Had A Woodgrain Steering Wheel Restored - Before and After Pic's

[MOPARHOUND!]

Some of you may remember a black 69 Charger that I dragged out of an old junkyard..........

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,10714.0.html

Sent the woodgrain steering wheel off it out to be restored, gambling that it would turn out okay.

Despite sitting outside in a windowless Charger for 25 years, in -10 degree winters with snow and 110 degree summers, miraclously the wheel did not crack on it's face like so many.  It only had a couple of small cracks in the simulated "woodgrain" on the backside.  However, the wheel did shrink overall, allowing the outermost stainless steel trim ring to fall off onto the floor of the car  .

I sent it out to a guy in Missouri, along with another wheel I bought at the Mopar Nationals around 1985 that has since been on the shelf.  The weathered wheel had to have the groove built up slightly with epoxy, before it would allow the trim ring to be reinstalled.  The spokes on the weathered wheel had to be painted due to some light rust pitting, but I think it looks even better than the wheel that had been on the shelf that has unpainted spokes, as it smoothed out (hid) all the little dings and scratches the wheels tend to accumulate over the years.

I think it turned out great, better than I had hoped:

[ChargerHound69]

WOW!!   That turned out nice.

Are you restoring that whole car??

[JimShine]

Nice! But they are usually are in worst shape than yours started out. I would like to see one done with the usual big gaps and cracks in the wheel.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Looks great!

Please post the contact that restored it.

[Shakey]

Nice! But they are usually are in worst shape than yours started out. I would like to see one done with the usual big gaps and cracks in the wheel.

I gots me a couple of those with da big gaps!   

I plan on sending mine to Douk Lepak, closer to the time when I will actually need it.

I'll post a similar thread, sometime next year.

BTW Moparhound - looks pretty good.

What else were you able to save from the car?

[Big Lebowski]

That is sweet.

[PocketThunder]

How much was it per wheel?   I have one in a little worse condition than that.

[MOPARHOUND!]

Nice! But they are usually are in worst shape than yours started out. I would like to see one done with the usual big gaps and cracks in the wheel.

This one was on the shelf since 1985, and had a "big gap" you are referring to.  The spokes on it are cleaned and polished, versus the restored weathered wheel in the first post's being painted.

Cost is $100 plus $25 per gap.  Cleans extensively, polishes spokes as best possible or paints them, replaces parts for a small fee if needed, recreates the woodgrain grooves that disappeared off the steering wheels after 20,000 or so miles from the factory (if you look at an NOS wheel, it will still have these woodgrain gooves).  Uses some type of epoxy to repair the gaps.  Not sure how he recolors them.  The wheel pictured in this post cost me $125.00.  May not be 100% Concours show car quality, but close enough that I'm well pleased with the work.

The guy's name is Rod, lives near Springfield, MO.  He will have several of his wheels, restored 68 and 69 grille assemblies (have pic's of the 69 he done for me), and restored dash pieces at the T.D.C. Charger meet in Jefferson City, MO.  PM for phone #.

The black 69 Charger 99% of people would consider hopeless.  Fenders, doors, quarters, interior, floors, etc. etc. are junk.  Cars like it are the ones the General Lee jumpers should be using in their shows after a bunch of orange paint instead of real R/T's.

[Silver R/T]

looks nice

[chargerboy69]

Wow. . That really looks great.

[B5 Charger]

That looks awesome!  I wish I would have got to see it in person last weekend.  The price doesn't seem to bad either.   

[MOPARHOUND!]

Yeah, I sat down under RD's tent with one on each knee, and within 15 minutes had seemingly 5 different people inquiring if they were for sale.