Can anyone help me figure out what is best to paint or dye a sport steering wheel. Fellow member here sold me a good solid blue sport wheel that is not all sticky but its not the color it needs for my car. Is there a better way or product to dye the color of a wheel ? Any help would be great.
Ryan, I've never dyed a sport steering wheel but I have dyed a dash using SEM products. Although some folks on here said to use the SEM cleaner prior to dyeing, I used Simple Green and lacquer thinner sparingly with a light brush to make sure the grain was clean from oils, etc. It turned out great and is holding up with no issues. Difference here is you don't have your hands on the dash all the time so I can't speak for how well SEM dye will hold up on a steering wheel.
I would not recommend dying a steering wheel. I think the constant grip of your hands in the same location will wear thru eventually and you will have to constantly re-dye it, and then the dye will fill in the grain and it will become smooth. I would trade it for the right color. What color do you need? I have some black ones, and a friend may need a blue one...
Ryan, I would not paint/dye one. Like James said, the color will wear off. Plus the oils will continue to come out of the wheel and if you paint it the "oils" will end up loosening up the paint and areas will flake off. What you end up with is a really sticky mess that takes even more time to clean up. I used to get wheels like this all the time to "skin" and make into GSX wheels. Duane
This was my experience, just exactly as Duane said. I didn't ask, I just did what I wanted to do and used SEM Color Coat to paint a red one blue. It looked GREAT, but it didn't last a year before it began to show red right at the top of the wheel, right where the sun and exposure had worked on the wheel for the last 35 years. All I really accomplished was to ruin a nice red wheel, I tried but could not get all the blue paint removed. I wouldn't do it again.
Ok, I am not going to dye this wheel. Thanks for the input guys. I will go a different route. James my seats are the orig deluxe Blue that was in 1970 so I wanted this type of color but I dont need a 16" orig for this car. I think I am going to see if I can get a friend to cover the wheel on the car for me and match the color in leather. (I just dont like the wood grain look of the wheel on the car currently. Give it a custom look and lord knows this car has got plenty of custom look to it lol
Ryan, Sorry about that, but I can't deliver. I have none for sale. I have a few more to make and a list already in place for the wheels I will be doing. I will start contacting some of the people on that list very shortly, so a few guys will be happy real soon. If I have any left (after my list is completed) I will decide what to do with them when the time comes. I am NOT taking any orders for these wheels. Duane PS. I have already had one request for a wheel and it took less then 30 minutes after I posted about it here. PSS. Ryan, If I were you I would not sell the wood wheel off your car, but would keep it in case you ever want to sell the car. The AACA has a class for these types of cars, but you have to build the car to match the "Vintage" pictures you supply. Any "special" pieces you sell off the car will make it that much harder to find/replace, and could hurt the resale value of the car...................and don't ask me how I know about how hard it is to find 50 year old aftermarket specialty parts. There is also something else, that wood wheel may be a Vintage Grant wheel, which was put on many "Very Special" Hint Hint cars, and might be worth quite a chunk of change. Personally I would keep it on the car. That alone would probably get a lot of attention.
I helped Juan Rodriguez out and sold him mine under the agreement I would get his place in line for the wheel he was getting from Duane sadly just after that Duane announced he was no longer going to produce the GSX wheel any longer. Duane knows all about this deal with Juan. Duane knows I am just busting his chops about getting a wheel from him.
Duane, I won't be selling off any other parts off the car other than..... 12 bolt chevy rear and latter bars. The wheel on the car I will keep. I was thinking I would just cover it but not if its going to hurt the wheel and affect the value later on. Thanks for the advice I had not considered the wheel and it is in pics so it would be documented as part of the car from that time frame.
I've painted a couple sport wheels, with limited driving it will hold up ok, wipe with thinner, warm it up with heat, spray with Bulldog then automotive base coat with flex additive and a coat of thinner clear
Ryan, I have not checked the list for some time but if Juan Rodriguez's name was on the list I am sure it is still there. When I get to that spot I will give you a call. Duane
