Steering wheel resto-mod...

[Raze]

Before:


After:


I removed my worn out steering wheel, cleaned it up, filled the cracked spots with JBWeld, sanded it smooth, Truck bedlined it to add texture and seal it all up (paint was flaking on the support arms). I was going to reinstall that way but I ended up running across a leather wheel cover that seemed decent, $13 at Target, yeah I know, should be crap, but it seems pretty good. I went to the fabric store and got upholstery high-strength thread, this stuff it great, and leather and canvas needles. I sewed up inside of the wheel, and it's quite tight and fits excellent. Overall I'm happy for the price considering a cheap wheel from a parts store runs multiple times the cover and an adapter costs that much or more.

Before I get the 'awe that's crap' response, remember this is a $2011 Grassroots Motorsports Challenge Car, only I'm going for a low-buck stock-ish, resto-ish theme instead of a full-bore race car...

[So Cal Mark]

I like it

[azruss]

the first thing i did with mine years ago was put a layer of thin foam inside a leather cover. Really gives the wheel a modern feel. much easier on the hands.

[TulsaSpider]

The dash modification is what caught my eye

[Raze]

the first thing i did with mine years ago was put a layer of thin foam inside a leather cover. Really gives the wheel a modern feel. much easier on the hands.

Yup, I like the feel much better this way, additionally since I have no wood in my car (all the lower and trans-tunnel dash is all gone) I see no need to make the car look 'wood-filled'.

[Raze]

The dash modification is what caught my eye

Came like that from the PO, I just painted the aluminum piece, it was hand-swirled and IMO looked like crap. It's temporary until I slowly restore the interior with OEM bits...

Also, the carpet looks 100% better blacked out, that was one of my first alterations to the car. I'm going for red/black, not red+black+gray+silver+wood, the interior was very 'busy' before.

[Daniel]

you did a really nice job Raze 2 thumbs up !

[salspaugh1]

I think you did a great job on the steering wheel resto-mod. That leather wheel cover looks great and the sewing job looks great. Just for what it is worth, I just finished restoring the original steering wheel in my 1981. The leather was not cut or damaged, but was showing its age. I order some leather/vinyl spray die from Eastwood. I used 2000 grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface, applied some adhesion enhancer and sprayed it with the die. I put about 4 light coats, letting them dry about 1 hour between coats. Turned out pretty good. The die filled most of the small age cracks and give it a medium shine. I'll let it dry for a couple of days and refinish the silver spokes. I purchased a wood replacement wheel, but find that the feel of leather is better for driving. Once again , great job on your steering wheel. I'm sure you will enjoy your Fiat as much as I do.


Steve Alspaugh
1981 Spider 2000

[mostlytwowheeled]

I think the wheel looks very nice. Goes to show ya that there's an alternative to being "spendy".

[Fiat88]

It does look nice. Might try something like that with my '79. The allen head screws which bolt the wheel to the hub though are kind of stripped, anyone have a tip to get the screws off?

[SpiderJim]

I have successfully used a torx head screw driver or socket bit on allen screws that is just slightly over sized. Tap it in with the hammer and hope for the best. Not lost a tip yet but one never knows.

[Zippy]

I have successfully used a torx head screw driver or socket bit on allen screws that is just slightly over sized. Tap it in with the hammer and hope for the best. Not lost a tip yet but one never knows.

I have used that torx trick on allen heads too. I was amazed how easily it worked. Really saved my butt that day. I think it works because the torx tips are hardened and the allen screws are soft enough that the torx cuts right into the allen screw. Just be careful, you don't want to snap off the torx tip in the allen head.

[Raze]

here's what it all looks like back together, It looks alot better in sunlight with the top down, the dash aluminum piece is now lined with truck bed liner so it has a nice texture to it, and it's very 'clean'. I also got a Fiat black vinyl shift knob from Bayless to replace my old plastic piece, and I got some used sunvisors, dyed them black, and added them, interior is starting to really get there, next up, seat repair and recovering: