Volkswagon Banjo Wheel

[JayChicago]

A while ago TJ on this forum suggested the aftermarket VW banjo steering wheel. I had seen that, good looking wheel, and good price at around $300, but I was afraid the VW wheel couldn't be adapted to my GM column. But TJ said the standard 3-bolt adapter works. So I did it. And I like it! I like that the center is black to match the column instead of the normal chrome center. Thanks, TJ.
(this is a bad photo, bad lighting in my garage)

 

[oldbugger]

I like it, I have vw parts on all my old cars, and no one every can find them.

 

[petehoovie]

A while ago TJ on this forum suggested the aftermarket VW banjo steering wheel. I had seen that, good looking wheel, and good price at around $300, but I was afraid the VW wheel couldn't be adapted to my GM column. But TJ said the standard 3-bolt adapter works. So I did it. And I like it! I like that the center is black to match the column instead of the normal chrome center. Thanks, TJ.
(this is a bad photo, bad lighting in my garage)

 

[GB SISSON]

And I like it too. I have mid sixties VW seats in the woodie wagon.

 

[ronn]

I bought the exact wheel in white 6 weeks ago for my brotheres Zwitter VW. Handsome whls at a great price.

 

[V8COOPMAN]

A while ago TJ on this forum suggested the aftermarket VW banjo steering wheel. I had seen that, good looking wheel, and good price at around $300, but I was afraid the VW wheel couldn't be adapted to my GM column. But TJ said the standard 3-bolt adapter works. So I did it. And I like it! I like that the center is black to match the column instead of the normal chrome center. Thanks, TJ.
(this is a bad photo, bad lighting in my garage)

From what I'm seeing in the picture, I'd bet fifty cents that that car has a T5 transmission in it when looking at the shifter and its location. Looks like a 1937 DeLuxe car to me. Any comments on the transmission and driving details? Nice WHEEL and installation!

Coop

 

[Fritz]

Very nice! I like the look. I think my mind would be confused seeing the Wolfsburg Crest in an Early Ford. My 41 pickup shared the garage with the '57 oval I restored for several years.

 

[TJ]

Jay, glad I could help and the banjo looks just right in your car. I noticed lately the prices have crept up a little, but they are still a good deal as there is nothing out there in the way of traditional looking banjo wheels for that price.

 

[JayChicago]

From what I'm seeing in the picture, I'd bet fifty cents that that car has a T5 transmission in it when looking at the shifter and its location. Looks like a 1937 DeLuxe car to me. Any comments on the transmission and driving details? Nice WHEEL and installation!

Coop
Yes, is a ‘37 Deluxe slant-back. And yes, good eye, it is a T-5. Which T-5, what gears, I don’t know. (was built two owners ago, never was able to talk to the builder)

T-5 is great. Has almost too low first gear, sometimes start in second. But still could cruise all day at ninety (I don’t) in 5th gear overdrive. (Has open drive with normal rear end ratio, 3.70 or 3.80) Up shifts and down shifts easy once the gear lube warms up. Love the T-5.

 

[JayChicago]

Very nice! I like the look. I think my mind would be confused seeing the Wolfsburg Crest in an Early Ford.

Yeah, I expect to get questions about that Wolfsburg Crest on the horn button. But hey, it’s a street rod, anything goes. Hot rodders used to put Jaguar running gear under old Fords.

Mart has a video showing how he custom made a horn button. I’ll be thinking about doing that. I’ll need to find something about 3-4” diameter, hopefully dome shaped, with a V8 logo on it. Maybe next year. This year I’ll let the people ask why that VW logo is there. I’ll tell them it’s from an antique Porsche.

 

[Fritz]

Haha, and you would be right. Porsche Type 60.

 

[V8COOPMAN]

From what I'm seeing in the picture, I'd bet fifty cents that that car has a T5 transmission in it when looking at the shifter and its location. Looks like a 1937 DeLuxe car to me. Any comments on the transmission and driving details? Nice WHEEL and installation!

Coop
T-5 is great. Has almost too low first gear, sometimes start in second. But still could cruise all day at ninety (I don’t) in 5th gear overdrive. (Has open drive with normal rear end ratio, 3.70 or 3.80) Up shifts and down shifts easy once the gear lube warms up. Love the T-5.

T-5 is great! Man, that's about what I expected to hear. It is hard for me to imagine finding once someone has had the opportunity to drive one of these cars with a decent T5 installation, that they would not immediately realize ALL of the benefits of one of these smooth-shifting, full-synchro, relatively quiet transmissions, and that's not even counting the OVERDRIVE part of it.

