Steering wheel restoration.

[Av8ferg]

So, I’ve stumbled upon two 240z steering wheels in the past couple weeks during my junkyard explorations.  They were really rough but were only $30 so I thought I attempt a home restoration.  I thought I’d share my experience in this process.  I know there are other posts but I don’t think anyone has posted a wheel that looked as bad as the one I’m restoring. 

I’ve completed the clean up and strip down.  I used a small palm sander for the metal with 240 grit and 320 grit wet sand on the wood.  I’ve masked the wood off and will prime, paint and clear coat the metal today.  

Here is the wheel as it looked after pulling for the rusted Z.  

It had some green algae on it too.  Car was in a pseudo swap in Mississippi with no drivers door so I wasn’t surprised.  

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Av8ferg

[240260280]

I'd like to see if you can get that light straw colour back... may be a light paint?

[Av8ferg]

So the wood/resin wheel portion of this steering wheel of mine sanded has that straw look you mentioned but wasn’t the original color a reddish mahogany. I was going to re-tint and then coat with a glossy polyurethane.


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[240260280]

It seems the darker reddish-brown colour is from material aging (UV, hand oil/dirt). All early pictures I have seen indicate a light straw coloured wheel.

 

 

[Av8ferg]

Interesting, I’m restoring a shift knob I found on the same car. Was going to match them. I’ll post pics


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[siteunseen]

I used 0000 steel wool on mine then satin black on the metal. Looks good to me.

Gear knob was dipped in minwax helsman satin poly about 20 times over a month or so. It filled in the cracks on the shift pattern map.

 

[Av8ferg]

Here is the knob sanded down. The shift knob map was totally destroyed. Trying to tint both the wheel and knob to match. Won’t be easy because they’re different materials and won’t accept color the same.
Speaking of the shift knob map. A 5 speed Nissan one seems impossible to find but the old Toyota one looks almost identical. I just wonder if the diameter is the same.
Here’s the shift knob map on a old FJ. It’s only $12



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[grannyknot]

11 hours ago, Av8ferg said:

I don’t think anyone has posted a wheel that looked as bad as the one I’m restoring.

That is pretty bad, you definitely win the award if you can bring that one back.

[240260280]

That shift knob looks like it will go to the correct light straw colour with a clear coat or slight tint.

 

[bingo]

I think the "wood" on the steering wheel is actually a resin of sorts that looks like wood. I would be surprised if it accepted stain or other treatments made for wood.

[Av8ferg]

Metal bars came out pretty good. Gonna let the paint cure for 24hrs and then start on the wood.




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[240260280]

The Phoenix Thread! I love it!