Steering wheel paint, any suggestions?

[HWYCRZR]

My original steering wheel for my ‘68 Polara was totally sun baked and cracked. I found a NOS new one on EBay around 10 years ago. The problem was that it was brown instead of maroon. I had the shop that did my body work and paint. Do my steering wheel as well. It turned out beautiful and had the proper tone(not glossy).
However after a season of driving about 2000 miles, the oils from my hands is taking the clear coat off.
I have never seen a NOS maroon/ Burgundy wheel so I need to make this one work.
Any suggestions on a durable finish? I am going to talk to the shop that painted it, but not sure they normally paint a lot of steering wheels.

First picture before a lot of use. Kind of a matte finish. (Except towards the top where you can see it start to wear off.

Now shiny where the clear is rubbing off.

Thank You

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

See what a powder coater can do. Either they can or can't - don't let them experiment, unless you have your cracked original to play with.

Other than that, there are some pretty durable varnishes for marine/bar use that might work.

 

[CBODY67]

Not sure that powder coat will work on non-metallic items? I suspect that the steering wheel restoration operatives use some sort of epoxy paint for the steering wheels they restore.

As you mentioned "clear coat", I'm suspecting they put the same paint on the wheel as went on the car body? BC/CC acrylic enamel? With hardener additive in the clear coat?

I suspect the car looks great in that metallic color!
CBODY67

 

[Newport 66]

The wheel was originally molded in the color, don't know if any paint will adhere and stand up for very long. I wonder if acrylic enamel with hardener would work as mentioned. I would talk to a body and paint shop or supplier. Charlie Quarters does steering wheel restoration. Maybe give him a call @989-362-8463 or email him at mitzi265@hotmail.com. Good luck!!

 

[Polara_500]

Many, many years ago I painted the steering wheel in my 66 C10, it held up very well with the only failure points being where it got scratched. I'm trying to recall what exactly I used........ the truck itself was painted with Centari but for some reason I'm thinking we used some leftover stuff Dad had that wasn't Centari. I'll have to check and see if I have the remains - it was only about 38 years ago or so, so it may well be around somewhere. Oh yeah, mine was a gloss finish but a fella could put some flattener in - was well before BC/CC became a thing.

 

[CBODY67]

While a vehicle is in warranty, colors are or should be available, but soon thereafter, or when stock of colored steering wheels is depleted, "Black" is the default replacement. Which means that the wheel is re-colored to match what the interior is or it's left "black".

When I purchased a new rim blow non-telescoping wheel for my DH43N0D, it came in black at that point in time. I asked a body shop painter work associate and he mentioned the acrylic enamel variation of paint, for its hardness and such. That was in the later '70s, "pre-Imron".

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[Polara_500]

Yeah, Centari is DuPont's Acrylic Enamel.

 

[rexus31]

You've gone so far on your resto, just bite the bullet and have your original recast. Todays resins are guaranteed to not fade or crack.

 

[bluefury361]

Automotive grade base/clear should work fine. I've never had a issue using that method. Perhaps they used a low quality or non automotive clear. I know it would take a lot of bare hand rubbing on the exterior finish of a car finished that way to remove the clear coat.

 

[Polara_500]

Oops, sorry...... it predates Centari. Some of the mis-mixes that came out of my Uncles' store and he got them free so we used that. Still have the remains since I had a whole gallon and only painted the dash and steering wheel.

 

[Newport 66]

Oops, sorry...... it predates Centari. Some of the mis-mixes that came out of my Uncles' store and he got them free so we used that. Still have the remains since I had a whole gallon and only painted the dash and steering wheel.
View attachment 350047

WOW! there's a blast from the past! I worked at a parts house in late '70's/early '80's. I remember mixing Dulux, but it was on the way to obscurity as Centari was the coming thing. Lacquer came in "factory" packs.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Not sure that powder coat will work on non-metallic items? I suspect that the steering wheel restoration operatives use some sort of epoxy paint for the steering wheels they restore.

As you mentioned "clear coat", I'm suspecting they put the same paint on the wheel as went on the car body? BC/CC acrylic enamel? With hardener additive in the clear coat?

I suspect the car looks great in that metallic color!
CBODY67

Not quite the same formula and color as the body. And not metallic. It actually looks to be a perfect match to the original wheel color and tone. (Now I cannot find the old wheel)
The base coat looks like it could be a single stage. And then they satin cleared over it to reduce some of the shine. ( only speculation as I have not yet directly asked them.) it is only the last dulling coat that is coming off as the base looks really good.
They also did my flexible interior panels, so they know the process of flexible paint/ color.
Maybe just not the durability of something that is being handled all the time.

 

[HWYCRZR]

You've gone so far on your resto, just bite the bullet and have your original recast. Todays resins are guaranteed to not fade or crack.

But this is already a NOS wheel. Do they re-cast the wheel in the original color? Or is it still painted after the fact.
I couldn’t find my original wheel this morning. I know I have it stashed somewhere.

 

[HWYCRZR]

Automotive grade base/clear should work fine. I've never had a issue using that method. Perhaps they used a low quality or non automotive clear. I know it would take a lot of bare hand rubbing on the exterior finish of a car finished that way to remove the clear coat.

I just need to talk to them about it. Your right, it shouldn’t come off.
I am wondering if they used a single stage and decided it was too shiny and satin cleared over it to dull it down and didn’t quite adhere properly.
I remember when I first talked about painting the wheel, I don’t know if they were really sure the best way to go about it.

 

[rexus31]

But this is already a NOS wheel. Do they re-cast the wheel in the original color? Or is it still painted after the fact.
I couldn’t find my original wheel this morning. I know I have it stashed somewhere.

They can cast it in whatever color you want. The color is added to the resin. I had my wheel and shift knob recast. They came out perfect and are just like they were originally.

Before:

After

 

[rexus31]

I remember when I first talked about painting the wheel, I don’t know if they were really sure the best way to go about it.

Steering wheels shouldn't be painted, IMO. They can chip or have the finish rubbed off as you are experiencing.

 

[Newport 66]

They can cast it in whatever color you want. The color is added to the resin. I had my wheel and shift knob recast. They came out perfect and are just like they were originally.

Before:
View attachment 350069

After
View attachment 350070

That's really gorgeous!! Fantastic work!

 

[HWYCRZR]

Looks Very Nice. If I can find my original and my second try doesn’t work out , I do have a nice pattern for a new mold.
Who did the re-cast?

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Not sure that powder coat will work on non-metallic items? I suspect that the steering wheel restoration operatives use some sort of epoxy paint for the steering wheels they restore.

As you mentioned "clear coat", I'm suspecting they put the same paint on the wheel as went on the car body? BC/CC acrylic enamel? With hardener additive in the clear coat?

I suspect the car looks great in that metallic color!
CBODY67

I believe some non-metallic things can be powder coated as long as they can stand up to the heat curing process.

 

[rexus31]

Looks Very Nice. If I can find my original and my second try doesn’t work out , I do have a nice pattern for a new mold.
Who did the re-cast?

http://qualityrestorations.com

It's not cheap. I paid $1,500 for the wheel and knob but they are perfect and he guarantees they will not shrink, crack or fade for as long as I own the car.