If there’s one thing I appreciate when it comes to people and cars, it’s people having fun with their cars. I don’t even really care how they’re doing it, but the very concept and sensation of “fun” is one of the best parts of being a human as it is, so why not apply that to cars? There’s a person out there in the world, shown to me by various channels on the internet, named Dominic Klein and this seems to be the person who is having more fun with steering wheels than anyone I’ve encountered so far. I mean, I haven’t exactly been combing the internet for people really enjoying the crap out of steering wheels, but I suspect even I had been, this guy would be coming out on top. Let me show you what I mean.
I first noticed what Klein was doing while, predictably, scrolling through social media, possibly while defecating, though I don’t have adequate records to confirm that. The post I saw showed what appeared to be a person hacking away at a Porsche steering wheel with a knife, but soon it was clear this person had plans for this steering wheel. I’m just not sure I could have predicted what those plans were, specifically.
Here’s what the plans were:
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Yes, that’s right, he made that steering wheel into a simulated aquarium-wheel. Complete with little toy fishies and everything. I think it’s pretty remarkable; here’s the aquarium wheel in action:
View this post on Instagram
On both of these Instagram posts where he’s showing the wheel and the process of making it, there’s a good number of joyless sacks of toil who are complaining about the whimsical wheel and lamenting that the steering wheel was cut up to achieve this, and, I have to admit, I have zero sympathy for those dour jackasses. It’s not like the stock Porsche wheel is some rare, glorious work of art; if anything, it’s kind of boring.
This, though … this is a bit of unexpected aquatic madness, and executed remarkably well! I mean, I’ve yet to see a better faux-aquarium steering wheel on any car, Porsche or not.
Along with fabricating interesting novelty wheels, he seems to be undertaking some experiments with steering wheel size, such as this project with a small, pink steering wheel on an AMG Mercedes-Benz:
That’s a pretty small wheel! But, now that I think about it, is it really small enough? I mean, I can imagine much smaller steering wheels. Much smaller. I wonder if this dude has really pushed the boundaries of steering wheel ensmallenation? Well, good news! He has! Look:
There we go! That’s a mothertrusting small wheel! That’s what I want to see!
Most of the rest of the videos seem to be more straightforward steering wheel builds and upgrades, but I’m encouraged by this shift into madness. I hope there’s more absurd steering wheel experiments and projects coming in the future! The weirder the better; also, there must be some way to do an actual aquarium wheel, right? You’d need some sort of pump to oxygenate the water and some way to provide food, of course, but this feels like a worthy project. Also, could you have one eel in there, wrapped around in a circle, or would they just be miserable?
That pink one is about the size of a Nintendo WII Wheel. Now where do the bananas go…
Those wacky Germans!
Back in the day I used to swap out & experiment with steering wheels in my old cars, but nowadays there’s so much tech in OEM steering wheels that you’re gonna have a christmas tree of lights on the dash if you swap it out with a non-OEM wheel, plus a number of car functions that would stop working.
You have to be some mad scientist (like this guy^^) and spend an absurd amount
of time and effort to try to modify the existing OEM wheel..
Anyone else remember the novelty pens of the 70’s? The ones where you turn it upside down and a character’s clothes came off? Yeah, that’s what I want in a steering wheel.
Also the heat activated color changing pens of the 90’s! Bring that to a steering wheel!
Hmmm, a mood wheel? Dunno, that could be problematic if you get pulled over. I could see an officer saying “I was just going to give you a ticket for speeding, but your steering wheel shows that you are really angry. I’m going to throw in a citation for road rage while I’m at it.”
Aw, dude. You reminded me of those “mood ring” style shiftknobs and steering wheel covers you could buy in Autozone in the ’90s. I so wish those were a thing still.
While going small is dumb and hazardous, I googled “steering wheel wraps” and found this company:
https://www.theshoroomleather.com/en-us/collections/leather-steering-wheel-cover
I think my car’s wheel, getting extremely tattered after 20+ years, has a couple of steering bumps, which apparently causes issues with making the perfect fit.
I also think that the site should already know the measurements of stock wheels and be able to make them on request, bumps included.
To his credit, he stays in the parking lot with the tiny wheels. Can’t help but think here in ‘Murica some dumbass would be out on a highway doing 70+ with it.
I can hear Ludwigsburg’s polizei SALIVATING from here at the prospect of him driving out of that lot lol
That link is gold. i’ve been tasked with repairing/restoring the steering wheel on a 1928 Pirsch, and a leather wrap would look great!
I would think that guy’s steering wheel wrap business would do better if he offered it by make and model.
Very nice! Interesting choices of cars for his steering wheel mod. I’d be thinking Honda Fit or something like that. Maybe he plans on autocrossing the tiny wheel car?
Steering wheels are neglected field of self expression, good for him. Also if you don’t like it steering wheels are a bolt on part
I am INCREDIBLY disappointed that the steering wheel isn’t hollow and the fish/rocks/whatever don’t float around all willy-nilly.
That’s what I wanted too.. or like one of those bottles filled with glitter you give to kids to shake up.
Yes!!
This has to be next!
I owned a lowrider for a few years. I had one of those tiny chain steering wheels and it was awful to drive with.
STEERING EEL.
That would be perfect for a hovercraft
My nipples explode with delight!
I just pictured rainbows AND skittles shooting out of your nipples.
Totally not in a sexual way, of course.
But only available for the Hungarian domestic market.
The comment & your display name make me very happy
Heh – a steering eel
Ah, I hate you. I missed the window!
This is amazing, and so absurdly adorable that anyone who gets mad at this should just get off the internet.
A close second place to this guy is the “Wiiata” dude who put a Wii Mario Kart wheel in his NA as a steering wheel (With Wiimote of course) and a Wii Nunchuck for his shifter