STEERING WHEEL RESTORATION

    Is anyone restoring the factor simulated wood grain steering wheel?If so are there any comments on the quality. I know they sell new ones any comments on them?

    Hi Z, Thanks for the referral! I've been "The Steering Wheel Guy" for over 20 years now and I've worked on thousands of wheels over that time.


    I can repair/refinish, restore or modify any Plastic, Hard Rubber, Bakelite or real wood steering wheel. The difference between my methods and everyone else are quite radical.


    First off instead of stuffing any damage or cracks with epoxy putty, I use resin to first fill any damage and then wrap the entire surface of the wheel with random weave carbon fiber cloth followed by a few more coats of resin.


    Once the resin sets it's sanded smooth in preparation for paint. So now you have a carbon fiber shell encasing the wheel instead of randomly filling cracks with a dissimilar material that expands and contracts at a different rate than the material the wheel is cast from.


    For wood grain wheels, I draw all new wood grain onto the wheel by hand using a .05 technical pen. The transparent Brown is airbrushed over top to duplicate the factory look. Many other steering wheel restorers just drag a hack saw blade over the wheel, color the surface and call it a day.


    As a final step I spray on several coats of clear acrylic urethane (RM/Glasurit) to completely seal the surface. When the clear has set I buff down the finish over any wood grain on the rim to duplicate the factory finish.


    You can check out my work on my web site: http://www.stwheelz.com


    My Face Book page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stee…17011737?ref=ts


    and here is a link to a great thread on another message board that shows me going through the process to repair/refinish a Mopar wood grain steering wheel and a few other solid colored wheels:

    http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=36526.0


    Post here or drop me a line if you have any other questions or comments!


    Thanks, Doug Lepak

    The Steering Wheel Guy

    8449-14 ave

    Edmonton, Alberta

    Canada

    T6K1X3

    780-450-1397

    e-mail: stwheels@shaw.ca

    web site: http://www.stwheelz.com


    Edited by - stwheels on 03/07/2011 15:24:59

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    "................... Post here or drop me a line if you have any other questions or comments!


    Thanks, Doug Lepak............"


    <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>


    one question, does your process add measurably to the circumference of the steering wheel outer rim, or, perhaps better put, does it feel "thicker"


    Z.

    Hi Z, very good question. Thanks!


    Because I have to scuff the surface to aid the bonding of the resin to the wheel I remove at about as much of the original material the wheel is cast from as I add to make the repairs.


    That's the beauty of "RANDOM WEAVE" carbon fiber cloth. It's considerably less thick than "WOVEN" carbon fiber cloth and easily stretches over and molds to the surface of a steering wheel including the finger grips.


    Even though a finished wheel may be ever so slightly thicker (1/32"-3/64") than the original measurement, it is unnoticeable even side by side with an unrestored wheel.


    Some customers have requested that the rim be made thicker as the original profile is quite skinny and they prefer a more substantial rim to grab onto. I can make the rim as thick as you want and here is a link to a 1969 Road Runner wheel I did just that too for a customer in Calgary. there are side by side pictures of an original wheel and the modified wheel so you can see exactly what I'm talking about. This wheels rim was made to be 1/4" thicker than stock.


    http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,75434.0.html


    Thanks again for the great question.


    Thanks, Doug Lepak

    The Steering Wheel Guy

    8449-14 ave

    Edmonton, Alberta

    Canada

    T6K1X3

    780-450-1397

    e-mail: stwheels@shaw.ca

    web site: http://www.stwheelz.com

    My Face Book page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stee…17011737?ref=ts

    Hi Doug,


    I like the idea of making the steering wheel a bit thicker. My pony steering wheel has only a small crack/missing piece about 1/8" thick at the most. I haven't yet considered restoring it (it's already been done once), but what does something like this typically cost? I live in MN, and the car sits in COLD COLD storage each year, exposing it to lots of temp changes between summer/winter - not sure if going with a real wood steering wheel would be best?


    Troy

    I put a wheelskin leather covering on mine to help with the grip issue (arthritus). It looks good and works great w/o changing the wheels size permanently. Their website photos don't do their priduct justice.And they don't have any photos of old Mustangs with a wheelskin either (yet). Maybe I'll send them one.


    They are very thin, but aid dramatically. (Steve McQueen had his wheel wrapped in one for the movie Bullitt).


    One more question for the wheel guy. what is your average turn-around time for wheels like ours?


    Z.


    Edited by - zrayrichter on 03/08/2011 11:00:09

    Hi Troy, more great questions!


    I actually repair quite a few wheels that have been previously "Restored" and have cracked again. That's the eventual result you can expect if epoxy putty was used to make repairs as it expands and contracts at different rates than the plastic the wheel is molded from. Plus epoxy only fills the crack and doesn't do anything to stabilize the rest of the wheel so it becomes , in effect, the weak link in the chain.


    When I fill any cracks with resin, it is drawn by capillary action into any spaces under the rim along the steel core. Now the original material can't contract into a space that no longer exists.


