Nardi Torino steering wheel installation

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2001 BJFP MT
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2016 BMYFS AT
REPOSTED FROM CLUBPROTEGE. ORIGINALLY POSTED ON 4/21/2005.


Thanks to cablemirc for returning me some favors, he had a OEM Nardi Torino steering wheel sent to me from Japan. It is the same one used on the Sport20 sedan, 323F sportive, and of course the NB Miatas.

The steering wheel itself is a "bolt on" affair, but it was NEVER meant to have cruise control buttons mounted on it (which the P5 wheel has). I chose the Nardi wheel over the P5 s*** because the leather is MUCH higher quality and I could stick closely to the sport20 sedan authenticness. While that was a good idea, thinking of how to mount the cruise control buttons that I jacked off of a P5 steering wheel became a nightmare.

The Nardi's steering wheel hub is "T" shaped compared to the more-or-less triangle shaped one the P5 has. The shape of the P5 steering wheel's hub is what allows the cruise control buttons to be mounted on securely. In order for me to replicate that, I had to fabricate a bracket that was strong enough yet thin enough to clear the clock spring, the horn pad, and the airbag that sits on top of that rat's nest. I got a piece of ~1.75mm thick aluminum and trimed it to the exact size I needed. I also copied the hole that's on the P5's steering wheel trim that the control control buttons mount through. I did not have to cut the hole as large as the P5 one though. I then measured and drilled the holes I needed to install nuts and bolts to secure the buttons onto my bracket. Since there was already a small hole on the steering wheel hub and a small pin stud (that I have no idea why it's there), I made use of them and drilled appropriate holes that lined up to those exact locations. The stud would be used for anti-rotation purposes and the small hole would be used for a self-tapping screw to directly secure the bracket onto the steering wheel hub. Because of the different securing locations for the horn pad, those support locations got in the way of the cruise control button's bracket. That had to be cut off in order for the tight clearance to be possible. The bracket was then JB welded onto the steering wheel. Installing the #10 self tapping screw onto the steering wheel was a nightmare itself. The screw was too big for the hole, and #8 was barely bigger than the hole. I ended up having to ream the hole bigger and then brute forcing the screw in. At the end, I stripped like 4 screws and twisted one of the screw heads off before I managed to get one in all the way (after multiple tries of making the hole bigger each time a screw was changed). Thanks to the ****** up s*** with the screw, it managed to push the bracket off the JB weld. So I gave up on that weak s*** and just installed the screw anyway (the caked on JB weld makes for a good surface imperfection shim. With just that one screw in place, the bracket itself was utterly brute force. Unfortunately, because of that one cut off corner of the cruise control button's bracket, I had to zip tie that part of it, but it's all ok anyway. It's hard explaining all this s***, but once you see the pics, you'll understand the crazy fabrication I just wrote about.

The end result was perfect and SECURE fitment of the cruise control buttons, you can't even tell it's not supposed to be there!

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EDIT: I made a good cutting template and attached the template here for you to use.
 

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the steering wheel itself is genuinely made by Nardi Torino in Italy... the shape of the steering wheel is oval (compared to many conventional steering wheels that are just rounded) which helps overall hand grip inmensely. The steering wheel also measures 370mm in diameter compared to the 380mm 4 spoke stock piece of s***. Because this s*** is not made by Mazda, the steering wheel trim itself is NOT replacable (you can take it off, but you can't buy it!). I had to be extra careful in cutting that hole knowing that if I ****** up, it's over!

The smaller steering wheel diameter helped for an effective steering ratio improvement. This also caused lost mechanical advantage, but it makes the steering weighed perfectly now, it is less sluggish for turn in and counter steering. It also now allows more percise control compared to the twitchiness the stock steering wheel gave because of the leverage. Maneuvering in parking lots now requires more effort but it now feels more in line with European cars' power steering designs.

