Re: steering wheel restoration

[Merv Hurley]

I am restoring a 1936 MG TA which has a Brooklands wheel. Steering wheel is
a genuine Brooklands but it is in pretty poor order. I am unsure if it is
original part of this TA or is off another car of similar year, or was
procured in the early 50s when the car was refurbished.

Steering wheel rim has several small splits in places and flaky surface and
as far as I can tell was a rosy reddish colour. Surface has discoloured
somewhat from exposure to sun after being stored for a number of years in a
garage near a window. What level of disrepair would be an advisable cut-off
point when considering the viability of restoring the wheel .

I will obviously have to send the wheel offshore from Downunder to either
England or USA for restoration. Would appreciate any advice, or assistance
with recommended companies etc.

Regards to all

Mervyn Hurley
Auckland, New Zealand

"Maggie" 1936 MG TA #0657

[sculptart@aol.com]

[John Patterson]

Dave- I have a three spoke chrome steering wheel which was in bad shape from
bad cracking of the faded gold composite material. I tried to use bondo as a
filler but it would not stick to the old material, so I switched to Minwax
wood filler and after many coats to fill the cracks and much sanding was
able to bring it back it its original condition, or very close to it
including the finger depressions on the hood side of the wheel. I then
bribed my artist wife to paint it in a goldish wood grain finish similar to
the look it had when I started. Used Rustoleum paint. Good luck.

[avanparys]

I have an original 3-spoke that I am in the process of restoring now. It
was originally black (including spokes). Most older wheels on American cars
that I've seen have a bakelite or plastic rim that surrounds a round metal
core and if the rim had finger notches on it, they were cast into the
bakelite/plastic. The TC rim I have has an all-metal rim with the finger
notches already pressed into the metal. The coating that was on the wheel
when I got the car was not a thick bakelite or cast plastic, but a very thin
layer of a black, rubber-like plastic coating that looked like it was merely
sprayed on, conforming to the wheel rim and its indentations.

I just got the wheel back last week from the welder who repaired minor
cracks in the rim (where the spokes join the rim). I will use a two-part
epoxy (PC-7 is the brand name) to smooth out and finish up this area.

Question: Am I to understand from the threads here lately that the
wheel rim thickness may have been made up of a thick bakelite or plastic
material and that the sprayed-on coating on mine is not what was on the
original wheel? It would be nice to know before I progress with this
project next week.

Regards,
Terry V.P.

[Neil Nelson]

I also have what I think is the same wheel you have. Mine does not have any
black left on it at all but is all metal. The finger notches are molded
into the metal and it looks to almost be the full size without any coating.
If it is like yours, then someone has removed the coating from it and shined
up the metal. It came on the TC I am currently working on. I thought it
was some home made thing and never gave any thought to it being original
equipment. (Which it still may not be.) Hope someone can shed some light
on this wheel. Without the coating on it it looks like it came off a
CrissCraft boat.
Neil Nelson
Orange Park, Fl.

-----Original Message-----
From: avanparys [mailto:avanparys@viperlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2000 9:49 PM
To: T-ABCs List
Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] steering wheel restoration

I have an original 3-spoke that I am in the process of restoring now. It
was originally black (including spokes). Most older wheels on American cars
that I've seen have a bakelite or plastic rim that surrounds a round metal
core and if the rim had finger notches on it, they were cast into the
bakelite/plastic. The TC rim I have has an all-metal rim with the finger
notches already pressed into the metal. The coating that was on the wheel
when I got the car was not a thick bakelite or cast plastic, but a very thin
layer of a black, rubber-like plastic coating that looked like it was merely
sprayed on, conforming to the wheel rim and its indentations.

I just got the wheel back last week from the welder who repaired minor
cracks in the rim (where the spokes join the rim). I will use a two-part
epoxy (PC-7 is the brand name) to smooth out and finish up this area.

Question: Am I to understand from the threads here lately that the
wheel rim thickness may have been made up of a thick bakelite or plastic
material and that the sprayed-on coating on mine is not what was on the
original wheel? It would be nice to know before I progress with this
project next week.

Regards,
Terry V.P.

[Eugene F. Gillam]

Neil,

I have the same wheel on my TC - as far as I know/can tell the covering was either thick paint or thin plastic originally. I had mine restored and it was re-done using thick coats of paint. It looks original - and I'm not going to let anyone dig into it to see if it's what it's supposed to be.

Gene



Question: Am I to understand from the threads here lately that the

>wheel rim thickness may have been made up of a thick bakelite or plastic
>material and that the sprayed-on coating on mine is not what was on the
>original wheel? It would be nice to know before I progress with this
>project next week.
>
>Regards,
>Terry V.P.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

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[joecurto@aol.com]

That wheel is constructed like the wheel on XK 120 and XK 140 Jags, we have
recoated by painting with many coats of epoxy paint.

Joe Curto

[joecurto@aol.com]

Checking my "Pile O Wheels" and see a steering wheel similar to yours with 3
solid chrome spokes like a home market wheel the center has a chrome ring
riveted to the hub and the hub it self is tall like a TC but it has an
adjuster just like a Big Healey (hand nut) and it is made by Blummels, I
guess Blummels made other wheels than their "Brooklands" type.

Joe Curto

[Dean Jensen]

Terry
I have two TC steering wheels just like your that are or came
on a TC. I have seen mention on the list about the center chrome
part. The original is done finer that the repro currently sold, if you
have it also, I would get it rechomed.

Dean






-----Original Message-----
From: avanparys
To: T-ABCs List
Date: Tuesday, November 07, 2000 8:47 PM
Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] steering wheel restoration

>I have an original 3-spoke that I am in the process of restoring now. It
>was originally black (including spokes). Most older wheels on American

cars

>that I've seen have a bakelite or plastic rim that surrounds a round metal
>core and if the rim had finger notches on it, they were cast into the
>bakelite/plastic. The TC rim I have has an all-metal rim with the finger
>notches already pressed into the metal. The coating that was on the wheel
>when I got the car was not a thick bakelite or cast plastic, but a very

thin

>layer of a black, rubber-like plastic coating that looked like it was

merely

>sprayed on, conforming to the wheel rim and its indentations.
>
>I just got the wheel back last week from the welder who repaired minor
>cracks in the rim (where the spokes join the rim). I will use a two-part
>epoxy (PC-7 is the brand name) to smooth out and finish up this area.
>
> Question: Am I to understand from the threads here lately that the
>wheel rim thickness may have been made up of a thick bakelite or plastic
>material and that the sprayed-on coating on mine is not what was on the
>original wheel? It would be nice to know before I progress with this
>project next week.
>
>Regards,
>Terry V.P.
>
>
>
>

[sculptart@aol.com]