New steering wheel!

[C8RKH 6,256]

So, after looking at various Lotus OEM options (quite pricey and did not like the heavy wheel sculpting on the newer OEM wheels) for my 2010 NA I decided to go down the re-trim route to get what I wanted.  Put an advert on here for an original used steering wheel and got three responses in 24 hours and a deal was very quickly done, at a very reasonable price, for this, a std Evora steering wheel Mark 1  (without the bezel and cruise buttons).

Did some research and found a Royal Steering Wheels and sent off the new old wheel for a refurb. Brief was:

make slightly thicker (1mm - does not sound like much but boy makes a huge difference), black perforated and black nappa leather, red stitching, and red 12 o'clock centre strip.

One week later and this has come back. Totally delighted. Car is in Craig Moncrieffs at the moment getting some nice fettling and will be taking this wheel down for him to fit. Will post some pictures of it fitted. I can't tell you just how delighted, and how good, I think the end result is.

Cost - £70 for the new old wheel. £120 for the re-trim.  If anyone else fancies doing similar let me know (you can choose your own design, colours, materials - alcantara, leather etc) and I'll happily sell you my old wheel for £70 and you can send it off to Jack for the re-trim. If we keep it going, effectively that's a new wheel for £120 if we do the wheel swap thing. A bloody bargain....

Maybe we can keep this topic going and use it to keep track of peoples wheel upgrades / changes over time, whether you buy new OEM or get re-trimmed elsewhere.

 

[Bibs 11,167]

That looks ace! I really  the alcantara on the 400 steering wheel, it's a real shame it's not completely covered IMO. 

[C8RKH 6,256]

Agreed. But then after a bit of use Royal's could recover in full alcantara for you  You could even do it in this orange Alcantara bibs, but I think I've found the perfect wheel cover for your current 400....

 

 

[sellman 38]

Hi Andy,

That steering wheel looks ace I'm really impressed with the finish.

It's a great idea you've had for people to upgrade on the cheap for a really pukka job!

Not heard of royal steering wheels before, they look a good find.

 

[C8RKH 6,256]

Thanks Sellman. I did a lot of research on different forums and they have a really good rep. Passed the wheel to Craig Moncrieff (Lotus specialist in Scotland) and he was impressed. So good enough for me.

You can of course just send your wheel after you have removed and stripped it if you're happy to have the caroff the road for a week or so.

[JG220 273]

Royal steering wheels are fantastic (Its just one chap based in Abingdon). The finish is often better than oem. He does a lot of BMWs (as the leather goes shinny and nasty so quickly on them)

Here is an alcantara VX (now current elise) wheel he did for me in 2010. 

 

[Stuno1 317]

Both look lovely. Considering you use it all the time it's well worth the effort.

 

I was considering Royal steering wheels. Ordered the 400 part alcantara instead though. Waiting for it to arrive at silverstone....

[C8RKH 6,256]

I thought with the 400 it would not be a straight retro-fitment as you needed a new trim piece and a new airbag, however, just re-checked and I believe that is only just for pre MY12 steering wheels as the parts for the airbag and finisher are different numbers.

But then, that would surely make going from a MY10 to a MY12 an issue.....  Ouch, my brains hurts........

 

[Stuno1 317]

I did need I order a new finisher as well as the wheel.

[JAWS 423]

8 hours ago, C8RKH said:

I thought with the 400 it would not be a straight retro-fitment as you needed a new trim piece and a new airbag, however, just re-checked and I believe that is only just for pre MY12 steering wheels as the parts for the airbag and finisher are different numbers.

But then, that would surely make going from a MY10 to a MY12 an issue.....  Ouch, my brains hurts........

 

All the Steering wheels and trim finishers are interchangeable from MY09 to 400.

@Stuno1 If you are careful with your current trim finisher you can just use new double sided tape to reattach it.

[C8RKH 6,256]

OK. I was told that to change my MY2010 wheel to a 400 wheel I woulod need a new finisher and a new airbag module. I have no idea if this is correct, but it is what I was told.

