by David Reilly » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:27 pm
That steering wheel is actually Jaguar Part No. C.25198 "17 in. wood-rim steering wheel, a rarely seen option. Your Editor has seen only a half-dozen, in over 30 years of attending Jaguar concours and other car shows, on Mk2s and only one on an 'S’-type.
When William Lyons styled the 2.4-litre saloon, it inherited the traditional Jaguar four-spoke 17 in. diameter steering wheel that had been almost all post-war Jaguars, m,any with differing horn pushes.
Since the Interior of the 2.4-litre was perceived by the public as being old fashioned, Lyons gave it a complete restyling for the Utah facelift or Utah Mk2 (See Newsletter Vol. 10, No. 8 for full details). He revised the styling of the upper cabin with more glass and thinner pillars to give 18% more window space. There was an improved instrument layout, with the speedometer and tachometer now in front of the driver. Minor instruments and toggle switches were on a recessed centre panel, leather covered rather than walnut. The old style four-spoke steering wheel was replaced with a more elegant two opposing-spoke design, still Bakelite and the same diameter of 17 in., but with a horn push and new half-moon chrome horn ring.
Jaguar asked Vic Derrington to design and produce a special optional steering wheel for the Mk2. Derrington had started making steering wheels in the early 1950s and his patent for a wood rimmed model was applied for on October 18, 1954, and granted on October 5, 1955. The original Derrington wheel had very specific characteristics that allowed it to stand out among all the others. They were: three slotted spokes, even spacing, an eight hole center mounting, and laminated rim of mahogany and either beech or white sycamore.
The steering wheel that Derrington designed especially for Jaguar to offer as a factory option was quite different. It was of the standard 17 in. diameter, with three solid (non-slotted) spokes, two horizontal for mounting the Jaguar horn push assembly and a lower vertical spoke. It also had additional holes to left and right of center to attach the Jaguar horn ring assembly.
The Birmabright spokes were highly polished and the wood rim of contrasting laminations of white beech and rich red mahogany were clear lacquered to bring out the grain. The Jaguar optional steering wheel was priced at £12 and took the standard Jaguar center horn push and half horn-ring.
Jaguar Part No. C.25198 "17 in. wood rim steering wheel, was also offered as factory option on the 'S'-type
Cheers,
David
- Attachments
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- Derrington wheel for Jaguar Mk2 with horn-ring
- Derrington wheel for Jaguar Mk2 with horn-ring.jpg (27.12 KiB) Viewed 1655 times
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- Derrington wheel for Jaguar Mk2 with horn-ring
- Derrington wheel for Jaguar Mk2 without horn-ring.jpg (39.32 KiB) Viewed 1655 times
That steering wheel is actually Jaguar Part No. C.25198 "17 in. wood-rim steering wheel, a rarely seen option. Your Editor has seen only a half-dozen, in over 30 years of attending Jaguar concours and other car shows, on Mk2s and only one on an 'S’-type.
When William Lyons styled the 2.4-litre saloon, it inherited the traditional Jaguar four-spoke 17 in. diameter steering wheel that had been almost all post-war Jaguars, m,any with differing horn pushes.
Since the Interior of the 2.4-litre was perceived by the public as being old fashioned, Lyons gave it a complete restyling for the Utah facelift or Utah Mk2 (See Newsletter Vol. 10, No. 8 for full details). He revised the styling of the upper cabin with more glass and thinner pillars to give 18% more window space. There was an improved instrument layout, with the speedometer and tachometer now in front of the driver. Minor instruments and toggle switches were on a recessed centre panel, leather covered rather than walnut. The old style four-spoke steering wheel was replaced with a more elegant two opposing-spoke design, still Bakelite and the same diameter of 17 in., but with a horn push and new half-moon chrome horn ring.
Jaguar asked Vic Derrington to design and produce a special optional steering wheel for the Mk2. Derrington had started making steering wheels in the early 1950s and his patent for a wood rimmed model was applied for on October 18, 1954, and granted on October 5, 1955. The original Derrington wheel had very specific characteristics that allowed it to stand out among all the others. They were: three slotted spokes, even spacing, an eight hole center mounting, and laminated rim of mahogany and either beech or white sycamore.
The steering wheel that Derrington designed especially for Jaguar to offer as a factory option was quite different. It was of the standard 17 in. diameter, with three solid (non-slotted) spokes, two horizontal for mounting the Jaguar horn push assembly and a lower vertical spoke. It also had additional holes to left and right of center to attach the Jaguar horn ring assembly.
The Birmabright spokes were highly polished and the wood rim of contrasting laminations of white beech and rich red mahogany were clear lacquered to bring out the grain. The Jaguar optional steering wheel was priced at £12 and took the standard Jaguar center horn push and half horn-ring.
Jaguar Part No. C.25198 "17 in. wood rim steering wheel, was also offered as factory option on the 'S'-type
Cheers,
David