Momo Wheel
Abarth, Momo, Nardi, just a few names in the steering wheel game. The Lancia Beta came with
at least three different factory steering wheels, all IMHO a bit out of place in the car. If
you want to replace yours with an aftermarket wheel, you will have to do some shopping to
find a wheel you feel comfortable with, and select a shape that blends in well. You can see
that this Momo Veloce looks right at home in the Ferrari 328 GTS, and it does fit pretty good
in the Beta too (that is the wheel I installed in my Zagato, with the Ferrari horse logo for
now until I have someone create a Lancia logo for me).
On an aftermarket wheel such as the
Momo Montecarlo pictured here, you will notice that there are bolts (an Allen key is all that is
needed) that holds the wheel to a hub. This hub is specific for each model. Even a Fiat 124 hub will
not fit a Lancia Beta. You will need to buy separately a hub for the wheel you buy. Abarth hubs for
the Beta are only available from Italy. For Momo, some dealers may still have a few somewhere, but
believe it will also have to be imported from Italy. The Momo hub for the Lancia Beta (all models) is
model number 211111-5502. Some people have suggested that the Abarth and Momo hubs are interchangeable,
but I need a confirmation from someone who has actually tried installing a Momo wheel on an Abarth hub.
Note: to install the hub, you will need to first disconnect the horn relay (the red relay in the secondary fuse box) or disconnect the battery, then remove the screws behind the steering to remove the horn button. You will then be able to remove the nut that holds the steering wheel with a 24 mm socket. Now, pulling right and left, the wheel will eventually come off (you shouldn't need a puller). Put the new hub, tighten the nut, connect the horn button to the wire in the hub, and push the button in. With an allen key, install the new wheel to the hub. Reconnect the relay or battery and test. You should now have a grin on your face :)
--- francois@hyperreal.org