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wow you are on a role tonight. I have the 2001 Nardi MP3 steering wheel seating under my desk right now. Thanks a lot for the cruise button how to cause I was going to do it very soon. I'm removing the black and silver leather sending it out to ALGA and having them make me a red and black pattern that I will sew back to match the rest of my interior.
 
wow all that for steering wheel installation!
looks good! haha something i could never do
 
SNike05 said:
wow you are on a role tonight. I have the 2001 Nardi MP3 steering wheel seating under my desk right now. Thanks a lot for the cruise button how to cause I was going to do it very soon. I'm removing the black and silver leather sending it out to ALGA and having them make me a red and black pattern that I will sew back to match the rest of my interior.

there's the Roadster NR-A steering wheel in japan too... it's like the MP3 steering wheel except it's red instead of silver... the red part is dimpled too
 
I know but its too expensive. I got mine for $25 cause the leather is finished and I'm putting new leather on for $70. The steering wheel you are talking about is probably $500+. I wanted the 2002 Miata steering wheel which is black with red stitching but its $800USD. Finding a used one is very hard. So this way its the best, custom and cheapest.
 
used ones just aren't available here at all because they never sold a mazda with that steering wheel here.... the MSM steering wheel is NOT a nardi
 
TheMAN said:
there's the Roadster NR-A steering wheel in japan too... it's like the MP3 steering wheel except it's red instead of silver... the red part is dimpled too

Have a pic of that? It sounds awesome. If I could pick up a Protege MP3 steering wheel and get the leather redone black and red I'd be in love. Hell, even just black with the red stitching. It would suck though because then the Nardi logo would be covered up, right?
 
TheMAN said:
used ones just aren't available here at all because they never sold a mazda with that steering wheel here.... the MSM steering wheel is NOT a nardi

I'm not too considered about the Nardi wheel. The MP3 one I have right now the leather will be removed so it will no longer be Nardi anyways. I am more interested in finishing up my interior with a matching wheel.
 
zverg said:
Have a pic of that? It sounds awesome. If I could pick up a Protege MP3 steering wheel and get the leather redone black and red I'd be in love. Hell, even just black with the red stitching. It would suck though because then the Nardi logo would be covered up, right?
iutakafukujp-img600x450-1140753458dscf0906.jpg


nb23.jpg
 
SNike05 said:
I'm not too considered about the Nardi wheel. The MP3 one I have right now the leather will be removed so it will no longer be Nardi anyways. I am more interested in finishing up my interior with a matching wheel.

you can probably get your leather steering done "free" if you sold the MP3 one (which has value), and get a junk miata nardi, or P5 leather one (which have lesser value)
 
No I don't only want the P5 leather wheel but a black/red wheel. Which Miata Nardi are you refering to, the one in the pic you posted? How much does that go for?
 
03MzdSpdSTP said:
other then the badge all the protege/miata steering wheels are nardi.
wrong

*real* nardi steering wheels are made in italy and DO NOT have any mounting holes for the cruise control buttons, hence why I had to make a bracket! This is because the hub design is completely different from the non-nardi (P5/MSP/02+ sedan) ones

compare the pics and you'll see the major differences
the styling is the same, but they are NOT built the same, and the quality is NOT the same... the real nardis have MUCH higher quality leather and stiching

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there are even ones WITHOUT the nardi logo at the bottom spoke too... they're on 99-00 steering wheels ALL 01+ steering wheels HAVE the nardi logo, so if you bought a 2002 mazda for example and got a 3 spoke steering wheel but it doesn't have the logo, then you do NOT have a nardi
matuda444466-img600x450-1135775266ma262-1.jpg

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SNike05 said:
No I don't only want the P5 leather wheel but a black/red wheel. Which Miata Nardi are you refering to, the one in the pic you posted? How much does that go for?

I know you don't want that, but I'm saying, if you're going to redo one, redo one that isn't worth much and sell the good one you have so you don't have to spend as much ;)
 
Right i understand.

The problem is the MP3 Nardi one I got the leather is finished thats why I paid so less. So I doubt I can sell it for much. Can you get me pricing on that red one you posted. If its in a reasonable price I might just buy that instead of doing this work. Stitching leather on a steering wheel is about 4-6 hours labour.
 

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