C1 steering wheel refinishing

[Richard S.]

I am noticing a severe fading and color change on my 60' "roman red" interior steering wheel. The spokes are fine and I would like to refinish the plastic wheel only. After checking the Advanced Search section I found nothing relating to this topic and was hoping to get some guidance on paint selection, do you sand and if so how do you protect the original texture? All though there are several companies selling 60' Roman Red replacement wheels, non are the correct color. Thus, as I see it I have two options. do it myself or send it off to be done right. I would prefer to do it myself. Any suggestions or guidance?

[Daniel J.]

Re: C1 steering wheel refinishing

I had Richard Dunham restore my red '60 steering wheel. His work came out perfect.
His email is dunco1959@sbcglobal.net

[Don H.]

Re: C1 steering wheel refinishing

Although I have never had him do one for me, I have seen many of Richard's wheels, they look great. Don H.

[Richard H.]

Re: C1 steering wheel refinishing

Richard, I had a damaged wheel that came with my '57, and ended up buying a repro which came from a batch of bad ones as far as color went (they looked pink) for $100. My neighbor/painter sprayed it when he painted the dash and trunk areas. Just used a single stage urethane. It came out great. Has no miles on it yet, but it's been on and off about a bazillion times, lol. I also had a used steering wheel sprayed in Roman Red for a '60 I restored about 25 years ago, which I believe was done in a 2 stage or epoxy, I can't remember how the shop did it, but in the six years I drove the car, it held up just fine.
Rich

[Richard S.]

Re: C1 steering wheel refinishing

Your photo seems to show a gloss finish. My "pink" one has a satin finish and I have an old red one with a gloss finish. Which finish is correct?

[Richard H.]

Re: C1 steering wheel refinishing

I'm not sure if the finish is supposed to be any different than the dash or steering column, it doesn't say anything as to the steering wheel itself in the JG. I used the same paint for everything, although the steering wheel does seem to be a little glossier than the dash or steering column (some of it is the lighting). I'm sure it will dull down a bit after some use. After what I paid for a couple of quarts of that color, I would have had zero interest in buying something different for the steering wheel, lol.

[Richard S.]

Re: C1 steering wheel refinishing

Did you ruff up the finish before painting?

[Keith R.]

Re: C1 steering wheel refinishing

I had Richard Dunham restore my red '60 steering wheel. His work came out perfect.
His email is dunco1959@sbcglobal.net

I heartily second that! "Do it yourself" and it won't be done right. Send it to Richard and it will be done right for sure.

[Richard H.]

Re: C1 steering wheel refinishing

The wheel I bought (pink) had been painted with spray can black just so it wouldn't look so hideous. I'm trying to remember if I just used lacquer thinner, or something else that my painter gave me to get most of that off. I'd have to ask him. That and if he did any other prep to it before spraying it.

Edit: I just talked to him and we just used lacquer thinner to get the paint off. Then, he used a red scotchbrite pad to rough it up, and cleaned it with Prep Kleen wax and grease remover.