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Re: [Healeys] Steering wheel restoration

To: i erbs <eyera3000@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Steering wheel restoration
From: Curtis Arndt <cnaarndt@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2016 19:29:22 -0800
Cc: Healey list <healeys@autox.team.net>
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: healeys@autox.team.net
References: <mailman.1.1455562801.31428.healeys@autox.team.net> <BY2PR17MB0390A0579227C890ACCDBF81B5AC0@BY2PR17MB0390.namprd17.prod.outlook.com> <1720016992.26387817.1455568830943.JavaMail.zimbra@comcast.net> <001801d1683c$b1633390$14299ab0$@sbcglobal.net> <CAB3i7LLMWHvwu7ymu2zMYqmxu+3UGthFHsuHqSycmX2u_4wS+g@mail.gmail.com> <CAJKrNeRA4_WQ7bU6SZ7bcVi8hvTKZt08tN5J-Mm6XFEGOFuchw@mail.gmail.com> <CABXhz8_z02BqE1Fu23xdNyLZH-tT20RzDB3MH4Nw2L1g2Bxqzw@mail.gmail.com>
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Ira,

I completely stripped and repainted my hub.  I used a spray can Appliance
Epoxy enamel.

C

On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 6:54 PM, i erbs <eyera3000@gmail.com> wrote:

> What about chips in the hub paint. Any ideas on matching the black
> thickness?
>
> Ira Erbs
> Portland,OR
>       _______                                  _______
>      (______ \____1959 BN4____/ _______)
>          (_________________________)
>           BT7 engine and disk brakes
>
> On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 6:32 PM, Curtis Arndt <cnaarndt@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi All
>>
>> I have to agree with John Spaur and Michael Salter that restoring an
>> original wheel is hit and miss at best.  It is so difficult that both Roger
>> Moment and Don Fisher recast their wheels on the original frames versus
>> trying to repair/restore them.  Don is not only a dentist but has taught at
>> the UCLA dental school for over 50 years, so casting the wheel was not
>> difficult for him.  The same with Roger whose fabrication skills are second
>> to none and his recast wheel was nothing short of brilliant.  BTW Roger
>> initially repaired his wheel and it cracked again in short order which is
>> why he re-cast it.
>>
>> Also as the trafficator/Bakelite expert I can state the the steering
>> wheels were NOT Bakelite but plastic.  See attached photos of my restored
>> '55 BN1 wheel that never had any cracks whatsoever.  I just lightly sanded
>> and polished the rim and painted the hub with a high quality epoxy enamel.
>>
>> Better yet, buy a correct period wooden wheel from Michael Lempert as I
>> also have one of his wheels for my car.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Curt Arndt
>> Carlsbad, CA
>> '55 BN1, '60 AN5 :{)
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 3:27 PM, Michael Salter <michaelsalter@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> "I would not recommend restoring the original plastic steering wheels
>>> when
>>> excellent reproductions are available."
>>> I would have to concur with John on that. However, if you are looking to
>>> restore a very early 100 wheel, either adjustable or non adjustable  17"
>>> diameter or a 16 1/2" non adjustable wheel they are unavailable in
>>> reproductions so extreme measures are called for!!!
>>> The last wheel that I restored using the acetone method, suggested to me
>>> by Bob Yule BTW, was on #174 andthe result was good enough to score
>>> concours gold at Gettysburg and shows no signs of cracking  3 years after I
>>> finished restoring it.
>>> I believe that the real problem is that the plastic used to make these
>>> wheels originally tends to shrink over time and eventually cracks appear to
>>> relieve the resulting tensile stress.
>>> In my experience any filler material, other than the original, fails to
>>> bond strongly and as a result cracks appear at the material boundaries very
>>> quickly.
>>>
>>> Just sayin'
>>>
>>> Michael S
>>>
>>> On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 5:03 PM, John Spaur <jmsdarch@sbcglobal.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I would not recommend restoring the original plastic steering wheels
>>>> when
>>>> excellent reproductions are available.
>>>>
>>>> The reason the plastic has cracked is because water has penetrated the
>>>> wheel
>>>> and it has started to oxidize the metal reinforcement which has
>>>> expanded and
>>>> cracked the wheel. That process may of slowed down, but it will never
>>>> stop.
>>>>
>>>> I stored an original wheel in my garage for several years intending to
>>>> restore it. It appeared to be in the same reasonable shape when I went
>>>> to
>>>> inspect it in preparation for restoration. When I pull at parts of it
>>>> that
>>>> looked to be in good shape, it  just crumbled in my hands.
>>>>
>>>> John Spaur
>>>> '62 BT7
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
>>>> Suggested annual donation  $12.75
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>>>>
>>>> Healeys@autox.team.net
>>>> http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys
>>>>
>>>> Unsubscribe/Manage:
>>>> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/michaelsalter@gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> *If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.*
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
>>> Suggested annual donation  $12.75
>>> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
>>> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
>>>
>>> Healeys@autox.team.net
>>> http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys
>>>
>>> Unsubscribe/Manage:
>>> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/cnaarndt@gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Support Team.Net http://www.team.net/donate.html
>> Suggested annual donation  $12.75
>> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
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>>
>> Healeys@autox.team.net
>> http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys
>>
>> Unsubscribe/Manage:
>> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/healeys/eyera3000@gmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>

