I've been prompted to start a new thread on this subject after reading - for what seems like the thousandth time - somebody describing the OEM steering wheel on a late 1970 production HLS30UV as "Plastic". 

No. The OEM steering wheel on the '1969 through 1973 production S30-series Z was WOOD. Real wood.

They were manufactured for Nissan by specialist Izumi Motor Co. Ltd, based in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Izumi made a wide range of steering wheels for Nissan, as well as selling their own aftermarket 'sports' stering wheels with a cheeky 'Izumi' engraved script which aped Nardi, one of their inspirations.

Izumi used a patented high-pressure heat moulding process. Real wood fibres, impregnated with resin, were laid - following the grain - in a heated mould around the steel hoop of the steering wheel. High pressure, combined with that heat, moulded the wood permanently around the hoop and cured the resin. The result was a wood steering wheel, complete with finger grips on the rear, with no joints or seams. No splinters.

My theory is that people found them a little 'plasticky' or just couldn't believe they were real wood, and it stuck. After 50+ years it is hard to shake this off, hence me reading a comment on yet another Bring-a-Trailer auction from somebody who is convinced they are plastic.

Evidence: I've cut one up. I'm making a 'special' wheel using this 1970 production Izumi as a base (it was already damaged, so don't weep...) and can therefore show what's under the surface. I'll let the photos speak for themselves...

   

2 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

Not me.  You're projecting that other guys comments on to me.  I don't need help.

"...so good that the final product seems like plastic."

8 minutes ago, HS30-H said:

"...so good that the final product seems like plastic."

To the guy on the BATS discussion.

Never mind. 

Edited August 9, 20222 yr by Zed Head

3 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

To the guy on the BATS discussion.

You're so focused on feeling superior that you can't even understand a simple comment.  It's truly ironic.

You might be advised to qualify who you're talking about with the "feels like plastic" thing. You left plenty of room for crossed wires.

And sorry if I come off as "feeling superior". Don't want to step on your toes for that mantle.

 

The technical parts of the thread were interesting.  Thanks to all that contributed.  

It's still an interesting topic.  I'd like to see the instructions for building the steering wheel, from the factory.  That would be cool.  You can see that they covered up a pretty ugly piece of steel.  The welds aren't even very good.

So what specie of wood do you think was used?  There was a mention on BaT about walnut and maple shift knobs.  I really doubt the maple and would suggest light walnut.  Walnut comes in a range of color, light to dark, red to brown, and the grain is quite distinctive.  Walnut might explain the various colors of the steering wheel as well.

1 hour ago, 26th-Z said:

So what specie of wood do you think was used?  There was a mention on BaT about walnut and maple shift knobs.  I really doubt the maple and would suggest light walnut.  Walnut comes in a range of color, light to dark, red to brown, and the grain is quite distinctive.  Walnut might explain the various colors of the steering wheel as well.

I suggested Indian Rosewood earlier, but Walnut seems very likely too. Izumi would surely have needed a good, uniform quality, supply. We have noted rim colour differences - lighter in the early factory publications - before on this forum.

I'd consider giving a sample to a wood expert or scientist for identification/appraisal, if I can find one.

Izumi themselves - of course! - could have answered just about every question we have here, but contact after the Autoliv takeover might make asking difficult.  

4 hours ago, SpeedRoo said:

Interesting that Nissan/Datsun never referred to it as a wooden steering wheel in their sales brochures of technical publications. Jaguar refer to theirs as "wood-rim" steering wheel. The 240Z brochure refers to it as "Racing type" steering wheel.

From the 1970 Nissan S30-series Fairlady Z model range brochure. 'INSTRUMENT PANEL' double page picture and dash layout explanation.

Item No.18: Written in Katakana: 'WOOD RIM STEERING WHEEL'.

 

1970 Datsun 240Z brochure. 

Hi Alan, I show this before you do .

From a サービス周報(Service bulletin) 昭和44年11月 ( November 1969 )

page 27,

ステアリング　ホイール　木製

(Steering wheel.  Wood )

シフト　レバー　ノブ　　木製

(Shift lever knob.    Wood ) 

page 130,

握り部分を木製にし、スポーティムードを出しました。

(The grip is wood , to show sportier mood )

Kats

From my best treasure of all .

1970 PRESS INTRODUCTION 

“ FOR RELEASE PM’s WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1969” .

Kats

 

Edited August 10, 20222 yr by kats

@katsthanks for showing those. I wonder why Datsun didn't describe it as a wood steering wheel in the English language brochures and handbooks/parts books. You would think it would be a selling point. Even R&T 1970's test refers to it as simulated wood but with real wood for the gearknob. Car Magazine in 1972 refer to it as imitation wood as well.

My pleasure SpeedRoo !

 I remember the article “ simulated wood “ . 
Now one thing came up in my mind , this 蟹カマ ( simulated crab meat ) . This is so popular food in Japan . It has been continuously better and better, very tasty and I am so surprised it’s quality.

But I can’t say this is crab meat because it is made from minced cod . No crab meat at all.

I can’t say our steering wheel is simulated wood . I see there is wood . I call our steering wood . 
 

Kats