    Next the wheel is wrapped on the outside with the Random Weave Carbon Fiber cloth and a few more coats of resin. This builds a carbon fiber shell around the outside of the wheel and takes care of the entire outer surface of the wheel. Once the resin is sanded smooth any type of finish can be recreated( from wood grain to any color/colors, metal bands, stripes, fades etc ...)


    Finally, several coats of clear acrylic urethane (RM//BASF/Glasurit) are airbrushed on for a smooth, durable and beautiful finish. This clear can be buffed down to a satin sheen over the wood grain sections of a wheel to duplicate the factory look.


    Pretty much anything , finish wise, is possible and I love building customized wheels that reflect the vehicle or the owners personality.


    Thanks, Doug Lepak

    The Steering Wheel Guy

    8449-14 ave

    Edmonton, Alberta

    Canada

    T6K1X3

    780-450-1397

    e-mail: stwheels@shaw.ca

    web site: http://www.stwheelz.com

    My Face Book page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stee…17011737?ref=ts

    Hi Z and Troy, I forgot to address the cost in my last post.


    As every wheel is different and every person has their own idea of what condition their wheel is in, I need to see some pictures and get a bit of history on each particular wheel before I can give a price.


    The typical turn around time is 4 to 6 weeks, but can be done quicker if requested but obviously at a slightly higher cost as it would be moved ahead in the lineup of jobs .


    Here are the questions I ask potential customers to answer and forward to me so I can give a quote and turn around time. This form is also on my web site. Just click on the link and it will open your own personal e-mail with the questions on it.


    ______________________________________________________________________


    Hi , Thanks for your questions and interest in my services. Listed below are the questions I request potential customers to answer so I can give a quote and turnaround time for their wheel. The answers to these questions and a few pictures of your wheel will give me all the information required to provide a quote.


    1-Please describe any cracks, damage or other problems that will need to be repaired. Was this particular wheel ever repaired/refinished before that you know of?


    ( )


    2-What color/colors is your wheel? Is it Wood grained, does it have chrome stripes, metal clips etc ...


    ( )


    3-What year, make and model vehicle does the wheel belong to?


    ( )


    4-Where do you live (shipping address)?


    ( )


    5-Please attach a few clear, in focus pictures of the wheel showing any cracks damage or other problems

    (Front and rear)


    I look forward to hearing back from you with the rest of the information I've requested and I hope I'll be able to help you with your restoration project.

    [Blocked Image: http://customshowboards.com/brant/album/medium/0010.jpg]


    Above is a picture of my actual wheel, which is the same wheel in the Shelbys like Z has. As you can see, the woodgrain portions are seperated by a metal band visible on the inside and outside of the wheel with some spacing in between. If I'm reading your description correctly, this area and "space" will be completely covered and recreated with painting techniques?


    Troy

    Hi Troy, the wood grain portion of the wheel will be wrapped in the carbon fiber cloth up to the edges of the stainless rings. Any spaces around and behind the stainless rings are filled with resin. Of course this also includes the round metal rivets on the front face of the rim too.


    Once the resin over the carbon fiber cloth is sanded smooth, I paint it a Tan color that matches the plastic the rim is cast in. Then the surface is painted Brown to match the wood grain color from the factory and finally, by hand I draw on new wood grain using a .05 technical pen (and much patience ... LOL)


    The final step is clear coating and the entire rim gets sprayed with several coats of clear acrylic urethane. This completely buries the stainless rings as well as the wood grain sections of the rim.


    Here is a link to a great thread on another message board that shows me going through the process to repair/refinish a Mopar wood grain steering wheel and a few other solid colored wheels:

    http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=36526.0


    Thanks, Doug Lepak

    The Steering Wheel Guy

    8449-14 ave

    Edmonton, Alberta

    Canada

    T6K1X3

    780-450-1397

    e-mail: stwheels@shaw.ca

    web site: http://www.stwheelz.com

    My Face Book page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stee…17011737?ref=ts


    Edited by - stwheels on 03/08/2011 14:34:37

    Thanks - that link with the pictures was helpful. So after sanding, you must have to carefully mask off the SS ring inside and out before painting, but the clear still goes over it to seal in the gap and such.

    Hi Pete, for a colored wheel I ask the customer to either send a sample of the color they'd like the wheel matched to (Red, Blue, Green etc ...) or use the back of the hub to match to.


    If it's a wood grain wheel I use a nice original wheel I have to match up the Brown or the customer can send me a sample of wood grain material or a small part with wood grain on it that they would like the wheel matched to.


    Thanks for the question! <img src=images/icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>


    Doug Lepak

    The Steering Wheel Guy

    8449-14 ave

    Edmonton, Alberta

    Canada

    T6K1X3

    780-450-1397

    e-mail: stwheels@shaw.ca

    web site: http://www.stwheelz.com

    My Face Book page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stee…17011737?ref=ts

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