COULD GET WERE USED.
I AM CURRENTLY RESTORING A VIXEN WHICH HAD AN INTERTECH WHEEL ON. I THINK THIS WAS ON FROM NEW. GEOFF STALLARD KINDLY SUPPLIED ME WITH A MOTALITA SMALL BOSS WHEEL, WHICH I HAD TOTALLY REFURBISHED BY MOTALITA. WHAT A CRACKING JOB THEY DID. WILL POST SOON A PIC !
CHEERS IAN B.

Not only does he SHOUT, he repeats himself.

There is a story behind that wheel. It is not the original though everything else on the car is 100% original. The lady who owned the car from new changed it.

Edited by thegamekeeper on Thursday 1st November 13:14