When I purchased my MK1 Cooper S about 10 years ago I was told the steering wheel on the car was a genuine Paddy Hopkirk wheel. Although I'd heard of Paddy Hopkirk, at the time I wasn't overly impressed. During the restoration of my car the steering wheel was removed and I decided to go with a standard steering wheel to keep the car as original as I could.
Now my car is essentially complete I am trying to determine whether this steering wheel is something special, something common or even a knock-off and whether to restore it or leave it unmolested.
The steering wheel has no visible markings to suggest who made it but it does look very much like the wheel in the original Monte Carlo car.
I would appreciate the views of the members of this forum.

That was a popular style back in the day. Doing a little digging now:

I’d say either a Les Leston
http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/llwheels.html

Or a Carlotti
https://pbase.com/mdlempert/inventory

I can’t see any Paddy Hopkirk ones that match
http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... opkirk.htm

If you want to know for sure ask on http://mk1-forum.net/

_________________

Les leston is normally engraved with a double L on the bottom spoke

The steering wheel from Paddy's car in the photo (33-EJB) was stolen.

_________________
The bitterness of poor quality (or Crappy Workmanship) remains LONG AFTER the Sweet Taste of Low Price is forgotten.

Your wheel does look very similar in profile to ones in photos of competition cars in the early Cooper years, including being fitted to an earlier works 850.
Even has wider spacings of the mounting screws around the centre compared with the Moto Lita wheels used later.
I don't think Paddy Hopkirk would have been famous enough in the early 1960s to market his own branded products, as they are now.

Anyway, it is a nice looking wheel that suits the period well.

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

As it's correct period I think I'll give it a clean-up and see how it looks on the finished car.