dianeandpablo

Lads/Lasses, I need some help.

Could anyone validate two part numbers that I believe to be from a 380MM three spoke leather/leatherette sports steering wheel?

These are the numbers:

944 347 084 01 (leatherette)
944 347 084 04 (leather)

the leather wrapped version 944 347 084 04 was offered in tandem with a leather shift boot 931 424 075 00 as option M416 for MY1982-MY1985 944. some sources claim that M416 calls for the four spoke steering wheel (the PET for MY1986-MY1988 924 S, M416 calls for a 380MM four-spoke leather steering wheel) while others claim this option code calls for a three-spoke.

I'm looking to clarify this muddiness for historical purposes since M416 doesn't seem to show up in a few build sheets of 924/944s (US/ROW) I've checked that clearly have this option, so any help would be really appreciated.

thanks everyone!

(attached are to images of both versions of the three-spoker—)

mrgreenjeans

I will check my part numbers on the cars tomorrow, but from the data in my paperwork for my model year '84 ( bought new and never altered ) the Sport Steering wheel is referred to as the leather wrapped four spoke, and the base wheel in leather is the 3 spoke wheel.

I own 2 - three spoke steering wheel cars, one with a raised hub wheel ( 018 ). One is an '82 built (7/ 82 ) and the other is an '84 "Delete Special" -- a special order out new. Both are uncoded from the factory on the build tag, but the 4 spoke wheel cars I own are all coded as 431 on the body code and warranty book code tags. The Monroney Sticker which came on the windows of those cars lists it as a 4 spoke Sport Steering wheel.

Did not the vinyl wheels in 3 spoke design only come on 924s ?

Thought they did, as I have never seen a vinyl wheel in any 944 , even the most base variant........

Will check the part numbers tomorrow and get back ........

dianeandpablo

thanks brother! yep, the 944 did come with a "naked" three spoke steering wheel...there was even
one for the four spoke; check out the image on this Italian spec 1982 944. one might think it's a wheel without the leather covering, but as you can see in the image, it has a "leather-like" texture— funny thing is, the PET makes no mention of such a wheel.

mrgreenjeans

Okay, I am back ----

The coded 431 steering wheel, has no part number on it. It is also a smaller wheel , considered the Sport Steering wheel in leather wrap 4 spoke. It measures 14 inches across.

UNLIKE ,

The 3 Spoke leather wheel which measures 15 inches across and has the 04 part identifier ( 4th revision)

Both were on '84 cars

4 spoke Sport Wheel/leather in a special ordered out, Weissach prepped M456 car

3 spoke standard wheel in leather wrap but measuring a whole inch in diameter greater ( used with a raised hub ( 018 ) option.

Don't know what the other ones are right now, as they are in a different location from where I type this ......
I know this doesn't clear up anything and may well lead to more questions, but do you know what dimensions those rubber wheels are without the leather wrap ?

mrgreenjeans

And, to further this subject a bit more, I do not show a body code tag number for the 3 spoke leather wrapped wheel car. There is no mention what the code would be for this 15 inch wheel.....

( This is a special ordered out 'Delete Special' for a driving instructor from the Chicago PCA region and came with sunroof delete, console delete, no glovebox lid, no locking cap on the fuel filler, no cigar lighter, no rollup /privacy cover in back, two sets of FUCHS wheels, one set of ATS cookies, no rear wiper, different rear spoiler, and lots of plastic bits for fenders, bumpers, hood, etc. It was originally sold with the intention of only be used on track, hence the only options were a suspension package, the raised hub wheel, heater, and air-con. He used it to teach students car control and said he wanted air for comfort in the "on track setting" in the upper midwest. ( Jason knows about it and can show you a picture on my F/B page )

dianeandpablo

I like what you're laying on me! The three spoke wheel measures 380MM, 14.96" in standard increments. This is the wheel that I believe to be linked to option M416 which was also used with the raised hub option M018. The important thing to remember is that we are only talking about MY1982-MY1985 944 concerning this subject.

the leatherette, or rubber wheels, also have the same dimensions according to Porsche; 380MM for the three spoke and 363MM for the four spoke. By the way, are you referring to Jason Gonzalez in your last post? If so, I gave him a shout since I'm due for visit with him and brought up this topic; unfortunately, he was in the middle of moving his shop and had all of his gear packed up which of course included the steering wheels...but we did discuss them at length.

