Steering wheel restoration

[Tonefiend]

I cleaned 40 years of gunk off my steering wheel.  It was on there good.  I noticed traces of white crap in the "groove" under all the dirt and grime.  I got the thing spotless, however the white paint is now gone.  I could leave it like that, or put it back.

Now my natural inclination is to break out the white lacquer, mask off the sides of the groove and the rest of the wheel, then shoot it.  This might be tough to do.  Is there a method you guys use for this? 

I noticed at Spring Fling all the challengers had nicely done wheels with the white inlaid stripe.    I'd like to get mine back.



Also,  I am a cnc machinist/woodworker by trade and have been considering replacing the plastic wood that is cracked all to he!! with some real wood, like mahogany or burled walnut, then hiting it with some poly resin or urethane.    Anyone do this?

[swede-cuda]

 :newbie:where is that white inlaid stripe lockated on the steering wheels your talking about?

[MEK-Dangerfield]

:newbie:where is that white inlaid stripe lockated on the steering wheels your talking about?

The 70 and 71 3-spoke woodgrain wheels had a cover over the center of the spokes. There was a silverish line around the outside of the cover. Here is a pic of an old worn out cover that doesn't have the silver line anymore.

[JayBee]

Here's one that sort of shows the silver inlay stripe

[Tonefiend]

Thats my wheel.  I got the center of mine cleaned up pretty well.  I'd like to put the correct looking paint back on it.  Is it more of a silver?    Wondering if anyone has any tips before I mask it and shoot white lacquer. 

Also the outside woodgrain is cracked and ugly.  I may just put a leather cover on that, or attempt to fix it myself, or make a wood one...

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Here is a member that restores them. Maybe he can help you.


  http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?action=profile;u=4402

[JayBee]

Is it more of a silver?

The short answer is - Yes

[Tonefiend]

Here is a member that restores them. Maybe he can help you.


  http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?action=profile;u=4402

Thanks I did a search through some of Daves posts and he mentioned how it can be done with a silver paint pen which I happen to have.   

I paint guitars and do a Gibson "gold top" where I use a bronze powder and mix it with clear lacquer <and some tint to give it a vintage vibe>  Might be cool to get ahold of some powdered aluminum or other silvery type material from them and try that out.  A guy could tint it to a dead on match he he was so inclined. 

[Chryco Psycho]

You can rebuild the rim by filling it with epoxy & reshaping it , cutting in the wood grain & rubbing black into the cuts & covering it with a wood colored paint & clear coating it , it take a fair amount of time to restore it though

[plumbeeper]

The stripe is silver, not white. It may appear white in the bright sunlight at a car show because it is so reflective or it may just be someone painted it white incorrectly.

Dave