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Old 05-10-2017, 12:01 PM   #1
denniskliesen
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Default What would you do with my steering wheel?

I have known for quite some time that my steering wheel had something wrong with it. In other words it was the wrong finish. When I looked at this car the steering wheel was black and somebody had scratched the spokes of the wheel revealing something white underneath. So I decided to take it off to relocate it on the column shaft as the spokes were blocking my gauges. Plus the horn light switch rod was rubbing on the wheel. When I got it off I noticed it was peeling from the center hub so I figured what the heck peel it off and see what I have here. Surprisingly it is a red wheel. Severely cracked. Which doesn't bother me as I know it is 88 years old. Notice the area on the rim where there are signs of the ribs on the top. The metal piece laying on it is for a comparison primer red. I'm thinking about removing all of the white covering, whatever it is and touch up only where I can't get the white out, and putting a few coats of PPG clear on it. Go over it with some steel wool to dull the finish. Any thoughts on what you would do? Not interested in buying a new wheel.

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Old 05-10-2017, 12:25 PM   #2
J Franklin
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

I think the white is a Bondo like filler.
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Old 05-10-2017, 12:30 PM   #3
denniskliesen
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

The white stuff... It's flexible and a lot tougher than bondo.
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Old 05-10-2017, 05:12 PM   #4
duke36
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

route out any remaining cracks, fill w/ PC7 A,B 2 part, sand, prime and spray with epoxy rattle can paint. saves a lot of work and can be touched up if scratched. if you like the primer color, go over it with epoxy satin clear, etc.
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Old 05-10-2017, 06:04 PM   #5
ronn
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

I think the white is a Bondo like filler.


It's called "shabby sheik"

was popular about 10 years ago.................
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Old 05-10-2017, 07:26 PM   #6
Brian in Wheeling
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

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Just paint it, IMHO.
brian W.
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Old 05-10-2017, 07:39 PM   #7
pgerhardt
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

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Originally Posted by denniskliesen View Post
I have known for quite some time that my steering wheel had something wrong with it. In other words it was the wrong finish. When I looked at this car the steering wheel was black and somebody had scratched the spokes of the wheel revealing something white underneath. So I decided to take it off to relocate it on the column shaft as the spokes were blocking my gauges. Plus the horn light switch rod was rubbing on the wheel. When I got it off I noticed it was peeling from the center hub so I figured what the heck peel it off and see what I have here. Surprisingly it is a red wheel. Severely cracked. Which doesn't bother me as I know it is 88 years old. Notice the area on the rim where there are signs of the ribs on the top. The metal piece laying on it is for a comparison primer red. I'm thinking about removing all of the white covering, whatever it is and touch up only where I can't get the white out, and putting a few coats of PPG clear on it. Go over it with some steel wool to dull the finish. Any thoughts on what you would do? Not interested in buying a new wheel.
My old red wheel is now wall art in my shop. Too bad you are not on the east coast. I have a nice black splined wheel (replaced it with a red one on my tudor) you could have for free, but shipping to CA would be crazy.
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Old 05-10-2017, 08:04 PM   #8
denniskliesen
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

pgerhardt, Looking at your old red wheel looks pretty rough. Thanks for the offer but I'm going to strip off the white stuff and go from there. Since you have a new and old red wheel, how much is the color difference? I prefer to stay with a red wheel leaning more towards original I guess.
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Old 05-11-2017, 08:56 AM   #9
V4F
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

I would fix it as a safety thing
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Old 05-12-2017, 09:29 AM   #10
Tom Wesenberg
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

I'd buy a new red steering wheel, but since you want to keep and repair this one, then fill all the cracks and paint it with a good red oxide epoxy primer. If you top coat the primer, be sure to use a satin finish clear, and not gloss.
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Old 05-12-2017, 05:09 PM   #11
Tinbasher
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

The first step would be to match the original colour on the wheel. Then strip off all of the old repairs and get back down to the red material. Then you have to "V" out all of the cracks and then fill them with a structural adhesive. 3m makes a good one that's used to bond panels onto the new cars. Once it hardens up you can sand the adhesive to shape. You may have to fill and sand two or three times. Finish up the sanding with 240 grit sandpaper and then you can prime and sand the area down to 400 grit sandpaper. Then you can paint the wheel the original colour using a flattening agent to give the paint a low gloss finish. and you'll be good to go. A wheel like this should take about 24 to 40 hours to rebuild.
Hope this helps. John Poole
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Old 05-13-2017, 10:20 AM   #12
captndan
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

I really think anything other than a lite sanding and painting is a waste of time. Original won't come back.
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Old 05-13-2017, 10:50 AM   #13
Tom Wesenberg
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Default Re: What would you do with my steering wheel?

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I really think anything other than a lite sanding and painting is a waste of time. Original won't come back.
Fix, Fix, Fix..............it's what we do.

If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
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