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Sun May 20, 2007 6:40 pm

:?:
I am having a heck of a time finding a "like new" steering wheel for my 1972 Super Beetle.

I have the orginal one, and can get the horn insert, but the wheel itself has multiple cracks and seperations.

Anyone know of a company which will restore a steering wheel? Contact info?

Thanks!

Bart in Florida

Sun May 20, 2007 7:04 pm

Try this link. You can do it youerself
http://www.por15.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1480/.f

Sun May 20, 2007 10:28 pm

if you have the $$ the best place to have the wheel restored is Koch's:

http://www.kochssteeringwheels.com/productcart/pc/mainIndex.asp

.

Mon May 21, 2007 5:09 am

I don't think Koch restores the later style wheels and same goes for the POR15 offerings. I'm not sure of the year interchangability but you probably would be able to find a decent replacement cheap from a wrecking yard. If you can't find anything local, go on-line. There are alot of wrecking yards listed and a phone call and some shipping should satisfy yer need.

-jeffrey

Mon May 21, 2007 5:38 am

I could have sworn that I saved a write up about how to fix a steering wheel for the later models. I was planning on doing that for my 73's wheel. In fact, I found the bondo and high gloss paint this weekend in my shed.

How bad are the cracks ? One intermediate step would be to find another damaged wheel and try your hands at fixing it.

Mon May 21, 2007 5:51 am

See July 1989 and July 1995 issues of Hot VWs magazine for articles about steering wheel restoration.

Mon May 21, 2007 5:53 am

Are the articles about restoring the early smooth steering wheels or the later textued vinyl coverd wheels?

-jeffrey

Mon May 21, 2007 6:57 am

Eastwood's makes a steering wheel restoration kit for $40.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2571&itemType=PRODUCT

Mon May 21, 2007 7:01 am

NOVA Airhead wrote: Eastwood's makes a steering wheel restoration kit for $40.

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=2571&itemType=PRODUCT

The above mentioned POR15 kit costs almost twice the price of the Eastwood kit, but comes with:
POR15 wrote: Here at last, the POR-15® STEERING WHEEL REPAIR KIT will enable anyone to restore a steering wheel to show-quality condition. Our step-by-step instructions were written by leading experts in steering wheel repair. You will find the techniques you learn here useful in restoring other hard-to-repair items as well. Restore dash knobs, gear shift knobs, radio buttons, and other hard rubber, bakelite, or other plastic interior parts.

The Steering Wheel Restoration Kit is a must in restoring your old steering wheel to show-quality condition!

Kit Contains:

* POR Epoxy Putty
* Marine-Clean Spray Cleaner
* Contoured Sanding Block
* Steering Wheel Sanding Board
* Red (360-400 grade) Scuff Pad
* Gray (600-800 grade) Scuff Pad
* Sandpaper
* Surgical Latex Gloves
* Supertack Cloth
* Polyester Primer and Surfacer w/Hardener
* Spray Bottle/Cartridge for Primer & Enamel
* High Gloss Polishing Compound
* Saw, File, and Drill Bit
* Detailed, Illustrated Instruction Book

While the Eastwood kit comes with:
Quote: Master Steering Wheel Repair Kit W/Instruc
Repair Plastic and Hard Rubber Steering Wheels - The ravages of time and UV light conspire to deplete your steering wheel of it's elastomers. The resultant cracks can be repaired with one of our money saving kits. Use this Master Steering Wheel Restoration Kit with 1 lb of PC-7 Epoxy (52047), an aerosol can of PRE Painting Prep (10041Z), an aerosol can of Adhesion Promotor (52366Z), instructions and a copy of the Steering Wheel Restoration Book (52017) to repair cracked wheels and ready them for the color top coat. The SEM Vinyl Dyes (52066z-52081Z) work great over this kit.

The POR15 kit looks like the winner to me.

Mon May 21, 2007 7:15 am

Depends if you need a saw, file, drill bit etc.

Most people already have this stuff.

I have used PC-7 on my own (no kit) to fix cracks in wheels and then painted with good reults. Its another, cheaper way to go if you don't want to use a kit.

Mon May 21, 2007 7:44 am

NOVA Airhead wrote: Depends if you need a saw, file, drill bit etc.

Most people already have this stuff.

I have used PC-7 on my own (no kit) to fix cracks in wheels and then painted with good reults. Its another, cheaper way to go if you don't want to use a kit.

I agree, but extra tools always come in handy and most people here tend to be noobs with little in the way of a tool stash.

Mon May 21, 2007 7:55 am

jhicken wrote: Are the articles about restoring the early smooth steering wheels or the later textued vinyl coverd wheels?

-jeffrey
Early style smooth wheels, I think since the write up was based on one of those articles.

Mon May 21, 2007 10:25 am

Saw the kit at a show. It's a rip-off!! Their "sanding Board" is a piece of garden hose. The other items come out to be about $25 worth of stuff you'll find in your garage.

Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:55 pm

whats the factory color of the 58-59 steering wheels?

Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:38 pm

If it is like the steering wheel in my '79 super, you can buy a "wheelskin"...a leather wrap that you hand stitch around the damaged one. It is available at mid america motorworks or at a local parts house such as O'rielly's

Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:08 pm

I used PC-7 too, on an earlier wheel, 1970 style. Worked fine for me. Used sandable primer, that seemed to help the finish.
I also used my Dremel on the cracks, ground them out a little, cleaned them up that way before filling.