steering wheel restoration, what material for rim?

Common issue but couldnt find anything with the search..I have a few 1930-40s steering wheels that used to have the fake ivory or some sort of plastic on the rim over the steel hoop, the material is missing so there is nothing to restore, just the steel hoop is there. Anyone come up with a way to add some material, rubber, plastic, etc to the hoop to make the steering wheel usable again?

 

http://www.pearlcraft.com.au/restorations_cl***ic.htm for the best

 

Thanks, I know about them, looking for a do it yourself deal. A friend and I have quite a few wheels around and want to try and redo them ourselves. Solid color, driver quality wheels.

 

JB weld and paint,,,many threads here on the HAMB if you just read..search function is your friend

 

http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=678476

As others have said there are a few posts on related subjects. maybe the link above will give an idea. - L7

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=344222

 

Check out East Woods products. They have a material for steering wheel restoration. Good luck...it just takes patience

 

If it were my project, I think I'd take a mold of an existing wheel in good shape, the same diameter as yours, make a mold out of it, then cast your wheel into the mold. Smooth-on makes the molding resins, and finish plastics as well, in a variety of colors, translucencies, metallics, etc. Doing a large item like a wheel, though, the best methods might include either pressurizing it, or vacuuming it while curing. For strength, and getting air bubbles out.

 

You can make a wood rim and epoxy it to the wheel rim.

 

Make yourself a plaster of parris mold (you can use another wheel of the appropriate size) then place the wheel in the mold and pour it full of 2 park epoxy. Let it set up then break the plaster of parris away from the new wheel. You will need to do some finish work.


That is overly simpliified but that is the gist of it.

 

If you want something different, take a look at the canvas/rawhide wrapped wheels. Its been done a lot for a long time.

 

I used 3M 8101 structural adheasive. A bit runny at first but when it sets up it's almost a perfect match for the density and the pliable 'rubber like' qualities of the original material. Way easier to sand than JB I used a little body filler for smoothing the finish a bit but 99% was the 8101. Covered with epoxy primer and BC/CC.

 

Have used Simpson 2 part epoxy. Had some left over from inserting/bonding footing bolts.

 

As Chopolds said you'll need a mold for doing a complete wheel like yours where the only thing left is a hoop, I just got off the phone with a shop to send a truck wheel in to redo and we talked about building a mold for the 20" Sheullar wheels, that would run about 5 to 600 $ for the mold, you might try some of the wheel shops to see if they might have molds already built for your wheel and have them rebuild it.

 

Thanks for the links and info guys, good stuff.