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MG TD TF 1500 - For those wanting to restore their steering wheel

I know some of you like doing things for yourself. John Gunnell, a TD and other MG car owner and proprietor of a car restoration shop posted a interesting web page for a company that makes all the stuff needed to recast your steering wheel.

They also make rubber mold material so you can mold just about any part you may want to cast.

No financial interest.

http://www.alumilite.com/Applications/AutoRestoration.cfm
Bruce Cunha

Interesting 'how-to' pictures in that link, although I would have liked to see how they set up the metal frame of the steering wheel before pouring.

Matthew.
M Magilton

I believe this method requires the use of a healthy steering wheel to enable the creation of a mold. If the steering wheel to be repaired is deteriorated (and why else would you want to repair it?), it would not provide a suitable mold pattern.
Corey Pedersen

Matthew,
From what I saw in the pics, it seems like there isn't any metal frame in the wheel!,, Just the alumilite,,,,

I guess you could weld on small dia pins as "feet" to keep the metal frame in the center of the mold,, then fill the holes later,,,,,

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

So if I have got this right, then the plan would go something like:
1-Make a mould using a good wheel.
2-Stip a bad wheel back to its metal frame.
3-Cast the new wheel with the spokes of the frame holding the metal rim in its correct location.
Correct?

Matthew.
M Magilton

That is what it would appear Matthew. I see on their site that someone has asked about casting a wheel with wire spokes. There is not a specific answer.

Seems to me pouring the mold with a reasonable rim and then replacing the inside with the stripped wire and pouring would do it.

I have not had the leather off my wheel in 38 years and don't remember just what shape it was in. Having a nice one would sure make the mold a lot better.
Bruce Cunha

I recently watched a probably dated “Wheeler Dealers” chapter in Discovery TV in Spain, where Mike Brewer and Edd China restored a BMW Isetta.

As part of the job, Mike Brewer brought the steering wheel to a shop in UK, where they cast a new plastic rim, keeping the steel skeleton and wire spokes (the Isetta wheel is very similar to ours).

Perhaps it would not be very difficult to trace the episode and the shop for someone interested.

Jesús
J Benajes

Looks pretty cool to me!
RK Rich

...the mold for one of ours would just be the outer rim and spoke ends....
I would be using more then one pour hole...maybe one at each spoke.... and as mentioned...little bits to hold the metal rim in the centre of the mold...

Should use very little resin to cast....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

I still want a "G-Lawson" steering wheel!
David Sheward

I once took an old steering wheel and with a kit from Eastwood I made a desent wheel. Entered it into an auction at GOF and swapped for something else

EHC
Ellis Carlton

This thread was discussed between 01/01/2013 and 07/01/2013

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