Parts Wanted

Hi All,

Do any of you have a mint condition original mk3 steering wheel? I have bought 3 on ebay over the past months and all were a little poor! I found a restorer but he wants £140!

Also I want a couple of opening read windows with good chrome, and still looking for hornet airvents!


Adam

I have one that has a small chip at the top of the center part where the emblem goes. Otherwise in good shape.

DyNoRod wrote:Hi All,

Do any of you have a mint condition original mk3 steering wheel? I have bought 3 on ebay over the past months and all were a little poor! I found a restorer but he wants £140!

Also I want a couple of opening read windows with good chrome, and still looking for hornet airvents!


Adam

If you have three spare ones why not try and renovate the worst one yourself? If it turns out satisfactory great! maybe you could do the other two and sell them on? (Keeping the best one for yourself of course!)

Give it a good rub down with wet and dry untill you have removed all the gloss. Spray it underneath first with several light coats. Give it good time to dry between coats. When you're happy with the finish turn it over and spray the top. Finish the job off with a few coats of clear laquer. I did my own and also the centre surround so it matched up. with thee spares what have you to lose?
Good luck!

I could try I guess! What kind of paint did you use?

Frosts do a kit

http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=8749&frostProductName=Steering+Wheel+Repair+Kit&catID=21&subCatID=&FrostCat=Interior%20Trim&FrostSubcat=

a little pricy though

I have used spray smoothrite in the past and does an OK job as long as you let it dry for a couple of weeks before using it, but it does eventually rub off. Japlac was another good enamel paint and there is now all these plasticoat products as well. Would it powder coat ? Or you could always get a leather cover to go over it

Black Gloss Multi Surface Enamel quick dry spray paint from Wilkos Requires 10-15 mins between coats. The lacquer was from Halfords but may be cheaper from Wilko if they sell it which I;m sure they will do.

Cheers lads I will give it a go, on one of my collection and let you know how I get on.

I did look at the frost kit, but I just couldnt justify the cost.

Thanks again!

Adam

I checked out the cost of the Frost kit

I didn't spend over £12 on mine!
Plenty of black coats (very fine) gentle wipe over in between coats with 1200 wet or dry and a wipe before next coat, at least two coats of laquer .Should last for ages.

Looking forward to seeing the results

back to steering wheels again - just found this info on another forum

"Helpful hints: Black, sticky steering wheels

by Alan Richer and Mike Rooth

Have a steering wheel that on those cold, damp mornings is like gripping tar? Tired of goo clinging to your hands that is more difficult to get rid of than anti-seize? Well, paint it! All the coatings on older steering wheels basically is is a paint - on steering wheels meeting this description, the enamel's worn away and the Bakelite crud underneath is making its revolting presence known. Pull the silly thing off, sand it to clean it up and use a 2-pack epoxy glue to patch cracks and the like. Once the epoxy is thoroughly dry, then sand everything again to smooth it up and spray/brush it with a black epoxy appliance paint or something equally hard. Give it 3 or 4 coats per the manufacturer's paint instructions and then let it dry thoroughly (preferably for a few days if possible to cure). If you can find/get it, I've heard Finnegan's Smoothrite is excellent for this. Were it not for the 6- week dry time, I'd be tempted to try Hammerite on this application. If you want a quick(albeit temporary)fix try this. Rub the rim with Brasso or similar metal polish,and rub off. Then use a spray on furniture polish,and rub that off,too,as per instructions on the tin.

Voila - no more dirty hands and a nice, shiny wheel!

Reprinted from the OVLR Newsletter, November 1997"

plus

Rub it down (when dry) and fill any cracks with epoxy glue or filler. Paint with a good undercoat. I use POR-15.
Lightly sand with wet&dry. Apply a tie-coat, lightly sand.
Now, you can spray with a gloss black of your choice.
Many here have good results with 'Plasticote' aerosol black or, I use Hammerite Smoothrite.

Best when left to dry for a long time, but thereafter as good as new.

Plenty of "Wheely" good tips! Good luck!