> I was starting to wonder just the opposite: if perhaps
> *some* TR6's did
> indeed come from the factory with leather steering wheels.
I've been following this thread with some interest, as it applies equally to
the TR6 and several other Triumphs of the early 70s. I am in the UK, and the
cars I am familiar with have all been RHD home market vehicles.
I have a virtually original 1973 MkIV Spitfire with a documented 33,000
miles. The steering wheel is the same pattern as that fitted to the
contemporary TR6. The rim is unmistakeably leather.
I have broken two other Spitfires - another MkIV from 1973, and a 1976 1500.
These were both fitted with steering wheels which are identical to that on
the original car, with the exception of the rims being moulded in rubber.
The same pattern of wheel continued to be fitted to other Triumphs including
the Dolomite family until the end of the line in 1981 - those I have removed
from Dolomites have invariably been rubber-rimmed, though there are at least
2 different types of rubber rim, some (from later cars?) being less dense
and very prone to loosening and breaking. The other rubber wheels are much
more difficult to distinguish from the leather, though there is a tell-tale
moulding line around the circumference.
In the case of my Spitfires, the horn-push surround was moulded
rubber on all 3. The Dolomites had a different arrangement with the horn
push on the indicator stalk,
Cheers,
Bill.
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^================^
/ \ William Davies
/ \ Total Triumph Enthusiast
__ __________________ __
/ \ ______ ______ / \ 1959 Herald 948 Coupé Y128
\__/ \ || / \__/ 1959 Herald 948 Coupé
| A \____||____/ A | 1959 Herald 948 Saloon
| = H H = | 1960 Herald 948 Saloon Export
=====U==============U===== 1961 Herald 'S'
\________________________/ 1964 Herald 1200 Saloon
| | | | 1970 Spitfire MkIII
|_| |_| 1973 Spitfire MkIV
1959 Standard Atlas Pickup
|