IML: Fixing your steering wheel

[Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>]

I have a 1962 wheel that was marginal, so I didn't
feel bad playing with it.  

All there, but cracked in places like many of the
55-63 ones are, and it wasn't translucent.  

I used JB Weld on it and it filled much/almost all of
the cracking.  I could have done better with more
patience, but I was born without enough of it.  

I get by on persistence instead, but it's not really
the same thing.


Anyway, I painted the wheel with spray paint as a
preliminary coat to see how it would do (again, not
patient enough to wait and do the single stage car
paint) and it came out really nicely.  Even for being
spray paint.

I will probably paint it with car paint for its
duability when I do something else and have the gear
out.  The only downside was losing much of the cast
detail in the grain on the lower 1/3 of the wheel, but
I don't mind, since I'm not putting the wheel in a '62
and the car won't be a formal restoration.  With more
patience, I certainly could have done a better job of
keeping the grain.

Technique:  

Slather it in, keeping fingers away from areas that
don't need it because it's a bear to remove when dry
and resistant to thinner and other solvents wet or
dry.

Let dry.  

File and then sand with progressively smaller grit
paper.  Redo as needed because it seems to contract as
it cures, leaving 10% of the gap unfilled.

Cost:  $8 and whatever paint you have to use.



We'll see how it handles the expansion cycles from
heat and sun.


PS:
I have about 20 steering wheels that I'll eventually
get around to selling.  The thing about them is that
together they cumulatively outgas enough to smell
really bad.  Like horrible baby poop.  Hopefully the
paint will lock in that stuff and keep the smell out
of the car, although one wheel probably isn't giving
off that much smell.
--- mopar48291@xxxxxxx wrote:

> I've looked long and hard to find good wheels or
> someone restoring them.  I finally settled on Don
> Eash of D&D Automobilia in PA.  I've had him recast
> the wheel for my '65 LeBaron, and '55 and '59
> DeSotos.  Given all the $$ thrown at C300 and 300 B
> restos, I'm surprised that nobody has done these
> wheels.
> I've sent him a wheel from my '55 Crown which needs
> only minor crack patching to make it a good pattern
> for a mold.  Someone else has also sent him a wheel
> for a mold.  By spring he should have a mold done. 
> He's not cheap, count on $1200-1500, but I've found
> nothing better.  And the difference between a
> cracked, faded, chipped wheel and one that's smooth
> and beautiful to hold in your hands is well worth
> it.  You'll find his ad in Hemmings.
> Cheers,
> Roger
> '55 Crown, '56 Southamptons, '56 NY St.Regis


Kenyon Wills
 
 





















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