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Q&As since 1989


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Restoring Steering wheels on old cars

I am retired and am a car nut, I am trying to find out the best way to repair cracks and paint a steering wheel of a 48 year old car. Am I in the correct place?

Walter Terry
- Basking Ridge, New Jersey
2001

I don't know if you are going to get many responses to your inquiry, but I'll offer my solution.

I too am into old cars, and had the same problem. I used PVC cement to fill the cracks, and "painted" a coat of PVC cement over the entire wheel.

Bill C.

Bill Coffie
Warren, Michigan
2001

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I have restored a few old steering wheels by using epoxy putty to fill the cracks and chips then repainting back to the original color.

Good luck,

Dan Logan
- Portland, Oregon, USA
2002

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Clean the wheel several times with as good a cleaner as you can come up with. Simple Green [on eBay or Amazon] , Spic and Span [affil links], etc. Wipe the wheel down with Enamel or lacquer thinner [on eBay or Amazon] until no more residue appears on the cloth. Patch cracks,chips, dings with an Epoxy based material (liquid or paste). File, sand and work the material to original contour. Paint with a bonding primer (assuming the wheel is plastic)then topcoat with whatever you prefer for color match. Woodgraining is a different subject and I can help with that if required. Hope this helps.

Bill Miller
- Shinnston, W.V.
2002