It is interesting to note your comment about first gear being too low. That pretty much makes it obvious that your trans is straight out of an S-10 pickup and still has it's original 4.03 or 3.76 first gear ratio that was akin to the S-10 trucks. And, this is why I harp so religiously upon the fact that the BEST of intents here is to use a T5 that has been modified to use an S-10 REAR HOUSING (it is all a matter of bolt-together) along with its required SHORT shift shaft in the lid. Of course, all of that gets your shifter moved forward to the convenient location seen in your picture. Without using the "S-10 rear housing" with its forward shifter location, the shifter would obviously end-up exiting your seat. Unfortunately the S-10 trans as a whole, in its unmodified state, is going to have those 'parade-like' granny gear sets because of the wimpy four and six cylinder engines that came in the S-10.

That is why I adamantly push guys to be wary of just using an S-10 transmission. You end-up with a 1st gear that is just not usable. All you really wanted was the S-10 pieces swapped onto whatever T5 transmission you end-up using. Ideally, one would find himself with an early NWC Camaro V8 T5 with the ideal close-ratio 2.95 first gear gearset. It is all a bolt-together affair. OR, you can easily swap out the wimpy S-10 gearset with the close ratio 2.95 gearset. That's part of what makes this such a great little transmission is the ability to swap parts.


Jay, the link BELOW contains a more comprehensive version of details that I put together for another member some time ago. A world of T5 info concerning what you have, at your fingertips. I hope some of this is helpful to you.

Coop

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2034449&postcount=7

And THANK YOU for the feedback, Jay!

.

 

[fortyonerag]

Very nice! I like the look. I think my mind would be confused seeing the Wolfsburg Crest in an Early Ford. My 41 pickup shared the garage with the '57 oval I restored for several years.

I seem to recall there are some interesting aftermarket VW Steering wheel centres.

 

[TJ]

For a variety of horn buttons that may fit check Flash Power Auto on e-Bay.

 

[hotrodcbx]

T-5 is great! Man, that's about what I expected to hear. It is hard for me to imagine finding once someone has had the opportunity to drive one of these cars with a decent T5 installation, that they would not immediately realize ALL of the benefits of one of these smooth-shifting, full-synchro, relatively quiet transmissions, and that's not even counting the OVERDRIVE part of it.

It is interesting to note your comment about first gear being too low. That pretty much makes it obvious that your trans is straight out of an S-10 pickup and still has it's original 4.03 or 3.76 first gear ratio that was akin to the S-10 trucks. And, this is why I harp so religiously upon the fact that the BEST of intents here is to use a T5 that has been modified to use an S-10 REAR HOUSING (it is all a matter of bolt-together) along with its required SHORT shift shaft in the lid. Of course, all of that gets your shifter moved forward to the convenient location seen in your picture. Without using the "S-10 rear housing" with its forward shifter location, the shifter would obviously end-up exiting your seat. Unfortunately the S-10 trans as a whole, in its unmodified state, is going to have those 'parade-like' granny gear sets because of the wimpy four and six cylinder engines that came in the S-10.

That is why I adamantly push guys to be wary of just using an S-10 transmission. You end-up with a 1st gear that is just not usable. All you really wanted was the S-10 pieces swapped onto whatever T5 transmission you end-up using. Ideally, one would find himself with an early NWC Camaro V8 T5 with the ideal close-ratio 2.95 first gear gearset. It is all a bolt-together affair. OR, you can easily swap out the wimpy S-10 gearset with the close ratio 2.95 gearset. That's part of what makes this such a great little transmission is the ability to swap parts.


Jay, the link BELOW contains a more comprehensive version of details that I put together for another member some time ago. A world of T5 info concerning what you have, at your fingertips. I hope some of this is helpful to you.

Coop

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2034449&postcount=7

And THANK YOU for the feedback, Jay!

.

Not all t5's are created equal. Back 15 years ago you could buy a Mustang T5 from Summit for $1300.00 new. I bought 2 of them knowing the prices would go crazy, one for my 34 3 window and the other for my '33 roadster both flathead powered. These T5's have real nice gear spread with a .63 O/D
Many improvements over a S-10 T5, no need to start in 2nd. Only problem is you need to install a S-10 tail housing to move the gear shift forward. Nice to cruise at 60mph at 1800 rpm and thats with 4:11 gears.

 

[V8COOPMAN]

Not all t5's are created equal. Back 15 years ago you could buy a Mustang T5 from Summit for $1300.00 new. I bought 2 of them knowing the prices would go crazy, one for my 34 3 window and the other for my '33 roadster both flathead powered. These T5's have real nice gear spread with a .63 O/D
Many improvements over a S-10 T5, no need to start in 2nd. Only problem is you need to install a S-10 tail housing to move the gear shift forward. Nice to cruise at 60mph at 1800 rpm and thats with 4:11 gears.

"Not all T5s are created equal". That was a huge part of my point. The very early V8 Mustang T5s had the identical gearset as the 2.95 close-ratio V8 Camaro set. The gears will swap all day long. If folks will RESEARCH these things before jumping, one can end-up with the best of transmission choices.

Coop

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