moose Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 This is using PC-7 epoxy(I forget who suggested it, but thanks!) Works good, layer after layer, then carving with a box knife, then a file, then sandpaper. I wasn't sure about the shaping of the back of the upper section, so now it's kinda like my '55. Next more filling, shaping and sanding, then prime and paint. What kind should I use? epoxy or? Oh yeah this is on my 50 Windsor! Quote
RobertKB Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 (edited) Wow, great job. I used the PC-7 on the wheel for my '38 Chrysler and it really is a great product. I only had cracks in mine and not missing chunks like yours did. Congrats again. I used a good quality enamel paint on my wheel and it is holding up well. Edited January 12, 2012 by RobertKB Quote
Al B. Bach Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 Impressive! It's hard to imagine bringing back a wheel that far gone! Mine only has a few cracks in it but I am going to have to research PC-7 epoxy. Any links would be helpful. Later, Carl Quote
moose Posted February 17, 2011 Author Report Posted February 17, 2011 Thanks guys! Think I found it on Amazon.com, but not sure... Quote
randroid Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 Gents, Ace Hardware has it from $7 to $17 depending on size. -Randy Quote
greg g Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 Most stores have display with a golf ball stuck to a coke bottle glued to an aluminum block and some other disparet item or surface. http://www.pcepoxy.com/ Quote
thrashingcows Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 Good lord!! I thought you just had a few big cracks....you had half your wheel missing!! You have done an amazing job so far...big pat on the back and an "Atta Boy!!":D Quote
1941Rick Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 Good on you.....now I am thinking about fixing the cracks on my P12....have been quoted $600.00 for the repair....just might do it myself Quote
moose Posted February 17, 2011 Author Report Posted February 17, 2011 Good on you.....now I am thinking about fixing the cracks on my P12....have been quoted $600.00 for the repair....just might do it myself Maybe I should start steeringwheelsbymoose.com:rolleyes: But no, it takes too much work... Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 Moose, I found this pic of a front side in a fellow's website, but not of the back. Quality Restorations in Calif......http://www.qualityrestorations.com/chrysler.html Quote
moose Posted February 17, 2011 Author Report Posted February 17, 2011 Moose, I found this pic of a front side in a fellow's website, but notof the back. Quality Restorations in Calif......http://www.qualityrestorations.com/chrysler.html Man, that is nice. Thanks for finding that Bob. I got a quote from D&D Auto for recasting. $900 or $1000! Mines not going to be that good, but for $10 I think it'll be fine:cool: I like the look of the white. Might be hard to find a green to match mine. Quote
Cpt.Fred Posted February 17, 2011 Report Posted February 17, 2011 great work, moose! i really don't want to do that myself, but good to know how that works in case my steering wheel falls apart one day. it has some cracks already, but i hope it won't be next year... Quote
cwcars88 Posted February 18, 2011 Report Posted February 18, 2011 Looks good,after you paint it you may want to give it a couple of coats of clear. Quote
claybill Posted February 19, 2011 Report Posted February 19, 2011 i have used pc-7 for years....it seems to stick to the steering wheel compound and has a little 'give' as well. because it is a thick putty you can actually fill holes and re-make large gaps...trick, use a small piece of plastic wrap over the fresh lump of pc-7 to help form it as you go. leave the wrap on til it hardens.. you can buy it most anywhere. it also comes in white for water or wet situations.. bill i use rustoleum primer..paint and then rustoleum clear. it pays to use the same brand in rattle can uses. Quote
Dan Hiebert Posted April 4, 2011 Report Posted April 4, 2011 Hey all! After reading through this string I decided to refurbish my steering wheel as well. (Lowes and Home Depot don't stock PC-7 around here, but local hardware shops and Valu Home Stores do.) Everything was going great until I applied the color coat, now a couple of the repairs have separated from the original steering wheel material (new cracks!). I'm tempted to just leave them, because it's still a huge improvement from "before". But I know it'll bug me that they're there, even though they are barely visible. Anyone have any idea what I may have done wrong? I followed the recommended proceedure, ground out the cracks, filled, filed/sanded, repeat fill / file / sand until smooth as a baby's butt. I did wet-sand before I primed it - you'uns think that may have dampened (sorry) the results? Perhaps the original wheel material absorbs moisture and it should have been kept dry? Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted April 4, 2011 Report Posted April 4, 2011 Did the separation happen as soon as you applied color? If so, there might be a chemical incompatibility between the paint and the epoxy. Also, just my opinion, but I'd try to keep water out of the equation if I were doing this, which I will be soon. I guess the other possibility is that the insides of the cracks weren't clean. Quote
Dan Hiebert Posted April 4, 2011 Report Posted April 4, 2011 Pretty much. I used primer, which went well enough to espect "spectacular" results. Once the color coat started curing is when I noticed the cracks. Primer and color are same brand - Rustoleum - but "different" type. I used the "Painter's Touch" for the color coat, the stuff with "twice the coverage". Some paints shrink a tad when they cure, but I wouldn't think that would have enough strength to make cracks - unless as you said the repaired crack wasn't clean enough when I applied the epoxy - plus the wet factor. There's no crazing or other indication the paints were incompatible, and the rest of the wheel looks really good. Still confused, but thanks for the insight. Quote
randroid Posted April 4, 2011 Report Posted April 4, 2011 Dan, No expert I but the cracking has all the symptoms of the epoxy having been applied too thick with each coat. I would think that if you opened the cracks with a hacksaw blade and filled them with fresh epoxy they would cease to be. -Randy Quote
claybill Posted April 4, 2011 Report Posted April 4, 2011 one of the qualities of PC-7 is that you CAN apply in thick layers. not like bondo. artists use it as a filler in sculptures. by using a piece of plastic wrap from the kitchen you can shape it nicely..allow plastic to remaIN UNTIL HARD...GREAT TRICK Quote
Mark D Posted April 5, 2011 Report Posted April 5, 2011 Real nice work Moose. Where do you find the time man?! Quote
PatS.... Posted April 5, 2011 Report Posted April 5, 2011 Nice work Moose. Tom Fonte in Simi Valley CA did mine for me a few yrs ago. All I had was the wire center and a couple of hunks of plastic from 2 spokes to start with Tom sent the wheel back looking like this: (the X was a shipping gouge, since repaired) I don't know if he still does steering wheels or not. He was a forum member, biker99 I think Quote
Dan Hiebert Posted April 5, 2011 Report Posted April 5, 2011 That's what I think I'll do, Randy. Re-attack the "new" cracks and pay a bit more attention to details. Almost hate to as nice as the rest of the steering wheel turned out, but it'll just bug me knowing they're there. Now that the paint is fully cured, they aren't quite as noticeable - just hairline cracks, but with the ebb and flow of temperatures around here, they're bound to get worse. Thanks all Quote
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