The connection between Les Leston steering wheels and Porsche goes considerably further than owners fitting period accessories to their cars.
Les Leston steering wheels were available as an option from Stuttgart for the Porsche 356, while the later Porsche 904 and 906 competition cars left the factory almost exclusively fitted with Les Leston wheels.
It is an interesting part of Les Leston history and one that can be seen clearly in period photographs of some of Porsche’s most recognisable cars.
Les Leston and the Porsche 356
On the Porsche 356, a Les Leston steering wheel could be specified as an option from Stuttgart.
That makes an important distinction when looking at surviving cars today. A Les Leston wheel in a 356 is not necessarily a later modification or simply a period-correct accessory; the connection between the two goes back to Porsche itself offering the wheel.
We have created an easy solution to putting a Les Leston on your Porsche 356 with this hub designed to take an OEM Porsche horn. Alternatively, if you'd like a VDM hub, we make a VDM hub to order.
Porsche 904
With the Porsche 904, the Les Leston connection became even stronger. The 904s left the factory almost exclusively with Les Leston steering wheels fitted.
Period examples can be seen with different finishes. Many 904s used Les Leston wheels with an engine-turned finish to the frame, while black Les Leston wheels can also be seen fitted to the cars.
In the stripped-back cockpit of the 904, the steering wheel is one of the most prominent components in front of the driver, making these period photographs particularly useful references for identifying the wheels today.
Porsche 906
The relationship continued with the Porsche 906, another purpose-built Porsche competition car that left the factory almost exclusively using Les Leston steering wheels.
As with the 904, this was not simply a case of racers later choosing to fit a Les Leston wheel. The wheels formed part of these cars from the period in which they were built and competed.
A Porsche and Les Leston Connection
Today, Les Leston steering wheels are perhaps most immediately associated with British sports cars and motorsport, but their use by Porsche is an important part of their history.
From being offered as an option from Stuttgart on the 356, through to their near-exclusive factory use on the 904 and 906, Les Leston steering wheels found their way into some of Porsche’s most significant road and competition cars.
The period photographs are perhaps the best way of telling that story: a Les Leston wheel sitting exactly where it was intended to be, in front of the driver.
To achieve the optimum driving position, the driver can quickly adjust the steering wheel axially and alter the distance of the foot pedals from the driver’s seat."