'69 Simulated Woodgrain steering wheel

[68RT4ME]

Anybody reproducing them? Is anyone restoring them and what might someone expect to pay for either? 

[gordo1968charger]

i got one from stevens performance for $299 plus $100 core charge.really happy with it

[Charger-Bodie]

Anybody reproducing them? Is anyone restoring them and what might someone expect to pay for either? 

BE/A is in the process of repoping them all new!

[Old Moparz]

A lot of people have had good things to say about "The Steering Wheel Guy" for a restoration on your wheel.

http://www.stwheelz.com/

I haven't worked with him, but would give it a try based on other recommendations if he is reasonably priced.

[TUFCAT]

Just FYI, Stephens Performance sends them out...the work is not done in house.   

[stwheels]

A lot of people have had good things to say about "The Steering Wheel Guy" for a restoration on your wheel.

www.stwheelz.com

I haven't worked with him, but would give it a try based on other recommendations if he is reasonably priced.

Thanks Old Moparz !

To give a price to do your wheel I'd need some pictures and a few questions answered. The best thing is to e-mail me so I can send you the info I need answered. stwheels@shaw.ca

What makes my wheels stand out from the crowd is that I use carbon fiber cloth and resin to make the repairs and then after airbrushing the wood coloring I draw all the wood grain by hand. For the 68-70 wood grain wheels I fill in any space behind and around the stainless rings during the repairs so they won't ever be loose again. Once the graining is complete I spray several coats of clear acrylic urethane over the entire rim making the surface completely smooth. Once the clear sets I buff down the finish to a satin sheen that duplicates the factory look.

I also offer re-plating of the spokes in the proper satin sheen. Now any wheel can be saved no matter how badly the spokes are rusted, pitted or peeling ... and I can repair ANY damage to the plastic rims !

Here is a sample of what one of my refinished wheels look like. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks, Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[TUFCAT]

Its great to have you on the board Steering Wheel Guy! 

[stwheels]

Thanks TUFCAT, I've been lurking for a while.

By the way, my cat wanted to say "Hi" to your cat.  LOL

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[TUFCAT]

Oh no,!!  don't get me started on cat pictures - I have 5 .....It could take over this thread!    Very cute feline by the way.  Is she available? 

[stwheels]

Sorry, she's got no time for dating. Alleycat is an employee of mine . Here is a picture of her holding down the workbench for me. Invaluable as a dust mop too!  

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[Chatt69chgr]

Peter Gee of PG Classics who sells Mopar Restoration Parts on EBAY has one listed in one of his catalogs for $599.  I believe that was the price I saw.  Just because it's in a catalog doesn't mean it's a real product yet-------that may explain why BEA said it was a "upcoming"  product.  How many of you would pay $600 for a repop of one of these woodgrain steering wheels? 

[BMOTOXSTAR]

I thought Grant was going to do them like they did the Tuff Wheel?

[Mike DC]

It sounds nuts but I probably would.  You spend the whole dang time in the car holding it & looking right at it.  I hate it when the finger grooves in the wheel rim randomly have extra-wide gaps from when a big crack has been filled. 

And no offense to anyone who's doing good resto work on wheels, but as long as the original plastic is there it's probably just a temporay fix.  It's gonna continue to crack farther as the plastic shrinks with age.  A new casting of the whole plastic rim is the only way to really arrest the cracking process. 

   

[stwheels]

It sounds nuts but I probably would.  You spend the whole dang time in the car holding it & looking right at it.  I hate it when the finger grooves in the wheel rim randomly have extra-wide gaps from when a big crack has been filled.  

And no offense to anyone who's doing good resto work on wheels, but as long as the original plastic is there it's probably just a temporay fix.  It's gonna continue to crack farther as the plastic shrinks with age.  A new casting of the whole plastic rim is the only way to really arrest the cracking process.  

 

That's why I don't fill the cracks with epoxy putty!  I fill all the spaces (including any cracks and gaps around and behind the stainless rings) with resin, Then I wrap the rim with random weave carbon fiber cloth and add another 2 coats of resin.

Once the resin sets I sand the surface of the wheel smooth so that the stainless rings are now flush with the resin.

Next I airbrush a base color that matches the original plastic the wheel was molded from.

By hand, I draw all new wood grain onto the rim and then airbrush the Brown wood color over top.

Then I spray on several coats of clear acrylic urethane (BASF/RM brand automotive paint with UV filters) and when it sets I buff down the clear to a satin sheen just as the wheels looked when new.

I developed this technique after having some wheels re-crack using the "stuff the cracks with epoxy and pray" method.

I'll post a series of pictures showing what can be repaired and how the finished product looks.

This wheel was actually missing the outer stainless ring when it arrived so you can see even better how the repairs are done. The first shot shows the wheel as it arrived.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

Here I test fit the new stainless ring. The rim is roughed up in preparation for the resin and carbon fiber shell.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

The cracks have all been filled and carbon fiber cloth wrapped around the rim then coated with 2 more layers of resin, building a shell over the entire plastic rim.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

This shot shows the resin over the carbon fiber cloth before it was sanded smooth and flush with the stainless rings.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

Here the resin has been sanded flush with the stainless rings and is ready for paint.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

The wood color has been airbrushed onto the wheel.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

Now the fun part! All the wood grain is drawn onto the rim by hand, no cheesy hacksaw blade dragged across the wheel.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

A few coats of clear to seal the deal ...

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

Then the clear is buffed down to a satin sheen. The clear also seals the stainless rings so the entire surface of the rim is smooth.  

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

I also do colored wheels. Here is a typical 1968 Firebird wheel in "Before" condition  

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

The cracks have been filled, the carbon fiber applied with a couple of coats of resin over top then sanded smooth.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com

[stwheels]

... and here it is, Back in Black.

Doug Lepak
The Steering Wheel Guy
www.stwheelz.com