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Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:02 am

are all barndoor steering wheels the same other than the mounts being keyed or splined?

What I need to know is-
are the only differences between a standard and a deluxe steering wheel the colour?
or are there more subtle differences? Are the circular grips identical?

would it simple enough to sand down a standard wheel and paint it to make a deluxe?

Thanks for the help

Mon Feb 15, 2010 10:58 am

I`ve painted quite a few black late spit bus wheels Silverbeige and have had excellent results. I have one I did over ten years ago with 20K miles on it and it still looks as good as when it was freshly done!

I find the key is to use a LOT of clear laquer top coats :wink:

Interestingly with late split buses (maybe the same for barndoor?) they never made an hornbutton with white (silverbeige) plastic. They were always black plastic sprayed silverbeige for splits or Ivory for Oval bugs.

Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:08 am

Some lucky swine must have a deluxe wheel and standard that they could have a quick comparison with?

Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:05 am

They are the same apart from color as far as I know but I do not have a black wheel to compare against.

Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:47 am

gotta be the same, surely
can't beat the wear of a real deluxe rim tho'

Sweet Rides wrote: Interestingly with late split buses (maybe the same for barndoor?) they never made an hornbutton with white (silverbeige) plastic. They were always black plastic sprayed silverbeige for splits or Ivory for Oval bugs
Yes, looks to be the same for Barndoor Deluxe - black plastic painted ivory

Fri Feb 19, 2010 2:29 pm

:D
beautiful !!!

Sat Feb 20, 2010 2:29 am

Cheers guys, thought they were probably the same but didn't want to spend a load of cash buying one to find out they were different.

Rockstock I would LOVE an original worn deluxe wheel for my ratty bus but how often have you seen a splined deluxe wheel with nice patina for not stupid money. I recon the patina could be faked on a Painted wheel easily enough.

Sat Feb 20, 2010 5:22 am

Well there looks to be a slight difference: the colour of the material used on the rim. Under the paint on a black wheel it's very dark almost black. The deluxe wheel looks cream under the paint...

There is no advantage to having a worn steering wheel in a damp climate, you end up with the wheel material all over your hands. I am having my wheel rim re-painted right now