Does anyone have any experience in restoring/repairing the wood on the steering wheel?

The wheel that I have on the car is a Nardi, and I love the look of it. However over the years of sitting in the sun the varnish has dried up and is peeling off.
The wood also has some cracks and one bad splintered section. Been doing some research but not sure if it is something I want to try and do myself or take to a woodworking shop to see if they can handle it. Any success stories or have yall handled this by way of someone else?

 

OOOPS?


The bad varnish is a straight forward refinish project. Several views on how. Check the archives here for dash restoration. Similar principles.


Cracks, a bit tougher, but doable. Wood fillers. Good ones, with color to match.


Splintered. A lot tougher. Make a new segment..


Yes, a cabinet maker's shop might be the way to go. $'s, though... Talent and labor
intensive...


Post a picture. We might counsel hanging it on the shop wall as a momento....


Carl

 

Give it a whirl. If you fail you can have it redone professionally OR buy another Nardi wheel. They're a very common item on Ebay...often reasonably priced.

Cheers
DD

 

fill the cracks with an epoxy injection, clamp it and let it cook for a week, come back and start sanding the excess epoxy and the old finish until perfectly smooth, don't forget to protect the aluminum with doubled duct tape so you don't scratch it with the sandpaper. You will need thinner (mineral spirits), to remove the tape goo from the aluminum after you are done sanding.

when you are satisfied with the fixes, send it to Saul Chaplin, owner of British Autowood in Orlando FL. and get it refinished by him. Saul is a great guy, originally from Wales, UK. Owns a Jaguar 340 and a 420 in mint condition, his shop is in his house.

 

Here are some pictures to clarify the issue. You can see the wood is starting to separate in the middle. Not sure how long this has been happening. Something more recent however is a small piece broke off the bottom of the wheel and a section has pulled away slightly. Talked to one furniture maker he doesnt think he could fix it properly.

 

At times it means replacement. This is one of them. As, I said earlier, this one has "done it's time". I recall that phrase at a loss inspection in my former profession.


Hang it on a shop wall as a momento and go shopping.


I've similar in other forms !!


Carl

 

Carl,

I was hoping to reuse it but i think your right. There are a lot of modern nardi wheel options out there. I am wondering if i can find one that i could fit the original horn button onto? A lot of modern variations though like the one in the link below:

https://www.amazon.com/Nardi-Steerin...steering+wheel

 

too much money. There is a guy in eBay (UK) and he sells very decent wood steering wheels for $129.00 hub and horn push included.

also British Autowood has or had a restored wood steering wheel for sale, I don't remember if it is a Nardi, you might contact Saul and ask.

I have kept every steering wheel since my first car, a 1969 MG-B. Yes, I sell the cars without steering wheels.

 

Thanks for the insight Jose. Haha I love that you sell cars without steering wheels! haha

 

"Too much" varies from person to person

Over the years I've snapped up some *very* nice used Nardi wheels for about $150 each on Ebay. I doubt that a professional wood guy would be able to refinish an existing wheel for that amount. Of course there a certain very specific Nardi wheel that can cost much more, even thousands.

A brand new Nardi ....their popular standard issue version....is about $400 as I recall.

Cheers
DD

 

Jose:


1. Slick. I've a wheel that looks a lot alike the one in your picture. But sans the MG badge and wood rim. Hard rubber or plastic. I was hoping it was a desirable late 30's Ford "Banjo". It isn't. But, whatever, it is a neat shop wall ornament/space taker!!


2. My son, Tom was over. He swapped out the failed water valve in my tankless water heater. He has one like it. Same issue, same fix. Now, I need not "fool" into heating water. Working as it should.


3. While he "plumbed", I worked on the strut swap on the Jeep. He helped a bit. Fussy Torx screw. Each of us, "modern" DIY guys. Cordless drivers at work. Whirr, out. whirr in..... Long extensions for ease of access as well. Heavy hatch, now nice and "bouncy".


Coco observing with interest. Slick.


Now, I am "pooped, but pleased. Lunch coming up.... And, an adult beverage or so.


Tom on the way to their Sierra "ranch". Live stock, two goats...


Carl

 

there is a brand called "Tourist Trophy" sold by Moss Motors in Goleta California. They make them in wood or leather, thick or thin grip. Excellent quality, and not expensive. Made in China. No need to spend a lot to get a great steering wheel.

I installed one of those in black leather / black anonized spokes / thick grip /15" diameter in my '65 S type.

the only issue is the left and right spokes are positioned at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock like a letter "Y" so they block the gauges.

I'm going to replace that one with a Momo Italy wood wheel that I got from David.

it matches the dash wood stain (the picture looks different), and the spokes are at 8:00 o'clock and 4:00 o'clock. Unfortunately it also has cracks like yours, but Saul told me what to do to fix it.

(Saul's solution: Put a stitched leather cover over the wood, haha).

 

Carl, did you use a 6 ft. ladder to keep the hatch weight supported?

 

Nope, Son and I swapped. One holds, other runs the drill driver. But, I did have a tree ranch prop in place as a back up.


I like the wheel in the upper left picture. The other just doesn't look mechanical, more like furniture??


Some kind of sticky goop on my Jeep's wheel. Old tuber going soft? Somewhere, I have a cover. I'll look. Can't mess with a swap, it has an air bag.


Are air bags good, or not good ? Clearly, the Taketa brands is not.


Carl

 

the one in the S type? that is the Tourist Trophy from Moss Motors. I don't like the position of the spokes at 10:00 o'clock and 2:00 o'clock. Otherwise a wonderful steering wheel, very comfortable.

compare with the black leather Momo in my XJ, where the spokes are at 8:50 o'clock and 4:50 o'clock. Not a lot of obstruction of the gauges.

 

LEFT, no question about it.


Jaguar and I to errands. Weather much better. Coco came along. Each critter pleased in their own way.


Straightened out work bench. Lots of tools to stow. Now have 1/4" drive deep sockets in Torx. Jeep uses a lot of them.


Was going to chop some more tree. Energy level depleted. More sun for the next two days. Dry things out a bit. Electric chain saw in the wet???


Carl