Need advice on steering wheel restoration

[rkn463]

This will be for a stock 67 wheel. Mine, like almost all of them, is cracked from age and heat. I have seen several threads here and elsewhere of people repairing them. Some use bondo some use expoxies of various types. I am curious who has done this, what filler you used and if you are happy with the degree of difficulty, results and have you had any problems with it since. Also does anyone repop the CST center cap? Or even the plain cap, I have 4 of these wheels and the caps are terribly pitted on all of them.

Thanks in advance,
Richard

[jocko]

I have used Eastwood's kit and was pretty happy with it. If I recall correctly, the 67 wheel doesn't have any textrue (pebbly lookin sections) on it, so the repair should be straightforward. My 66's wheel has some cracks in the textured area, and I believe it's gonna be a bear to duplicate it, but sill give it a shot eventually. Anyway, that's the direction I'd go. Especially since you have 4 wheels - you can repair them all, use the best, sell the other 3 and possibly break even (i.e. the Eastwood kit has enough material to repair several wheels).
Different Eastwood kit options on this page:
http://search.eastwood.com/search?w=steering+wheel

As for the horn button, I couldn't finad any at LMC, Brothers, or Classic Industries... Sorry.

[rkn463]

Originally Posted by jocko

I have used Eastwood's kit and was pretty happy with it. If I recall correctly, the 67 wheel doesn't have any textrue (pebbly lookin sections) on it, so the repair should be straightforward. My 66's wheel has some cracks in the textured area, and I believe it's gonna be a bear to duplicate it, but sill give it a shot eventually. Anyway, that's the direction I'd go. Especially since you have 4 wheels - you can repair them all, use the best, sell the other 3 and possibly break even (i.e. the Eastwood kit has enough material to repair several wheels).
Different Eastwood kit options on this page:
http://search.eastwood.com/search?w=steering+wheel

As for the horn button, I couldn't finad any at LMC, Brothers, or Classic Industries... Sorry.

Thanks for the heads up on the Eastwood kit. I had never run across that before. My attempts at finding a reproduction center cap have all turned up nothing as well. Thanks for checking!

-Richard

[LockDoc]

-
Here is a how to from a member that is no longer with us:

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=233643

_RIP ESLL_

LockDoc

[PanelDeland]

I repaired my wheel in my 68.I wasn't going for show looks just decent to drive.I first cleaned the wheel with some steel wool.Then I filed/ground out the cracks.I filled them with an epoxy from an industrial supply(IIRC it was a 5 min version),I tried to keep the epoxy level to the surface since it's probably gonna be harder then the wheel plastic.I filed/sanded it smooth.Since I was repainting the interior to gray(from Fawn/sandewood) I again cleaned it well with steel wool and hung it up from the center.I used brake cleaner but would hhave used paint thinner or mineral spirits if I had of had it on hand.Once I was sure it was dry(I left it overnight) I sprayed a mist coat and cover coat of rustoleum.The next day I hung it the oposite side up and did the same.The I wrapped it with an old school leather wrap.It's been painted like that for about 8-10 years and looks like it did the day I reinstalled it.I did get lucky and find a standard original horn button at a swap meet.My interior is getting just rough enough that I may respray it again soon and I'll probably redo the paint and wrap on the wheel.I don't daily drive it now but did for at least the first two years after I repaired it.

[oldspowered67C10]

Ive restored them before using both epoxy and body filler. The epoxy is super strong but takes awhile to set up and sands slowly. The body filler sands fast and is easier to form when applying but I dont trust it for structural stuff. If I was building a completely missing section Id use epoxy but for cracks and small splits Id use body filler.

[rkn463]

Originally Posted by oldspowered67C10

Ive restored them before using both epoxy and body filler. The epoxy is super strong but takes awhile to set up and sands slowly. The body filler sands fast and is easier to form when applying but I dont trust it for structural stuff. If I was building a completely missing section Id use epoxy but for cracks and small splits Id use body filler.

The difficulty of sanding the epoxy is exactly what had me concerned. None of the cracks are huge so I think I'll give the bondo a whirl first. If it cracks again I could always grind it out larger and refill with epoxy later.

As always, thanks one and all who have replied. This site rocks!

-Richard