I am starting to redo alot of steering wheels and Im buying some cores on ebay and such.I started off buying a wheel that was titled 68 steering wheel.Some people are saying the 68 wheels are the same as camaros ,442s,etc..Other people tell me that there is a difference in the dish .Some of the mid year wheels look like the 68 wheel .Someone please straighten this confusing mess out. :confused: :seeya
Re: My first technical question to FCR. (paintdaddy)
64-66 Vette wheels are the same. 67 and 68 are the same. Difference between the two is single spoke on first and two piece on the latter. I've heard the story on dish being different but I can't verify as I don't mess with anything but Vette. I've never seen one with a different dish.
I think the 67 and 68 vettes are most definitly the same and the other 67 and later GM cars are probably the same.
I've got a question for you. What's your procedure for restoring the 68 simulated wood grain steering wheel or how are you fixing the cracks?
[Modified by 68rdstr, 7:18 AM 1/7/2003]
Let me make this clear,I havent done this in a while.I use to repair and paint alot of solid color wheels at a restoration shop that I worked at for a while.You can fix the cracks with almost any kinda 2 part epoxy such as jbweld or Eastwood sells a kit that is the same thing basically.You can then finish any minor filling that has to be done with a regular body filler.Then prime it with a hi build primer ,either the repair area or the whole thing.I should have mentioned that you need to "V" the crack(s) out before you fill them ,using a die grinder or something similar.The rest of the wheel should be scuffed with a scotchbrite pad or something before priming.
Painting it a solid color is a basic procedure.
Wood graining it is a little more difficult but it is easier than you think.I will admit that I have never done this on a wheel but many dashboards.First you have to decide on a color that is the lightest color on your wheel or the lightest color that you want to see.Spray the whole wheel that color ,let it dry good .Next,Got to Home depot and get some stain that is the shade of your darkest color .I have used Gel Stain from Minwax.Then you just wipe it on with a rag to your desired coverage.After it dries you can clear it with any clear.Minwax makes a few nice ones. :seeya
Re: My first technical question to FCR. (paintdaddy)
Quote:
Ok sounds good so far,but I thought 67 wheels were teakwood and 68 were simulated walnut. :seeya
The '67 wheel rim was (plastic) simulated walnut, just like '64-up (except for the construction difference where the lower spoke is a separate piece at the hub); the teakwood wheel was an option in '65-'66 only (Safety Standards eliminated it for '67). :thumbs:
Re: My first technical question to FCR. (paintdaddy)
Thanks for the tip paintdaddy. I'm going to tackle my steering wheel. It's got a couple of hair line cracks. Some of the wood simulated steering wheels that I have seen look to be a lighter and more solid color. One of the painting procedures that I have seen is from the older conversion van days. The painted simulated wood panels down the sides of the van. Are you familiar with how that is done? I wonder if this technique could be applied to the steering wheels????
No ive never seen that .I ve done this on some 30s and 40s dashboards and window moldings .I would like to hear more about the van thing ,does it look like the same thing that Im talking about?
I believe that most of the 70's vans were painted using the saran wrap procedure.
What they did was to tape off the bottom of the area that they wanted the effect in with the saran wrap taped there too. then they would spray down into the area between the saran wrap and the body panel, nice and wet, but not puddling was the trick.
Then you would press the saran wrap up against the body and kind of squish it around a little. Then peel it off, and presto chango-- you had a decent version of fake wood grain...
The other OLD SCHOOL trick was to do it with cheese cloth. stretch it across the body panel to be painted, kind of spread out the grain in different areas. And spray into it kind of dry like. then peel off the cheese cloth and clear coat.
But I don't think either of theses methods will work for a steering wheel
Re: My first technical question to FCR. (Desertdawg)
Ive done the saran wrap thing to some motorcycle tanks with candy colors,I didnt know it was actually an old trick.Yeah that probably wouldnt work on a steering wheel :seeya
John,
Why did the FEDS outlaw the teakwood wheel? Where they afraid someone might get a splinter? :)
Exactly! FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard) #208, which governs frontal impact testing, states that no materials can be used in steering wheels which could splinter on impact and injure the driver; took effect 9/1/66. :thumbs:
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My first technical question to FCR.
