• Welcome to the new SAOCA website. Already a member? Simply click Log In/Sign Up up and to the right and use your same username and password from the old site. If you've forgotten your password, please send an email to membership@sunbeamalpine.org for assistance.

    If you're new here, click Log In/Sign Up and enter your information. We'll approve your account as quickly as possible, typically in about 24 hours. If it takes longer, you were probably caught in our spam/scam filter.

    Enjoy.

HLM steering wheels

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
Time for a new topic:

Does anybody have a clue when Harringtons used which steering wheel? So far I heard about Carlottis, Les Leston and Stirling Moss wheels but not sure about the actual differences. Have there been standard ones and upgrade options? Furthermore would be interested to know which ones came with the small circular decorations.

Cheers

Bernd
 

AlpineIan

SAOCA Founder
Complex answer to that question. Basically, a standard trim Harrington Alpine would have come with a stock Alpine steering wheel. Optional wheels could be purchased. The one you are referring to with the thumb knotches was offered as an option on original Harrington Alpines and very early Harrington LeMans only. It's extremely scarce. It was replaced with the Carlotti wheel... which was standard on most Harrington LeMans... I believe. The Stirling Moss wheel is exactly the same as the Carlotti... but it has the Stirling Moss signature on it. It may have been installed by Harrington... but I don't know that as a fact.
 

napa 1

Donation Time
My early 62 Le Mans came with a les leston wheel with the machine turning swirls I think you were talking about (circular decorations). I did read something somewhere about the progression of details on the Harringtons and I know it referrenced the Carloti and Leston wheels, I'll try to remember where I saw it and copy it to you.

update: remembered that entry was on Harrington web site: http://www.harringtonalpine.org/index.php?categoryid=18
mentions Carlotti wheel replaces Leston wheel in October '61
 

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
Thanks guys,

sometimes it´s good to study the Harrington homepage carefully. Was not really aware about the Oct. 61 switchover.
Seems you two have the really scarce stuff while I have to live with my Carlotti repro :(

Anyway perhaps it would be helpful to add specific pictures of the steering wheels to the homepage...

Cheers

Bernd
 

AlpineIan

SAOCA Founder
The ealy wheel with the notches is referred to in the Autosport, April 1961 road test as a Leston-Carlotti wheel. As I mentioned they are extremely rare and the only other reference i've found to this wheel to date is on a Sabra web site located at http://www.sabra.be/GB/GB_Differens.htm. Unfortunately, the images are broken. I did manage to snatch one of the cashed google thumbnails and you can clearly see it's the same wheel as used on the Harrington... so I know they are out there somewhere. They comment that it does have the LL on it and the later ones have the checkerd flag sticker... same as the Harrington wheels.

This site supports my statement about Harrington using this wheel early on. It must have been more fragile than the more common replacement Carlotti rim found on LeMans and later HA. Interesting that Harrington adopted the early version as their fender badge logo... I wonder if there is a story there?
 

AlpineIan

SAOCA Founder
Forgot the image. This wheel is big too.. I'm guessing 16" diameter.
 

Attachments

  • images.jpg
    images.jpg
    27.7 KB · Views: 56

AlpineIan

SAOCA Founder
John... All of the later Carlotti rims should have the machine turning... we are referring to the thumb notches on the horizontal spokes that were only found on the early version. It's common to see the machine turning polished or rubbed off but you will find evidance of it when the wheel is removed or if you look on the back side especially where it mounts to the hub.
 

napa 1

Donation Time
Time for a new topic:

Furthermore would be interested to know which ones came with the small circular decorations.

Cheers

Bernd

Ah, I read that "small circular decorations" as meaning the swirls...and you read it as thumb notches....what say you Bernd?

(I can see the thumb notches you're referring to in the photo you attached)
 

napa 1

Donation Time
Here's a few shots of Le Mans wheels.
1) Les Leston wheel with the thumb notches on early Le Mans from Road and Track road test, 2) Carlotti Wheel on Dr. Bruney car 3) restored Carlotti wheel on Rainer's car, 4) my Les Leston (needs to have the engine turning redone, had to polish it off to clean the aluminum) 5) Les Leston logo on my wheel.

Oddity: My Le Mans apparently came with a Les Leston wheel with the tear drop cut out on the three spokes, similar to the Carlotti. Perhaps it was the bridge wheel between the first Leston and the final Carlotti wheel?
 

Attachments

  • Road and Track Le Mans.jpg
    Road and Track Le Mans.jpg
    48.2 KB · Views: 54
  • Bruney wheel.jpg
    Bruney wheel.jpg
    34.1 KB · Views: 59
  • Rainer wheel.jpg
    Rainer wheel.jpg
    43.4 KB · Views: 54
  • prittie wheel.jpg
    prittie wheel.jpg
    41 KB · Views: 63
  • Les Leston.jpg
    Les Leston.jpg
    18.9 KB · Views: 53

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
Yes with the "small decorations" I meant the machined swirls.