However, I'm actually happier with my retrimmed MY2010 wheel as I do not like the extra sculpturing and finger indentions of the later wheels. So for me, at £120, so at least half the price of a new wheel, the re-trim was the best option as I could spec exactly what I wanted.

[Stuno1 317]

Not, already ordered new finisher ?

It will fit the interior much better as I have the suedetex interior. 

[Bravo73 1,297]

3 hours ago, C8RKH said:

OK. I was told that to change my MY2010 wheel to a 400 wheel I woulod need a new finisher and a new airbag module. I have no idea if this is correct, but it is what I was told.

You were told wrong, I'm afraid. JAWS is correct (of course!)

All of the wheel bits (airbag, trim, switches etc) transferred from an MY11 (ie original) wheel onto an MY12 then onto an Ev400 wheel. 

[JayEmm 1,272]

Royal are great - they are very well known in some other forums, they do a lot of BMW work. My M3 has an alcantara wheel with tricolour stitching, superb quality work.

[C8RKH 6,256]

So anyone else thinking about a change?

[JAWS 423]

On 27/02/2016 at 20:18, Stuno1 said:

Not, already ordered new finisher ?

It will fit the interior much better as I have the suedetex interior. 

Humour me on this one; I understand you changing to the Evora 400 steering wheel as the Alcantara should hopefully go with your Suedetex interior. However, I don't understand why you'd change to the Evora 400 trim finisher as that wouldn't go with anything in your Sports Racer interior?

[Stuno1 317]

I was told I needed a new finisher. Also the black finisher off the 400 matches a lot of the gloss black interior parts of the car so it still fits in well.

[JAWS 423]

32 minutes ago, Stuno1 said:

I was told I needed a new finisher. Also the black finisher off the 400 matches a lot of the gloss black interior parts of the car so it still fits in well.

Did you ask that person whether they'd ever changed the trim on a wheel by chance? The 400 trim is actually Grey not Black, so I hope you're not disappointed once it's fitted because I can't see it matching anything in your Evora SR.

[Stuno1 317]

I have asked silverstone whether my current finisher will fit. I was offered a gloss black finisher as an option? I'll check...thank you.

[Bravo73 1,297]

Your current finisher will definitely fit. Whoever told you otherwise is telling porkies.

Here's how I know:

[JAWS 423]

1 hour ago, Stuno1 said:

I have asked silverstone whether my current finisher will fit. I was offered a gloss black finisher as an option? I'll check...thank you.

If you want my advice; take your steering wheel off, carefully (and I mean carefully) take your trim finisher off and renew the double sided tape, then fit it to the new Evora 400 steering wheel. Save yourself ~£70 and have an interior that matches. Just like Jonny has shown above

[C8RKH 6,256]

So, finally, pictures of my wheel fitted with the original airbag, faceplate and cruise buttons refitted - I do prefer it to the wheel above as I am not a fan of the later model steering wheels with their heavier sculpting. This is the original wheel, with the thumb rests, and the wheel made thicker by 1mm and after a drive today, boy does it make a difference and the red stitching really lifts the cabin.  As far as I'm concerned this is the best £120 I have spent on a car ever, and the best mod I have ever done...

[The Pits 4,408]

Yep does look very good and remarkably tasteful coming from the owner of some red suede Puma Speedcats!

 

[Arun_D 733]

That looks really bl**dy nice, Andy.

So often on the subject of re-trims I hear people go on about how a trimmer achieves 'better than factory' finish with creases and baggy sections and whatnot, but that genuinely looks like a proper job.

[C8RKH 6,256]

Thanks guys - I really can't tell you how pleased I am with the job - not a crease anywhere and the stitching is perfect. I was worried about the leather quality - would it be good, but it honestly just feels like a new OEM wheel with that matt/powder effect.

As for the speed cats, well, they match the car Jonny. Just trying to convince Puma to create ones with a wee Lotus badge on the heel, a black stripe, and red stitching. Yup, then they will exactly match the car.  How sad is that.