Below is the link to the brief article I wrote on the subject for flüssig.

1982-1985.1 Porsche 944 option M416

mrgreenjeans

Yes, the one and the same Jason.
He has seen the photos of that '84 Delete car and can show you those photos on my F/B page.....

The only thing is, I do NOT believe there is such a thing as a " SPORT " steering wheel , ( in Porsche terminology) referring to a 3 spoke wheel. I believe they only used that term in denoting the smaller wheel in a 4 spoke design , whether wrapped in leather, or as a leather look vinyl rim.

I do believe the larger wheel, ( or the 380mm or 15 inch wheel ) in a 3 spoke design was considered the base wheel for North America sales. I don't think we got any wheels here with out leather wrapping , unless it was in the unique 924S of 1988 MY for the defunct race series they were planned to be used in...... those Jubilee/ Celebration 924S cars with pinstripe burgundy lightweight seats, lightweight carpet, Sunroof delete, with black paint only. Scirroco outside rear views, and crank windows. These are the ONLY cars I have seen in America with a rubber shifter and a rubber wheel, but I do know on another Forum, one of the members bought a 944 with a rubber shifter in a parts box and inquired about it. He is also on this forum and known as mazdaverks. Maybe he will chime in here as well and tell us about that **** too..........

The other thing to note here as reading your article in FLUSSIG, it is doubtful there was any shortage of 3 spoke wheels or a running empty of those parts bins because that wheel was still continued to be offered for use in other markets around the world and was even offered in 911's up the end of the original design 'G' body 911.

I have one myself in an '88 Carrera. It does NOT show a seperate code on it's build code tag either , stating a steering wheel option. I know it to be original to that car, as it was a Tourist Delivery 900 code pickup at the factory.

Randy V

Those two wheels look exactly the same to me.

That same steering wheel was used in the early 928 as well.

JCBO

To add to the confusion, I have one with this part number:
135415091B
And
135415795C

dianeandpablo

this is great JCBO; these part numbers were used on early 924s. the images below are from one sold on ebay, note the part number on the inside of the hub.

mrgreenjeans

That final image, ^^^^ above ^^^^ looking down at the topside of the wheel gives a good view of how much extra there is in extension of the 'raised hub option' compared to those without

mrgreenjeans

Pablo

I found a part # on a 4 spoke Sport Leather wrapped wheel and the part numbers on it are:

113415668A

Hope this helps

dianeandpablo

thanks mrgreenjeans! I'd like to know why Porsche originally decided to use these part numbers (outside vendor?), and if they were superseded by the newer 944 XXX XXX XX numbers.

mrgreenjeans

Well, part of the story goes that they were used with two different splines were they not ? One to fit 924/944 and one to use on 911s, including the 959.

Some more to ponder is the fact there are two other makers marks on the wheel. VW and AUDI. Of course we already know they are all in he same cookie jar, but imagine the first 959/ Comfort owner taking off his wheel to put on a favored 906/908 Prototipo and finding these marks on the wheel hub ? Shock and dismay ? Fear and Loathing ? Or just a quiet shrug of acknowledgement of the known DNA of all concerned ? Is there a real 959 number on the backside of this hub for Porsche's Supercar from the 80's ? Or does it have a 944 prefix also ?

Is there a known maker of all these Porsche Steering wheels of 3 Spoke or 4 Spoke Sport variation ? Were they built in Germany ? Italy ? Who has any inside knowledge of these goings on ?

dianeandpablo

you ask some provocative questions that encourage me to go way deep into research...interestingly, but with little surprise, the slip ring behind the 959's steering wheel has a 928 part number while the three screws that hold it in place, the circlip, and the three bolts behind the horn pad have a 113 prefix; for a company so small as it was, you wouldn't expect these inconsequential parts to have a 959 number anyway.