What a great list with pictures. Seems we are gradually getting there. Will send you another picture by separate mail from Michael´s original Carlotti wheel since experienced upload problems (file to big).
Also interesting is the Carlotti useage of the Sabra or Sabre Kit car...

Cheers

Bernd
 

bernd_st

Bronze Level Sponsor
finally I could get my HLM steering wheel back from the specialized company who did a repro for me based on a spare alu rim I could aquire earlier. It took the company 2 years and the service was crap but ultimately I´m happy with the result. Tell me how it looks...
 

Attachments

  • Steering wheel 2.jpg
    Steering wheel 2.jpg
    26.7 KB · Views: 56

barringtonderby

Donation Time
What Colour stain on a wheel and what varnish

Hello

Hoping the collective can help

Have obtained a wheel now and am busy restoring it

What colour stain is correct or would you recommend and what type of varnish? I was going to gently remove the current stain by using some gentle grain wire wool - is this the right idea?

The wheel wood grip is cracked in places so my plan is to use wood glue and a band clamp to gradually repair it

Is this the right idea? If so any particular type of glue?

I have a repro badge to go on the wheel which came from Sunbeam Specialities - as you may know it's just a circular disk with nothing on the back to fix it to the wooden centre. Any tips on that?

Thanks in advance

Andrew
 

napa 1

Donation Time
Hi Andrew,

Do you have any pictures you could share of your project? I restored my wheel a few years ago and believe I did not use a stain, but rather just a good varnish which deepended the color of the wood to it's proper color. I did end up removing all of the old varnish befor revarnishing. I also had to takea fine steel wool to the spokes which were in rough shape,they cleaned up beautifully but this process unfortunaely removes the engine turning design , so I will need to re- do that . The original cener plaques had pins on the back, so I imagine the newer ones without the pins would have to be applied with a good contact cement.
 

barringtonderby

Donation Time
HLM wheel

Hi John

I bought the wheel from Ian Spencer

Its the one which is signed by Sterling Moss which I have seen in a few HLM's over the years

I have just sent it off to a guy who reckons he will turn it around inside of a week

Sounds too good to be true but if he is good to his word and the job is a good one I will post his details

Have enclosed some before pictures to compare with the after pic's!

Andrew
 

Attachments

  • steering wheel.jpg
    steering wheel.jpg
    42 KB · Views: 20
  • steering wheel stirling moss detail.jpg
    steering wheel stirling moss detail.jpg
    33.4 KB · Views: 17
  • steering wheel back.jpg
    steering wheel back.jpg
    37.4 KB · Views: 15

napa 1

Donation Time
looks like a great wheel. Keep us posted as to how it turns out. Thanks for the pictures. Picture of my restored Les Leston wheel that came with my car.
 

Attachments

  • prittie%20wheel.jpg
    prittie%20wheel.jpg
    41 KB · Views: 28

barringtonderby

Donation Time
Check out the before and after pics

Bought this wheel from Mr Spencer for my HLM project car

You can see the 'as received' pics...

Found a great guy called Paul Banham here in the UK who goes by the company name Myrtle - Paul can be contacted on myrtleprod@aol.com

A couple of things:

Paul is a real nice guy - very knowledgeable about all types of wheel

Paul is a specialist - there is not a wheel he hasn't restored in all manner of conditions

Paul's average turnaround for a wheel is one week!

Refurb price as quoted includes sanding down, re-staining, varnishing and repainting the boss and polishing the spokes of wheel

I paid £180 and I am very happy with the job - what do you think?

May be worth you US guys sending your wheels to Paul - you would likely have them back for Christmas if you sent them now!
 

Attachments

  • steering wheel.jpg
    steering wheel.jpg
    42 KB · Views: 35
  • steering wheel back.jpg
    steering wheel back.jpg
    37.4 KB · Views: 21
  • steering wheel stirling moss detail.jpg
    steering wheel stirling moss detail.jpg
    33.4 KB · Views: 27
  • restored wheel front 1.jpg
    restored wheel front 1.jpg
    26.1 KB · Views: 32
  • restored wheel back and boss.jpg
    restored wheel back and boss.jpg
    28 KB · Views: 28

65beam

Donation Time
steering wheel

looks real good! the problem with both of my wheels is that the spokes got so weak that they both broke. a friend in northern ohio has a 58 MGA that he is the original owner of and he had a sterling moss wheel on it. he said MG dealers sold them at that time.
 

jumpinjan

Bronze Level Sponsor
Yeah, the aluminum sheetmetal that the centers are made from, is a bad grade of aluminum. It's too soft. My centers will be made from 6061-t6, and they are plenty strong
Jan
 
Top