The 'E' Type Forum

Hi
Does anyone know what the ORIGINAL diameter of the wooden 3 spoke steering wheel is on an XKSS or Dtype Jag?
I m discussing it with a friend and he reckons 15” but I’m thinking 16”?
Anyone know??
Robbie

Hi Robbie as far as im aware oem was 3 spoke 16in......15in are available....but Hawthorn used a 4 spoke....Steve

Robbiee wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:43 am

Hi
Does anyone know what the ORIGINAL diameter of the wooden 3 spoke steering wheel is on an XKSS or Dtype Jag?
I m discussing it with a friend and he reckons 15” but I’m thinking 16”?
Anyone know??
Robbie

You’re right, your friend is not. Don’t let him near your dosage charts…. :-)

Fairly sure steering wheels would have had an option on the XKSS
And again on the racing cars the driver would have chosen a wheel for himself
As pointed out Hawthorn liked a 4 spoke
For instance personally I can't stand the standard e type wheel
How they chose such a weak flimsy wheel that prevents you from getting in the car I don't know
I changed mine first few days I owned the car
Nearly bent it in half on my first journey!
Joe

PeterCrespin wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:39 pm

Robbiee wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 30, 2021 11:43 am

Hi
Does anyone know what the ORIGINAL diameter of the wooden 3 spoke steering wheel is on an XKSS or Dtype Jag?
I m discussing it with a friend and he reckons 15” but I’m thinking 16”?
Anyone know??
Robbie

You’re right, your friend is not. Don’t let him near your dosage charts…. :-)

Very drole… thanks

Joes66 wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 01, 2021 5:43 am

Fairly sure steering wheels would have had an option on the XKSS
And again on the racing cars the driver would have chosen a wheel for himself
As pointed out Hawthorn liked a 4 spoke
For instance personally I can't stand the standard e type wheel
How they chose such a weak flimsy wheel that prevents you from getting in the car I don't know
I changed mine first few days I owned the car
Nearly bent it in half on my first journey!
Joe

I love the 16” etype wheel!

I’m pretty sure that Hawthorn had a 3 spoke wheel in the D type ?

16 inch wheel for those with tiny thighs and puny biceps

How easy it is to get in and out does have something to do with the steering wheel diameter. How high or low it has been set is important too.

How tall you are (I am 5'11) is another factor, how far back the seat is set back also has a major impact.

There can also be some spacers under the seat rails that can raise the seat by an inch or so.

Generally the rule is to get the seat base as low as possible, otherwise you have little clearance between the wheel for your legs.

In recently trimmed cars with new foam bases, it can be very difficult to get in and out of, especially SWB coupes. This is because the foam can sit too high reducing the gap between the seat and the wheel to almost nothing.

This has other knock on effects such as bumping your head on the roof when driving and getting your feet trapped behind the pedals getting out.

One of the best mods I did was chopping 2 inches out of the seat base foam. It transformed the feel of the car, no joke. Sitting too high in an E type feels awful.

I took the question to be about standard spec, which is 16” 3-spoke.

Hawthorn did prefer his own 4-spoke but when he did that filmed lap in 56 he was in a short nose with a standaard 3-spoke wheel. The D, like the S1 E, has quite a lot of rake and reach adjustment and of course people make compromises. E.g. when I drove my Realm D to Belgium I sat on 3/4” closed cell foam direct on the floor to try and get my head below the screen. Without the (incorrect) IRS I suspect the ride would have been much less tolerable.