Reproduction steering wheel
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 258
From: Dublin Ohio
Thank you for your feedback.
I'm probably never going to make it to any of the big shows so I'm left with buying off the internet.
The best wheel on eBay with no wear is 750, next best Is a wheel with 60000 miles for 300.
My car has 72000 miles on it so I don't see that as much of an improvement.
If the repo feels good and has the same grain pattern it may be the surest -maybe only- way to get a perfect wheel.
I'm probably never going to make it to any of the big shows so I'm left with buying off the internet.
The best wheel on eBay with no wear is 750, next best Is a wheel with 60000 miles for 300.
My car has 72000 miles on it so I don't see that as much of an improvement.
If the repo feels good and has the same grain pattern it may be the surest -maybe only- way to get a perfect wheel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 504
From: myrtle beach sc
Army
The rubber on original wheels breaks down and gets sticky. I only paid $200 for my reproduction wheel. It is almost an exact copy of the original. I hope that this helps. The edges of the stainless steel spokes were a little too sharp and I lightly sanded the edges. Lou.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6,397
Likes: 649
From: Saskatoon Saskatchewan
I made the mistake of selling my factory oyster one in really nice condition thinking I'd be better off buying a reproduction silver one instead of dying my factory oyster one. I've since bought two factory steering wheels (one silver, one oyster) but when I got one the foam covering was badly deteriorated and the foam on the other one has gotten kind of hard compared to the one that that came with my car. So, now I've got about $600 into steering wheels and I still don't have what I want.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I bought a black, leather-wrapped 13.5" wheel from Rik's Corvette Parts (in NC) several years ago for $99. The spokes are very similar to the original wheel design; you can get them in chrome or brushed surface. Also, the center hub was the same diameter [or slightly smaller] than the steering column hub. I've seen several repro wheels with a larger center hub....and they are visually distracting to me.
These wheels only come in black; but I wiped the leather down with lacquer thinner, then shot a couple of coats of mixed-to-match interior dye on it and gave it a few coatings of Nu-Vinyl polymer protectant when completely cured.
It is 'well-used'
, but the dye is holding up extremely well with no fading, peeling, or cracking. 
(I had pics and have shown them on CF before; but Photobucket now has them 
).
These wheels only come in black; but I wiped the leather down with lacquer thinner, then shot a couple of coats of mixed-to-match interior dye on it and gave it a few coatings of Nu-Vinyl polymer protectant when completely cured.
It is 'well-used'
, but the dye is holding up extremely well with no fading, peeling, or cracking. (I had pics and have shown them on CF before; but Photobucket now has them ).
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,806
Likes: 258
From: Dublin Ohio
I got a really good deal on a reproduction OEM style wheel so I got it.
Had I known you can get a steering wheel off a tilt/teli column as fast you can take out 12 screws I would have had my old wheel off years ago.
Can you tell it's a reproduction? Yes. I think the grain is too fine and maybe the spokes are too shiny. But then again I don't know what my original wheel looked or felt like 46 years ago.
I do know that whatever car show I take my car to they will not be taking off points because my steering wheel looks too nice.
Had I known you can get a steering wheel off a tilt/teli column as fast you can take out 12 screws I would have had my old wheel off years ago.
Can you tell it's a reproduction? Yes. I think the grain is too fine and maybe the spokes are too shiny. But then again I don't know what my original wheel looked or felt like 46 years ago.
I do know that whatever car show I take my car to they will not be taking off points because my steering wheel looks too nice.
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