A Tale of Two Momos

[BlackLeaf]

Hi There

As part of my project I have two momo wheels to choose from. Initially my thinking was clear - a straight transplant of the yellow 'arrow' from my deceased blue car to the project red car. Having no need for the yellow 'disc' that came with the red car I was intending to sell it.

My thinking was predicated on my emotional attachment to parts from the blue car but also because the condition of the 'arrow' wheel is also better.

Having dríven with the 'disc' for the last couple of months it's sort of grown on me but I think it is still the one to go. I have been looking around on the interwebernet to get a sense of what a fair value would be to list the 'disc' wheel but I haven't come across it anywhere. It makes me wonder if it might therefore be more collectible because of its rarity.

Is anyone here a steering wheel historian? Does anyone have any info or a view on the matter or info they can share?

[93_Clubman]

Think you'll find the steering wheels are the same, ie original. It's just the centre horn button that's different, & probably not original, ie an aftermarket Momo item, or perhaps even a knock-off.

[Steampunk]

I would install/use whichever wheel has the most wear and hang/mount the better one as memento. I believe the correct horn button for the time period is the arrow, so use that one if you're wanting the car to be as period correct as possible. Having said that though, since you bought your car new, didn't the wheel come with the crash pad?

[93_Clubman]

The yellow disc type Momo horn buttons (as well as other Momo disc colours) are currently available new on ebay.

[speed]

IIRC the wheel should have the month and year it was made stamped on the back.

[93_Clubman]

On the back just under 'made in Italy' my old NA6 one has '08-93'. There's also a sticker on the back with C.D.I NA08 printed on it.

[BlackLeaf]

Thanks for the comments, all.

Yes, the wheel has "MADE IN ITALY" and "9 89" engraved on the reverse side, so there is no reason to believe the wheel isn't original with the car. It is the horn button that I was more interested in and whether it was period authentic. When I was trying to decide which of the two wheels I would keep and what a fair price might be to sell the other, I could only find one example of a wheel with the momo yellow 'disc' horn button, and I made a questionable leap of logic that it might therefore be rare and worth a million dollars.

As noted above you can buy an identical button on ebay (I have seen them listed with an authorised momo reseller) but I still think the one I have is authentic, based on the wear and tear and the hairline fracture running through the resin. It has a stamp on the back - "1 1 6 4" - though I don't know what this means. I checked my other wheel (engraved with "4 90") but the horn button (which is authentic) does not have a stamp on the back. No biggy, was just curious.

MattR - if you are reading, do you know whether the yellow momo horn button came with the car when you bought it from the original owner?

Anyways, I have decided I will keep my wheel from the blue car if for no other reason than the blob of yellow doesn't really work with my interior and the classic red. Would anyone like to make a suggestion regarding a sale price for the other wheel?

[rpost77]

For info.

My car - September 1990 build, January 1991 Compliance white NA6.

I purchased October 1993 with 15K on odo.

Standard Momo wheel with crash pad. Under the crash pad was the yellow arrow Momo button identical to the one you displayed.

I assume that this was the standard button for that wheel for that vintage car.

P.S. - I personally hated the button - thought it really clashed with the interior and looked bogan/tacky. Left the crash pad on until I replaced the wheel with a Momo Classic and a nice black momo button. Have since sourced a black button with Mazda in silver - looks identical to the momo's in shape etc. just with an accurate Mazda logo.

[MattR]

The wheel that was on the car when sold, I bought from the Gold Coast when I first got the car as the original wheel had been replaced with a 300mm diameter wheel that was too small, hid the gauges and sppedo needle around the 100km area and didn't feel right in my hands. One of the first mods was to replace that wheel.

All I know is the wheel I bought was a genuine NA6 wheel that had the crash pad and that horn button. Whether it was original or not, I had no idea.

The horn button got a few scratches on it as I swapped steering wheels for track days, using my suede personal wheel as it was thicker, a touch smaller and felt better in my hands with gloves on.

When I bought the wheel, from memory I paid $120 with the crash pad, so would expect the going rate to still be around mark, maybe a little more for a proper leather wheel, and not a pleather or plastic wheel.

[BlackLeaf]

Thanks for the info, Matt.