Steering Wheel Restoration
Rob
Posted 2021-11-24 8:31 PM (#617142)
Subject: Steering Wheel Restoration


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I found a '61 Plymouth steering wheel at a swap meet last weekend. Can anyone please recommend anyone that can restore this?
It's pretty rough, much of the outer rim plastic is missing, the center hub is cracked.

It is compete, has the horn ring, and is the correct color for my car.


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imopar380
Posted 2021-11-24 9:32 PM (#617145 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Quality Restorations does them, https://qualityrestorations.com/plymouth-steering-wheels/
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Apollo 61
Posted 2021-11-25 1:42 AM (#617148 - in reply to #617145)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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For a 61 aero wheel cost is about $2300 to restore
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Myke
Posted 2021-11-25 12:58 PM (#617153 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Does anyone know how much they charge for a '58 Plymouth wheel by chance?
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Ev's62Chrysler
Posted 2021-11-25 9:49 PM (#617167 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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I was quoted $1700 back in May 2018 for redoing my 62 Chrysler wheel.
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rockerarm
Posted 2021-11-26 6:45 PM (#617188 - in reply to #617167)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Life has moved on. Cost to recast my 61 aero wheel was $1300.00 in 2018. Same outfit now gets $2300.00

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Rob
Posted 2021-11-26 8:41 PM (#617191 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration


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Thank you, all. I'll contact Quality Restorations. $2,300 is quite steep, that's about 1/5 of what I paid for the whole car back in 2006.

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NicksGarage
Posted 2021-11-28 3:30 PM (#617230 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Dennis (Quality Restorations) did both of my 1960 Chrysler wheels. His price goes up $100-200 every year. The color on the wheel for my '60 wagon didn't come out right but the work is excellent and I've seen many of his wheels that he did over the years and no cracking or yellowing of the clear.

There is someone in Europe that can redo the clear wheels but they cast the whole wheel in clear and paint the colored part. Not correct and depending on the color may not look right. But charge a lot less and people are happy with them.



(008.jpg)



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Attachments 008.jpg (394KB - 103 downloads)
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NicksGarage
Posted 2021-11-28 3:42 PM (#617231 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Eventually I'm going to need to get this '61 wheel done.




(steering_wheel_01.jpg)



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Attachments steering_wheel_01.jpg (200KB - 112 downloads)
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AJS
Posted 2021-12-03 1:00 PM (#617369 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: RE: Steering Wheel Restoration


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In 2020, I had my steering wheel for my 1959 Plymouth S[port Fury restored by D&D Automobilia, in Lincolnton, N.C.. Cost was $1800.00, had to send in a $400 deposit fee and had to wait 1 year for him to get to the restoration. End result was a super nice job by Bob Denault of D&D and I am well pleased. Unfortunately, last year Bob sold his recasting setup to a new restorer in Charlotte, N.C. in 2021. The new restorer Dave Bowman, has retained the D&D Automobilia name and is following in Bob Denault's foot steps. The new location is D&D Automobilia, Charlotte, N.C. phone: 704-650-4632 attn: Dave Bowman. I have not worked with the new restorer but Bob Denault has spoken highly of Dave. Bob decided to retire after having done 100's of steering wheels.

Why so much to restore? Wheel is completely stripped of all plastic (both clear and solid). Wheel is sent out for removing old chrome and rechroming the steering wheel frame. Also included rechroming are two horn pieces imbedded in the stearing wheel handle grips. Rechroming is top notch - meaning high quality rechroming. He sends the customer color chip samples of various shades to match the dash on the car (brown in my case), Grips have to be casted first, followed by the clear material. There is a lot of hand finishing after where the clear meets the grips. All texturing of the handle grips is done by hand and and hand buffed out. Yes $1800, is a lot of money (now even higher than that), but the steering wheel is the first item that people look at when judging the interior. If the steering wheel is yellowed or cracked due to age, it is a big negative on the judgement of interior. Worse yet, is people that try to cover up the problem by hand wrapping a leather material around the wheel. Sometimes you just have to bite the exspensive "bullet" and do a recast. I did and have had no regrets at all. (I am going to try and send a photo or two, but
I am not sure just how to do this)

Art Schlachter, Danville, Ky
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NicksGarage
Posted 2021-12-03 4:03 PM (#617370 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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When I bought both of my 1960 Chryslers, I checked the price of restoring the steering wheel and factored that into the price as I knew I would be doing it. When it's more than 5-10% of what you paid for a car, it seems like a lot. On the '61 Belvedere it's going to be at least 60% of what the car cost but still a known expense.

As for adding pictures, there are several threads in the Help With Using This Board section - http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=15

You need to check the box labeled "Attach a file after posting" below where you type your message before you hit submit. For a short time you can go back an edit your post to add pictures or rearrange them. They need to be under 250kb files in an accepted format such as .png or .jpg, not .jpeg.
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Ev's62Chrysler
Posted 2021-12-03 4:57 PM (#617373 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Anyone know whether both the upper and lower portions of the steering wheel rim for a 62 NYer wagon would have been clear, or only the upper portion?
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NicksGarage
Posted 2021-12-03 4:59 PM (#617374 - in reply to #617373)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Ev's62Chrysler - 2021-12-03 1:57 PM

Anyone know whether both the upper and lower portions of the steering wheel rim for a 62 NYer wagon would have been clear, or only the upper portion?


