The beloved wooden MOMO INDY STEERING WHEEL
Mads van Appeldoorn
January 20, 2020
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Momo Indy – Most famous Momo wooden rim steering wheel
Wooden steering wheels were very fashionable in the 1960s. In fact, the very first Momo steering wheel, which was in John Surtees 1964 World Championship Ferrari 158 F1, was a pre-production Momo wooden steering wheel. And if you compare those two, you can still see the legacy of the early wheel in todays Momo Indy. The Momo Indy was one of Momo’s very early steering wheels. The first known Momo steering wheels from the Indy series date back from 1966/1967.
first-generation Momo Indy steering wheel
Momo Indy steering wheels were flat at that time, most 360mm in diameter, a few 320mm and had – unique compared to other wooden steering wheels – a very unique profile: the grip was not round but had a concave edge at the front and finger grips on the back. The Momo Indy steering wheels from this period were available in brushed aluminum and black anodized aluminum, the label “Indy” was engraved on the lower end of the center spoke, just like the other early Momo steering wheels, the Momo Prototipo, the Momo Le Mans and most of the others.
very special concave grip profile
early Indy stamping
The end of the 1st generation fell into the 1968-1973 period, when Momo used the stacked logo. A more precise date on the generation change is not known.
second-generation Momo Indy steering wheel
In the second generation, the logo “Indy” was no longer engraved, but was also silkscreen painted, just like the Momo Prototipo models. The steering wheels were still flat in this generation, but Momo introduced some size variations. The steering wheel was available in 320mm, 360mm and in the early years of that generation, 370mm. The last ones (after the M20340 versions) had a semi dish and were available in 380mm diameter as well.
NOS early second generation Momo Indy steering wheel, 370mm
second generation silk-screen printed Indy logo
The markings on the back were analogous to the markings of other Momo steering wheels from that time, first the stacked logo and towards the end of this period the marking “Made in Italy M20340”. The Momo Indy steering wheels from the second generation were available in brushed aluminum and black anodized.
Stacked Momo logo
Made in Italy, M20340
third-generation Momo Indy steering wheel
Most Momo Indy steering wheels were produced and sold during within the time of the third generation. Slight changes and modifications changed the appearance of the Momo Indy from mid-1977. From that time on, it was only available as a semi dish steering wheel. Momo also changed the product range in terms of sizes. For the first time, in addition to the 320mm version, there was also a 345mm diameter variant. The 370mm version of the Momo Indy was only available at the end of the production period, a special model that was only produced in black anodized aluminum and surprisingly, for the first time, it also got a dedicated horn pad.
third generation Momo Indy with dedicated horn pad, 370mm
Back of the 370mm Momo Indy steering wheel
The wood was available in different shades, but in addition to the brushed and black anodized version, which was rarely available, there was also a polished version of the steering wheel. Momo called it Momo Super Indy, where the type designation was engraved again. The label on the regular Indy wheels was painted, similar to the Momo Prototipo from that generation. Most striking, the Momo Indy lost that very special concave grip profile of the previous generations, meanwhile the grip had become round, but the finger grips on the back remained. In 1992 the production of the Momo Indy steering wheels has been discontinued.
Momo Indy steering wheel & the Momo Heritage series
It wasn’t until 2004, on the occasion of Momo’s 50th birthday, that a Momo Indy Mahogany steering wheel was reissued as part of the Momo Heritage series. The look is reminiscent of the third generation, but has been modernized and refreshed. It is available in 350mm diameter.
Finding a vintage Momo Indy steering wheel
If you’re looking for a Momo Indy, especially an early Momo Indy, take good care of the condition of the wooden rim. Due to constantly changing temperatures and humidity, most of the early Momo Indy steering wheels have cracks and other damages. Make sure you find a good example for your collection.
