Steering wheel repair- resto ??

[Old Blue]

I have a very old ( I bought it when I was 18  ) Grant steering wheel. It's a 3 spoke wheel with the holes in the spokes.

It's a 14" wheel and is rare in that they don't make them any more. What makes it rare is that it has finger depressions and the associated bumps on the rear surface of the wheel.

They only make them smooth now.

The problem is the foam it was covered with. It was covered with a black textured foam which has worn a bit in places and is thin on the raised bumps of the finger depressions.

Any ideas on restoring the covering ? I want to use the wheel in my 26 roadster.

I thought of trying a liquid rubber coating like what they use to dip tool handles etc.

Loctite makes a black rubber coating liquid that can be brushed on and I have considered trying to coat the foam that is not in bad shape overall except for the thin spots. A new coating over the whole wheel would look nice if it worked.

What do you think ? Will it work ? Any other ideas ?

Larry.

[Old Blue]

Maybe even make a circular pan the right size and dip the whole rim of the wheel rather than brushing ?  Might turn out nice.

Maybe the wife has an Angel food cake pan the right size  

Larry.

[enjenjo]

Spray on bed liner?

[Old Blue]

Spray on bed liner?

Good idea, I wonder if anyone  around here could spray something that small accurately.

A bit smaller and different shape than your usual truck box  

[purplepickup]

Some of that tool handle coating is tuff and some isn't.  I don't know what brand the good stuff is but I'd look for the best I could find.    It seems like it might feel good too....that's important to me.   But then if it doesn't work, you'll have a mess to clean off.

There are wraps too.

[enjenjo]

Spray on bed liner?

Good idea, I wonder if anyone  around here could spray something that small accurately.

A bit smaller and different shape than your usual truck box  

You can buy kits at the auto parts sores, do some experimenting to see what works.

[Carnut]

My vote would be for a leather wrap, I've done the leather wraps on all of my old style wheels.



Oh by the way I prefer a 15 1/2" wheel and have been looking for another one, the last one I bought from J.C. Whitney and they don't list them anymore. Been looking on ebay but nothing in the 15 1/2" size.

So if anyone has a line on a foam covered 15 1/2" size they want  to let go of, I'd be interested.

[cr55]

I like the leather wrap Carnut! that's a great looking wheel....CR

[rumrumm]

I like the leather wrap Carnut! that's a great looking wheel....CR

Ditto on the leather. Very nice.

[Old Blue]

I thought of the leather wrap, I think it would be my last alternative.  I think it kinda changes the character of the wheel.

Gonna try the tool handle coating thing and if that fails then the cover would still be an option.