On the '62 it is only clear on the top. '60-61 high end Chryslers have clear top and bottom.
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Ev's62Chrysler
Posted 2021-12-03 6:11 PM (#617377 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Thanks, Nick. Upper portion was painted white during the restoration, likely because it was cracked. The rest is cocoa.
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NicksGarage
Posted 2021-12-03 7:13 PM (#617379 - in reply to #617377)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Ev's62Chrysler - 2021-12-03 3:11 PM

Thanks, Nick. Upper portion was painted white during the restoration, likely because it was cracked. The rest is cocoa.


The Newport and 300 sport come with a solid color wheel with a horn ring without padding. The 300H and New Yorker come with the clear on the top and a padded horn ring. The wheels are slightly different near the horn ring. I think you could order the clear top wheel on the 300 Sport as an extra.

I know Dennis can recast the clear top wheel. A friend had one done but it came out the wrong color so he didn't use it because it clashed with his dash.

Edited by NicksGarage 2021-12-03 7:27 PM
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AJS
Posted 2021-12-03 8:33 PM (#617380 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: RE: Steering Wheel Restoration


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I am going to try inserting a photo or two of the Steering Wheel I had done by D&D Automobilia in 2020.
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rockerarm
Posted 2021-12-07 3:25 PM (#617448 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: RE: Steering Wheel Restoration



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D&D, now in Charlotte NC did my 61 Aero wheel..... superb workmanship and quality.

They use upgraded moderin materials to avoid  future UV damage. The hub is cast in color, not painted.

They sent color samples in advance so I got to choose. I even chose the colors of the 

"Glitter" in the transparent rim area.  The steel core was re-chromed.

 

Cost in 2017 was $1300.00. I think it's more now. Not likely to go down anytime soon.

The recast cost does not include the chrome center horn bars.



Edited by rockerarm 2021-12-07 4:22 PM




(aero wheel.JPG)



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Attachments aero wheel.JPG (138KB - 102 downloads)
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wizard
Posted 2021-12-07 3:52 PM (#617450 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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Very nice. I fully understand the price level, molding in color and clear, with flakes and re-chroming.
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NicksGarage
Posted 2021-12-07 4:13 PM (#617452 - in reply to #617448)
Subject: RE: Steering Wheel Restoration



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rockerarm - 2021-12-07 12:25 PM

D&D, now in Charlotte NC did my 61 Aero wheel..... superb workmanship and quality.

They use upgraded moderin materials to avoid  future UV damage. The hub is cast in color, not painted.

They sent color samples in advance so I got to choose. I even chose the colors of the 

"Glitter" in the transparent rim area.  The steel core was re-chromed.

 

Cost in 2017 was $1300.00. I think it's more now. Not likely to go down anytime soon.



What color dash does that go with. The Belvedere I'm working on has a dark blue dash but hard to tell what the original color of the wheel was since it's so deteriorated. On my Chryslers, the wheel matches the dash metal.
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LAGTONE420
Posted 2021-12-10 2:01 PM (#617534 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: RE: Steering Wheel Restoration


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There's a guy in canada who does an excellent job for a very reasonable price , he did my 1959 desoto steering wheel.. the guy from san diego was way off
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LAGTONE420
Posted 2021-12-10 2:02 PM (#617535 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: RE: Steering Wheel Restoration


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The Steering Wheel Guy
1,555 check-ins. AboutSee All. 8449-14 ave (507.20 mi) Edmonton, AB, Canada, AB T6K1X3. Get Directions. +1 780-450-1397. Contact The Steering Wheel Guy on Messenger. www.stwheelz.com. Automotive Restoration Service· Automotive Customization Shop.
Followers: 3343
Location: 8449-14 ave, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6K1X3, Alberta
Phone: (780) 450-1397
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NicksGarage
Posted 2021-12-10 6:20 PM (#617540 - in reply to #617534)
Subject: RE: Steering Wheel Restoration



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LAGTONE420 - 2021-12-10 11:01 AM

There's a guy in canada who does an excellent job for a very reasonable price , he did my 1959 desoto steering wheel.. the guy from san diego was way off


Did he totally recast your wheel or patch it up? There is a big difference.
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LAGTONE420
Posted 2021-12-10 7:30 PM (#617541 - in reply to #617142)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration


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HIis phone is right there for questions...
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NicksGarage
Posted 2021-12-10 8:56 PM (#617543 - in reply to #617541)
Subject: Re: Steering Wheel Restoration



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LAGTONE420 - 2021-12-10 4:30 PM

HIis phone is right there for questions...


I'm asking about your wheel. Or maybe you don't know. I'm familiar with his work in the past on woodgrain wheels where he filled cracks and then repainted.
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