[Healeys] Derrington Steering Wheels

[Tom Felts]

I haven't changed my BJ8 wheel as yet---strange but I kinda like it.  OTOH, I changed my E-Type steering wheel from the flimsy original to a 1" less diameter, more solid wheel and it, as you say, transformed the driving pleasure of the car.  No more wheel bending as I turned a corner---now rock solid and steady.  Loved the change.

tom

---- Dave Murphy <roadwarriordave at hotmail.com> wrote: 

=============
I'd like to suggest that perhaps comfort should be a major consideration when
one is buying a new steering wheel.

The 14" Moto Lita wood wheel (Moss # 499-560, illustration A in the online
site), that I intalled on my BJ8 has litterally transformed my car from one I
couldn't wait to get out of after 50 miles (with the standard 16" or 17"
plastic wheel) to one I can probably drive 700 miles in a day.
The difference? - I can now move my legs about a little and change my seating
position slightly but significantly as I drive. I can even scratch an itchy
calf that previously would drive me crazy and take my mind off the road. After
about sixty miles with the old wheel, my ass would be so sore from my legs
being pinned in the exact same position by the big wheel that I'd start
sitting on one of my hands and hoping to stop and stretch. Not any more with
the new wheel!

I also like the fact that the uneven spoke angles on my beautiful Moto Lita
allow installation with the center spoke pointing down and the upper two
spokes NOT blocking the instuments.  This feels more natural and that center
spoke is no longer sticking up in my face and telling me the road is crowned
or my alignment is off by 3 degrees.

Regarding someone suggesting the Moto-Lita wheels Moss sells as possibly being
incorrect, weren't the Moto-Lita wheels period dealer or owner installed
accessories on the production big Healeys? And who's to say which styles -
spoke angles, diameters, rivet numbers, etc., the dealers would choose to sell
back in the day?

-Dave Murphy, '66 BJ8, Dearborn Michigan


> From: molony at dodo.com.au
> To: derek.c.job at gmail.com
> Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2013 12:47:07 +1100
> CC: healeys at autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: [Healeys] Derrington Steering Wheels
>
> Thanks to all of those who responded
>
> I checked the Mota Lita sight after my initial email and Derek is correct
> the image of the Derrington Wheel they have on their Web site is a dead
> image of the original wheel with the correct  spoke spacing
>
>  The only discernable difference I could see from the original wheel was the
> number of rivets holding the timber hand grips on the  wheel  have been
> reduced by 6 to 12 rather than the original wheels 18
>
> The Mota Lita wheel is available either dished or flat  as required by the
> individual
>
> Derek's advice is correct it would appear that Moss might be supplying the
> incorrect wheel as per the Photo on Wilko's web site or alternatively the
> wrong wheels have been ordered.
>
> Cheers
> Graeme M
> Mount Martha
> Vic
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Derek Job" <derek.c.job at gmail.com>
> To: "Graeme Molony" <molony at dodo.com.au>
> Cc: <healeys at autox.team.net>
> Sent: Sunday, December 22, 2013 9:58 PM
> Subject: Re: [Healeys] Derrington Steering Wheels
>
>
> Mike Lempert's wheels are no doubt very nice but its the Moto Lita  that are
> the accurate  design and representative of the ones used back in the day.
> Moto Lita make many different styles and if people have one that does not
> have the three equally spaced spokes then they have bought the wrong model.
>
> Derek
> On 22 Dec 2013, at 02:16, "Graeme  Molony" <molony at dodo.com.au> wrote:
>
> > Oops should have let my fingers do the walking
> >
> > Just checked the internet and confirmed these wheels are available from
> > Mota
> > Lita in the UK for approx $350.00 excluding VAT plus P&H
> >
> > A far cry from the $ 2050.00 ask on Ebay
> >
> > Cheers
> > Graeme M
> > Mt Martha Vic
> > BJ8 32717
> > _______________________________________________
> > Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
> > Suggested annual donation  $12.75
> > Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> > Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> >
> > Healeys at autox.team.net
> > http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys
> >
> > Unsubscribe/Manage:
> > http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/derek.c.job@gmail.com
> _______________________________________________
> Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation  $12.75
> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
>
> Healeys at autox.team.net
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys
>
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/roadwarriordave@hotmail.com
Suggested annual donation  $12.75
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
Forums: http://www.team.net/forums

Healeys at autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys

Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/tomfelts@windstream.net