VINTAGE BENTLEY STEERING WHEELS
VINTAGE BENTLEY STEERING WHEELS WERE ORIGINALLY SUPPLIED AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT BY THE PROLIFIC MANUFACTURER "BLUEMELS".
THIS COMPANY SEEMS TO HAVE SUPPLIED MOST OF THE SPORTING CAR AND LORRY STEERING WHEELS DURING THE TWENTIES, THIRTIES, FORTIES AND FIFTIES.
THIS COMPANY SEEMS TO HAVE SUPPLIED MOST OF THE SPORTING CAR AND LORRY STEERING WHEELS DURING THE TWENTIES, THIRTIES, FORTIES AND FIFTIES.
ABOVE AN ARIEL VIEW OF THE BLUEMELS FACTORY IN WOLSTON NEAR COVENTRY TAKEN IN 1928
THERE WERE MANY TYPES OF STEERING WHEEL AS WELL AS OTHER BYCICLE AND CAR COMPONENTS SUPPLIED BY THIS COMPANY WHICH CAN TRACE IT`S ORIGIN BACK TO 1860 WHEN THEY STARTED PRODUCTION OF UMBRELLA STICKS IN THE EAST END OF LONDON. LATER IN 1904 THEY MOVED TO WOLSTON NEAR COVENTRY..
THERE WERE ONLY THREE TYPES OF STEERING WHEEL THAT WILL INTEREST THE BENTLEY BOYS. LATER TYPES SUCH AS THE "SILVERSTONE" WILL LOOK OUT OF PLACE ON THE BENT.
THE ORIGINAL THREE LITRE STEERING WHEEL WAS CONSTRUCTED FROM A CAST ALUMINIUM CORE AND COVERED WITH BLACK CELLULOID. THE LATER CARS WERE FITTED WITH A LIGHTWEIGHT STEERING WHEEL THAT COMPRISED A ROLLED STEEL HOLLOW RIM WITH SPRING STEEL SPOKES SCREWED ONTO IT AND A CAST STEEL CENTRE BOSS. THIS ASSEMBLY WAS THEN COVERED WITH BLACK CELLULOID.
THERE WAS ANOTHER LATER TYPE THAT HAD THE SPRUNG SPOKES CAST INTO THE ALUMINIUM RIM. THESE WERE PRETTIER BUT MORE THAN TRIPPLE THE WEIGHT OF THE BENTLEY VERSION.
THE ORIGINAL THREE LITRE STEERING WHEEL WAS CONSTRUCTED FROM A CAST ALUMINIUM CORE AND COVERED WITH BLACK CELLULOID. THE LATER CARS WERE FITTED WITH A LIGHTWEIGHT STEERING WHEEL THAT COMPRISED A ROLLED STEEL HOLLOW RIM WITH SPRING STEEL SPOKES SCREWED ONTO IT AND A CAST STEEL CENTRE BOSS. THIS ASSEMBLY WAS THEN COVERED WITH BLACK CELLULOID.
THERE WAS ANOTHER LATER TYPE THAT HAD THE SPRUNG SPOKES CAST INTO THE ALUMINIUM RIM. THESE WERE PRETTIER BUT MORE THAN TRIPPLE THE WEIGHT OF THE BENTLEY VERSION.
A NICELY MADE MODERN REPRODUCTION OF THIS BENTLEY VARIANT WILL ROB YOUR WALLET OF AROUND £900 PLUS THE DREADED VAT, SO IT WILL MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO RESCUE A DAMAGED ONE OR REFIT A BLUEMELS WHEEL FROM ANOTHER CAR ONTO THE CORRECT BENTLEY HUB. THE MK6 BOYS WOULD DO WELL TO FIT A MORE VINTAGE LOOKING WHEEL RATHER THAN THE ORIGINAL ONE!
FINDING THAT ORIGINAL BENTLEY STYLE BLUEMELS STEERING WHEEL
ABOVE LEFT THE ORIGINAL BIRKIN CAR, SOMEONE HAS REPAIRED THE CELLULOID COVERING ON THIS 20 INCH STEERING WHEEL BY WRAPPING BLACK INSULATING TAPE AROUND THE BLADES. I WONDER IF TIM WOULD HAVE APPROVED? ABOVE RIGHT A 20 INCH BIUEMELS WHEEL THAT I FOUND AT THE BEAULIEU JUMBLE.
ALL VINTAGE BENTLEYS WERE FITTED WITH 18 INCH DIAMETER WHEELS EXCEPT FOR THE BLOWN CARS THAT HAD 20 INCH WHEELS FITTED.
ALL VINTAGE BENTLEYS WERE FITTED WITH 18 INCH DIAMETER WHEELS EXCEPT FOR THE BLOWN CARS THAT HAD 20 INCH WHEELS FITTED.
ABOVE LEFT, THE SUPER DE LUXE BLUEMELS "TELESCOPIC" WHEEL FITTED TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL 3 LITRE.. THE CENTRE IMAGE SHOWS THE ONE IN MY POSSESSION, THESE ARE THE ONLY TWO OF THIS TYPE OF WHEEL THAT I`VE EVER SEEN. THE RIGHT HAND IMAGE SHOWS THE SPECIAL BLUEMELS LOGO AND THE SUPER PATINATION ON THIS WHEEL. THIS 18 INCH WHEEL THAT WITH A LITTLE TLC WOULD LOOK WONDERFUL ON AN ORIGINAL BENTLEY AND IS REALLY TOO NICE TO FIT ON MY BITSA, SO I MAY SELL IT ON.
