Hey Cougarites,
Not sure if anyone has a steering wheel with numerous cracks in it but mine had many, one about an 1/8 of an inch.
I used some of the POR 15 2 component epoxy that I have left from the floor pan restoration project I successfully completed in October. I applied it twice, the first application I used a rigid 6 in 1 paint tool to work the epoxy into the cracks. When it dried it did not completely fill the cracks so I added a second layer of epoxy completely around the entire circumference of each crack so it was about an 1/8 above the surface of the crack. I then used a palm sander with 120 grit and followed it up by hand sanding it with 600 sandpaper. Next stage will be a coat of sandable primer and then a couple of finish coats?
Here’s a few pics so far, hope this helps.
Bill
Sorry I should add that when you rub your hands or fingers over the cracks you cannot feel the cracks what so ever.
Bill
Bill,
I’ll be restoring a rimblow steering wheel this winter. It looks like your cracks were perpendicular to the circular wood. How will you blend color of the wood to the epoxy, so it doesn’t look like rings? Thanks!
Thats the same stuff I used on mine. I cut the plastic out a bit from the crack to get new/clean plastic before applying the epoxy. Lots of sanding and prep used paint shop quality paint and clear it still looks new 2 years going. Mine was on a 70 rim blow so it was a bit more of a PIA with the extra horn groove and silver trim on the outside and wood look. Yours is looking good keep going its worth it!!
Mine is a solid resin with no wood.
7TX that’s an amazing job, I doubt I will reach those heights
Bill
Just take your time and with the smaller cracks widen them a bit and fill. Sand smooth and scuff 600 grit the whole wheel, clean/ prep with SEM plastic/vinyl prep then shoot multi coats of primer sand smooth than color and finish it off with 3 or 4 coats of clear. I uses an automotive base / clear. Take in a non faded part to color match. You’ll be suprised how well it comes out.
Looks great. One of my clients is a gun smith and I’ve seen him do something similar on composite gun stocks, except he uses a Dremel to cut grooves perpendicular to the crack and mixes kitty hair into the epoxy to keep the crack from pulling apart again.
Here is a link for when I did my steering wheel restoration: https://cccforum.discoursehosting.net/t/steering-wheel-restoration/130/1
There is a different between my wood grain and the factory wood grain but I’m pleased with the way it turned out. To me a steering wheel is the focal part of any classic car especially a Cougar. When you are driving it’s the one thing that you look at and interact with the most. A lot of Cougars have bad looking steering wheels and dashboards and it always puzzles me my people don’t take more time with making these items look the best on their car. You’ve done a great job getting rid of the cracks.
Steven
Ok team,
I’m motoring through this steering wheel project, applied a coat of sandable primer which when dried showed a few very minor imperfections where the epoxy was. I reapplied more epoxy and sanded again. Finished off with another application of sandable primer. I now need more of your usual solid advice.Everything about my car is original and stock. The steering wheel color is the same Dark Red Ford/Mercury color as the entire interior. What do you think it would do to the car from a value standpoint if I painted the wheel a different color. I was thinking high gloss black or a bright red high gloss. Suggestions and advice please.
Thank you Bill
I think you should paint it whatever color you like. Though high gloss red may not look that great with your interior.
Great advice Al would you know if the 68 Standard Cougar ever had black steering wheels?
Sure they did…when the interior was black. I’d be careful about getting too bold with such a focal point. Having a black steering wheel with everything else dark red may just end up looking like you put the wrong wheel in there. Using a non-matching red will probably also look like you made a mistake in the shade of red. It’s your car but I would stick with the original dark red unless you are doing a two tone interior.
Jeff you must be reading my good wife’s mind and she knows her cars, she’s a Michigan girl from the auto industry.
She said almost the same as you. I have 2 cans of the original Dark Red coming so I will be patient and wait.
Thanks for that
Bill
Sounds like your wife has good taste. Keep listening to her.