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Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Ira,<br><br>I completely stripped and repainted my hu=
b.=C2=A0 I used a spray can Appliance Epoxy enamel.<br><br></div>C<br></div=
><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, Feb 15, =
2016 at 6:54 PM, i erbs <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:eyera3000@g=
mail.com" target=3D"_blank">eyera3000@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><b=
lockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px =
#ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">What about chips in the hub p=
aint. Any ideas on matching the black thickness?</div><div class=3D"gmail_e=
xtra"><br clear=3D"all"><div><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><d=
iv dir=3D"ltr">Ira Erbs<div>Portland,OR</div><div><span style=3D"font-famil=
y:&#39;Times New Roman&#39;,serif">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 _______ =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0_______</span><br style=3D"font-family:&#=
39;Times New Roman&#39;,serif"><span style=3D"font-family:&#39;Times New Ro=
man&#39;,serif">=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0 (______ \____1959 BN4____/ _______)</sp=
an><br style=3D"font-family:&#39;Times New Roman&#39;,serif"><span style=3D=
"font-family:&#39;Times New Roman&#39;,serif">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0=
=C2=A0 (_________________________)</span></div><div>=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 BT7 engine and disk brakes</div></div></div></div></div></div=
></div>
<br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div><div class=3D"h5">On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 =
at 6:32 PM, Curtis Arndt <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:cnaarndt@g=
mail.com" target=3D"_blank">cnaarndt@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br></d=
iv></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;borde=
r-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div class=3D"h5"><div dir=3D"=
ltr"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Hi All<br><br></div>I have to agree=
 with John Spaur and Michael Salter that restoring an original wheel is hit=
 and miss at best.=C2=A0 It is so difficult that both Roger Moment and Don =
Fisher recast their wheels on the original frames versus trying to repair/r=
estore them.=C2=A0 Don is not only a dentist but has taught at the UCLA den=
tal school for over 50 years, so casting the wheel was not difficult for hi=
m.=C2=A0 The same with Roger whose fabrication skills are second to none an=
d his recast wheel was nothing short of brilliant.=C2=A0 BTW Roger initiall=
y repaired his wheel and it cracked again in short order which is why he re=
-cast it.<br><br></div>Also as the trafficator/Bakelite expert I can state =
the the steering wheels were NOT Bakelite but plastic.=C2=A0 See attached p=
hotos of my restored &#39;55 BN1 wheel that never had any cracks whatsoever=
.=C2=A0 I just lightly sanded and polished the rim and painted the hub with=
 a high quality epoxy enamel.<br><br></div>Better yet, buy a correct period=
 wooden wheel from Michael Lempert as I also have one of his wheels for my =
car.<br><br></div>Cheers,<br><br></div>Curt Arndt<br></div>Carlsbad, CA<br>=
</div>&#39;55 BN1, &#39;60 AN5 :{)<br></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br>=
<div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div><div>On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 3:27 PM, Micha=
el Salter <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:michaelsalter@gmail.com"; =
target=3D"_blank">michaelsalter@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br></div></=
div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-lef=
t:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D=
"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:sma=
ll"><span>&quot;I would not recommend restoring the original plastic steeri=
ng wheels when<br>
excellent reproductions are available.&quot;<br></span>I would have to conc=
ur with John on that. However, if you are looking to restore a very early 1=
00 wheel, either adjustable or non adjustable=C2=A0 17&quot; diameter or a =
16 1/2&quot; non adjustable wheel they are unavailable in reproductions so =
extreme measures are called for!!!<br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" st=
yle=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">The last wheel=
 that I restored using the acetone method, suggested to me by Bob Yule BTW,=
 was on #174 andthe result was good enough to score concours gold at Gettys=
burg and shows no signs of cracking=C2=A0 3 years after I finished restorin=
g it.<br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans=
 ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">I believe that the real problem is that the=
 plastic used to make these wheels originally tends to shrink over time and=
 eventually cracks appear to relieve the resulting tensile stress. <br></di=
v><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-seri=
f;font-size:small">In my experience any filler material, other than the ori=
ginal, fails to bond strongly and as a result cracks appear at the material=
 boundaries very quickly.<br><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=
=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">Just sayin&#39;<b=
r><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms=
,sans-serif;font-size:small">Michael S<br></div></div><div class=3D"gmail_e=
xtra"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><span>On Mon, Feb 15, 2016 at 5:03 PM,=
 John Spaur <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:jmsdarch@sbcglobal.net"=
 target=3D"_blank">jmsdarch@sbcglobal.net</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br></span><=
blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px=
 #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><span>I would not recommend restoring the ori=
ginal plastic steering wheels when<br>
excellent reproductions are available.<br>
<br>
The reason the plastic has cracked is because water has penetrated the whee=
l<br>
and it has started to oxidize the metal reinforcement which has expanded an=
d<br>
cracked the wheel. That process may of slowed down, but it will never stop.=
<br>
<br>
I stored an original wheel in my garage for several years intending to<br>
restore it. It appeared to be in the same reasonable shape when I went to<b=
r>
inspect it in preparation for restoration. When I pull at parts of it that<=
br>
looked to be in good shape, it=C2=A0 just crumbled in my hands.<br>
<span><font color=3D"#888888"><br>
John Spaur<br>
&#39;62 BT7<br>
</font></span></span><div><div><span><br>
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<br><span><font color=3D"#888888">
</font></span></div></div></blockquote></div><span><font color=3D"#888888">=
<br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr=
"><i><font size=3D"2"><span style=3D"color:black">If you can&#39;t fix it w=
ith a hammer, you&#39;ve got an electrical problem.</span></font></i><br><b=
r><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div></div></div>
</font></span></div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br></div>
</blockquote></div><br></div>

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