ABOVE LEFT A GENUINE BLUEMELS WHEEL IN VERY NICE CONDITION PROBABLY FROM A VINTAGE RILEY, THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE MOUNTING RING IS 3 1/4" DIAMETER FAR TOO BIG FOR MOUNTING ON A 3 OR 4.5 LITRE COLUMN, AS IT WOULD LOOK OUT OF PLACE WITH THE NORMAL LEVER CONTROL BOX BUT COULD BE USED ON A 4,6.5 OR 8 LITRE COLUMN JUST BY USING A PLATE TO ADAPT IT TO THE EXISTING CENTRE BOSS OR JUST MACHINE UP A NEW ONE.
THIS WHEEL COULD BE USED ON A 3 OR 4.5 LITRE COLUMN BY USING THE CONVERSION THAT I DESIGNED.TO ENABLE THE 4 / 6.5 / 8 LITRE PLASTIC COVER TO FIT ON THE 3 & 4.5 LITRE CONTROL TUBES, THUS HIDING THE LARGE MOUNTING DIAMETER OF THE THIS WHEEL
THIS WHEEL COULD BE USED ON A 3 OR 4.5 LITRE COLUMN BY USING THE CONVERSION THAT I DESIGNED.TO ENABLE THE 4 / 6.5 / 8 LITRE PLASTIC COVER TO FIT ON THE 3 & 4.5 LITRE CONTROL TUBES, THUS HIDING THE LARGE MOUNTING DIAMETER OF THE THIS WHEEL
ABOVE LEFT, ANOTHER BLUEMELS WHEEL WITH A SLIGHTLY LARGER MOUNTING DIAMETER THAN STANDARD, THIS WOULD FIT ON ALL OF THE CARS THAT USED 18 INCH WHEELS USING AN ADAPTOR PLATE.
THE CENTRE IMAGE SHOWS A WHEEL THAT HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO INCLEMENT WEATHER CAUSING THE BLADES TO CORRODE AWAY. THIS COULD BE REPAIRED BY A NEW PAIR OF BLADES AND CENTRE BOSS. ON THE RIGHT, TWO RIMS THAT COULD BE MADE TO TURN AGAIN BY NEW BLADES, MOUNTING BRACKETS AND NEW CENTRE BOSSES.
THE BEST PLACE TO BUY THESE PARTS IS TO KEEP YOUR EYES SKINNED AT BEAULIEU OR YOU COULD PERSUADE ME TO LET YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE KITS.
THE CENTRE IMAGE SHOWS A WHEEL THAT HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO INCLEMENT WEATHER CAUSING THE BLADES TO CORRODE AWAY. THIS COULD BE REPAIRED BY A NEW PAIR OF BLADES AND CENTRE BOSS. ON THE RIGHT, TWO RIMS THAT COULD BE MADE TO TURN AGAIN BY NEW BLADES, MOUNTING BRACKETS AND NEW CENTRE BOSSES.
THE BEST PLACE TO BUY THESE PARTS IS TO KEEP YOUR EYES SKINNED AT BEAULIEU OR YOU COULD PERSUADE ME TO LET YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE KITS.
THE WHEEL CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
ABOVE LEFT, A MOTLEY COLLECTION OF 18 INCH BLUEMEL PARTS. AS SHOWN CENTRE THERE WERE TWO BLADES AND ON THE RIGHT, THE MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE BLADE TO ATTACH THE BLADE TO THE WHEEL RIM.
ABOVE LEFT, SHOWS A MOUNTING HOLE IN THE RIM. THE BLADES WERE ATTACHED TO THE RIM BY RATHER SHORT AND FAT WOODSCREWS INTO A WOOD INSERT THAT WAS INSERTED INTO THE RIM WHEN IT WAS ROLLED INTO A CIRCULAR TUBE. THE CENTRE IMAGE SHOWS A MACHINED BRONZE CASTING OF THE BOSS. (THESE CASTINGS WERE ORIGINALLY SUPPLIED BY DONALD DAY BUT HE NO LONGER SUPPLIES THEM) SO THAT THEY HAVE TO BE MACHINED FROM THE SOLID BAR, OR YOU COULD MAKE A PATTERN AND HAVE THEM CAST IF YOU HAVE THE TIME TO WAIT FOR DELIVERY. ON THE RIGHT THE HOLDING DOWN WASHER IS SHOWN TOGETHER WITH THE BOSS.
ALTERNATIVE WHEELS THAT COULD BE USED
ABOVE, A VERY NICE WHEEL FROM A FRENCH CAR THAT HAS A DIFFERENT BUT MORE USED DESIGN THAN THE BLUEMELS. IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY YOU WILL SEE THAT THE FOUR BLADES ARE SEPARATE BUT ARE STILL EASILY MOUNTED ONTO A NEW BENTLEY BOSS AS SHOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND IMAGE.