Springall Steering Wheel

[olivier]

Hello,

I have recently bought a Springall steering wheel (not leather but plastic) for my Europa (Federal from the USA)  and I am searching for the horn push. Problem is that I don't know what is the proper horn push that fit my steering wheel.

is someone have a picture or could give me the reference ?

Thank you

[EuropaTC]

Hi,

It might help if you could post a picture of the wheel you've bought to prevent any confusion over exactly what type of wheel you've got. If it is the same as the OEM one then the parts manual should have a picture ?

Brian

[olivier]

Here are some pictures I hope that helps

[EuropaTC]

Right, I can see. AFAIK that's a standard horn push arrangement, the sort of thing used on the Elan and many other British cars of the period. There are also modern horn push inserts that you should be able to modify with a Lotus badge and get them to fit. (Momo ?) If you look at page 4 on this link, you can see the back of the horn push insert I'm referring to.

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/images/WorkshopManual/S2_Section_H_-_Steering.pdf

My Europa doesn't have an OEM wheel but the Elan one uses a 2" (50mm) internal diameter horn push, and looking from the measurements on your picture I'd say you'd be able to fit an insert from the Triumph range and just modify the badge. I used plastic domed wheel centre badges which aren't an exact fit but not too far out.

I'll take exact measurements tomorrow but these are the sorts of things I think will fit

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-BADGE-HORN-PUSH-ASSEMBLY-TR4-TR5-TR6-150277-/260818047182?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cb9f790ce

I bought one of these a few years ago from an autojumble and modified it. The second link shows the genuine article but expect this one to be very expensive

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOTUS-CORTINA-ESCORT-ELAN-EUROPA-SEVEN-NOS-STEERING-WHEEL-HORN-PUSH-BUTTON-/111050960431?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item19db272e2f

Assuming these fit, you'll also need a pencil brush connector which makes contact through a brass ring at the top of the steering column to the actual switch.  Looking at your pictures I assume there is a hole through the black mounting hub which would take one of these;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HORN-BRUSH-CONNECTOR-TUBE-TRIUMPH-TR-SPITFIRE-HERALD-GT6-FREE-UK-POSTAGE-/260971335486?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cc31a8f3e

Brian

[LotusJoe]

r.d. enterprises carries a horn button

[EuropaTC]

    That's it !

Joe, I'm amazed. I thought such things were long gone from the shelves, but that picture looks like a brand new one. Over here on Ebay UK anything like that goes for crazy money, I've seen the centre badge alone fetch more than RD are asking for the complete horn push. It may look expensive compared to other classic car parts, but for the proper thing that's a fair deal.

Brian

[olivier]

Thank you for your answer.

I would like to fit the original horn push, not a momo or another one.

the workshop manual shows a 4 holes branch steering wheels, mine is 3 holes. It should come from a Europa S2.

about the ebay links, I already asked the sellers (of the links you give) about the dimensions and they answer that the internal diameter is 50 cm and the external diameter is 59 cm. The internal diameter should fits but the external doesn't recover the aluminium center (and the screws) of the steering wheel.

I already have the connector.

look forward for the measurements

olivier

Right, I can see. AFAIK that's a standard horn push arrangement, the sort of thing used on the Elan and many other British cars of the period. There are also modern horn push inserts that you should be able to modify with a Lotus badge and get them to fit. (Momo ?) If you look at page 4 on this link, you can see the back of the horn push insert I'm referring to.

http://www.lotuseuropa.org/images/WorkshopManual/S2_Section_H_-_Steering.pdf

My Europa doesn't have an OEM wheel but the Elan one uses a 2" (50mm) internal diameter horn push, and looking from the measurements on your picture I'd say you'd be able to fit an insert from the Triumph range and just modify the badge. I used plastic domed wheel centre badges which aren't an exact fit but not too far out.

I'll take exact measurements tomorrow but these are the sorts of things I think will fit

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-BADGE-HORN-PUSH-ASSEMBLY-TR4-TR5-TR6-150277-/260818047182?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cb9f790ce

I bought one of these a few years ago from an autojumble and modified it. The second link shows the genuine article but expect this one to be very expensive

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOTUS-CORTINA-ESCORT-ELAN-EUROPA-SEVEN-NOS-STEERING-WHEEL-HORN-PUSH-BUTTON-/111050960431?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item19db272e2f

Assuming these fit, you'll also need a pencil brush connector which makes contact through a brass ring at the top of the steering column to the actual switch.  Looking at your pictures I assume there is a hole through the black mounting hub which would take one of these;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HORN-BRUSH-CONNECTOR-TUBE-TRIUMPH-TR-SPITFIRE-HERALD-GT6-FREE-UK-POSTAGE-/260971335486?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cc31a8f3e

Brian

[olivier]

r.d. enterprises carries a horn button

very nice   

do you have the measurements ?

[EuropaTC]

Hi Olivier,

The measurements are the same as mine. I've also had a few more thoughts...

1. I'm pretty sure the early cars had the steering wheel rivets/bolts showing and the horn push inset centrally, so I think the one Joe shows is correct for your car. They came with either green/yellow or black badges on the actual push part, I don't know what's correct for your car but would guess at the green/yellow.

2. When I bought my car I also saw the OEM wheel, which was a similar design to the one you have but had an entirely different central boss and horn push.  Instead of using a pencil connector through the boss, it had a copper brush, really just a metal strip that you bent to contact the horn ring on the steering column. Basically, it looked nothing like the one you have, so again that makes me think that the one Joe's shown is correct.  I think the picture below, scanned from a road test, is the way your wheel used to look.

Brian

[olivier]

Thank you Brian for this nice picture that ousted doubt my mind 

this wheel is a leather one mine is simply vinyl

[3929R]

Twin Cam Special wheel for comparison.... and just because I happen to have a picture handy.

[olivier]

Twin Cam Special wheel for comparison.... and just because I happen to have a picture handy.

very nice one.

it seems to be bigger than the one Brian post. Mine is a 13 inches with 3 holes on the branches

I like the horn push

[3929R]

On the Special the horn push is the left side stalk.  You can almost make out "HORN>" in the picture.