12 replies to this topic

[Raggie]

The steering wheel in my MPI is ‘orrible. Half the vinyl has disintegrated and I trust the airbag about as much as I would trust Herod with a Bethlehem playgroup.

 

In the old days I would have slammed on a tiny (was it MOMO?) leather aluminium spoked wheel and relaxed as king of cool (that would have been ten years before production ended - for crying out loud, I had pickups, vans, clubman’s and a Radford, all for pennies - if I’d kept them to today……. Hey ho.) 

 

Anyway, digressing. With fat 13” on the car there is a lot of hauling required until you are rolling (a long way from skinny tens) And yes, I am aware of the MOT potential issues of de-airbagging).

 

I’m drifting toward a wider, flat, wooden Motolita (six one, so a bit of extra reach / knee room would be nice). Am I being an idiot? Where have you gone with your steering spanner, and why?
 

[Bobbins]

My personal opinion is don’t go less than the diameter of the Mpi wheel, 350mm or 360mm is ideal to balance steering weight with ease of use.

[Midas Mk1]

I've ran 300, 330, 340, 350mm on my MPi, currently on a momo 350mm prototipo I bought for my 30th. 350mm better for daily driving, 330mm for the weekend / fast road use. 

[coopertaz]

had an old 10inch momo in mine years ago even with 10inch wheels was heavy,

[DeadSquare]

Lots of guys who raced used to use a 10" wheel.  I always stuck with the standard wheel as that was what I was used to driving with every day, and driving on the road was a lot more hairy than on a track.

[Ethel]

You can still get a new MPI wheel for a fair bit less than it'd cost you to fit a Motolita. 

 

If you're not aware, you'll need a different boss for an airbag equipped Mini. I believe it's the same as used on MGFs - maybe an alternate source of a replacement wheel?

[unburntfuelinthemorning]

 

In the old days I would have slammed on a tiny (was it MOMO?) leather aluminium spoked wheel and relaxed as king of cool 

 

 

Mountney were popular steering wheels that didn't cost the earth back then

[Cooperman]

I use a 14" Mountney on my 'S' and find it ideal.

[beardylondon]

No one has commented on the post headline, just wanted say it made me chuckle, very good!

The steering wheel in my MPI is ‘orrible. Half the vinyl has disintegrated and I trust the airbag about as much as I would trust Herod with a Bethlehem playgroup.

In the old days I would have slammed on a tiny (was it MOMO?) leather aluminium spoked wheel and relaxed as king of cool (that would have been ten years before production ended - for crying out loud, I had pickups, vans, clubman’s and a Radford, all for pennies - if I’d kept them to today……. Hey ho.)

Anyway, digressing. With fat 13” on the car there is a lot of hauling required until you are rolling (a long way from skinny tens) And yes, I am aware of the MOT potential issues of de-airbagging).

I’m drifting toward a wider, flat, wooden Motolita (six one, so a bit of extra reach / knee room would be nice). Am I being an idiot? Where have you gone with your steering spanner, and why?

Edited by beardylondon, 29 January 2025 - 10:54 AM.

[Mini Manannán]

No one has commented on the post headline, just wanted say it made me chuckle, very good!
 

The steering wheel in my MPI is ‘orrible. Half the vinyl has disintegrated and I trust the airbag about as much as I would trust Herod with a Bethlehem playgroup.

In the old days I would have slammed on a tiny (was it MOMO?) leather aluminium spoked wheel and relaxed as king of cool (that would have been ten years before production ended - for crying out loud, I had pickups, vans, clubman’s and a Radford, all for pennies - if I’d kept them to today……. Hey ho.)

Anyway, digressing. With fat 13” on the car there is a lot of hauling required until you are rolling (a long way from skinny tens) And yes, I am aware of the MOT potential issues of de-airbagging).

I’m drifting toward a wider, flat, wooden Motolita (six one, so a bit of extra reach / knee room would be nice). Am I being an idiot? Where have you gone with your steering spanner, and why?

 

 

I was clickbaited too 

[and90cooper]

I have a (13 inch?) motolita on my current mini, I used to really like a 14 inch flat mountney wheel, and fitted them to several previous mini’s.
I hate small steering wheels, and I actually love the old original ‘bus’ steering wheel

[coopertaz]

hows it got with mot when you remove the airbag, mine are all older and just wondering. Do you put a resistor in to turn off the light? it needs to light up when ignition first on so can't remove or cover the lamp

[Spider]

There's a chap in the UK - Elliot Price - he retrims these wheels (and other bits) better than new and his prices are extraordinarily fair.

The Wheels I like are long out of production, ' Formuling ' Brand, made in France and originally factory fitted to the Californian Mokes in a 14" version, for a few years. Very hard to find now, in any condition.

 

I like the look and in particular, the feel of them so much, I ended up making my own copy of it;-