Leather steering wheel |
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Leather steering wheel |
Montreal914 |
Dec 18 2011, 03:07 PM
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#1
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,554 Joined: 8-August 10 From: Claremont, CA Member No.: 12,023 Region Association: Southern California |
Hello everyone,
I recently decided to rebuild my stock steering wheel and wrap it with leather. I got the kit from All Gun Leather in Florida. There are two options with this kit. Leather wrap on the plastic or making your steering like the 70’s 911RS which has a thicker grip. Basically, the plastic steering gets covered with felt then wrapped with leather. The key for this project is patience. I first sanded down and repainted the spokes Then I fitted the felt and cut it to size. It needs to wrap around and join but without any overlap. Then I sprayed some adhesive and glued the felt cutting around the plastic part of the spoke. Cross stitching is the next step. This is fairly easy. You just need a length of thread and a needle at each end (all supplied with the kit). For the thread, I estimated about 6 to 8 times the peripheral length that I was going to stitch. I started with the two short areas between the spokes, then the bottom part, and finally the top. The leather is pre punched which helps a lot but you have to be careful and count the number of holes to make sure they match. Sometime you need to adjust. Once the work is done, you finish the job using a heat gun to smooth out the wrinkles, making sure you protect the treads because they will melt. Bolt on and enjoy your ride. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif) This project was a slow process and took about 5 nights of stitching (1-2h/n, one area at a time). I thought it was fun and the satisfaction when finished is well worth the work. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) Thank you to Mr.Kona for the inspiration. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) |
mrbubblehead |
Dec 18 2011, 03:22 PM
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#2
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Twodollardoug Group: Members Posts: 1,155 Joined: 17-December 10 From: calimesa ca. Member No.: 12,492 Region Association: Southern California |
WOW! great job. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)
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c12croft |
Dec 18 2011, 03:41 PM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 167 Joined: 24-December 04 From: Long Island, New York Member No.: 3,331 |
Beautiful, but please explain how to create that double stitching?
Is it double threaded as you go along stitching? Is there adhesive over the felt? |
Montreal914 |
Dec 18 2011, 04:04 PM
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#4
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,554 Joined: 8-August 10 From: Claremont, CA Member No.: 12,023 Region Association: Southern California |
Beautiful, but please explain how to create that double stitching? Is it double threaded as you go along stitching? Is there adhesive over the felt? There is no adhesive between the felt and the leather. The leather is tight around it when you stich it so it doesn't slip. For cross stiching, look at this youtube and your set to go. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumb3d.gif) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFBAwFjLhHo |
Drums66 |
Dec 18 2011, 04:05 PM
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#5
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914 Rudiments Group: Members Posts: 5,321 Joined: 15-January 03 From: Coronado,Cali Member No.: 151 Region Association: Southwest Region |
......Really cool...I like that! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)(Mr. kona) |
mepstein |
Dec 18 2011, 04:13 PM
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#6
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914-6 GT in waiting Group: Members Posts: 19,262 Joined: 19-September 09 From: Landenberg, PA/Wilmington, DE Member No.: 10,825 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
Terrific job. I know it costs about $350 to have it done by the pros but I don't think I have the patience to do it myself. Most of the home wrapped ones I've seen have big wrinkles. Yours looks great!
ps - I think you meant Alan Gun - right? |
MrKona |
Dec 18 2011, 04:13 PM
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#7
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 597 Joined: 25-July 05 From: Santa Rosa, CA Member No.: 4,469 Region Association: None |
Wow! That looks great!
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partwerks |
Dec 18 2011, 04:22 PM
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#8
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,593 Joined: 7-September 06 From: Grand Island, NE Member No.: 6,787 |
The texture appears like it would match the dash better?
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Montreal914 |
Dec 18 2011, 04:50 PM
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#9
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,554 Joined: 8-August 10 From: Claremont, CA Member No.: 12,023 Region Association: Southern California |
Terrific job. I know it costs about $350 to have it done by the pros but I don't think I have the patience to do it myself. Most of the home wrapped ones I've seen have big wrinkles. Yours looks great! ps - I think you meant Alan Gun - right? Yes, Alan Gun. As for wrinkles, patience, preciseness and thoroughness...and heat gun! |
no1uno |
Dec 18 2011, 04:57 PM
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#10
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Member Group: Members Posts: 206 Joined: 2-December 10 From: Melbourne, FL Member No.: 12,448 Region Association: South East States |
That turned out really great. Did the felt come in the kit or did you just add it to the leather kit? My wheel looks terrible - I thought I would have to buy aftermarket. That looks doable if I take my time.
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Montreal914 |
Dec 18 2011, 06:30 PM
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#11
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,554 Joined: 8-August 10 From: Claremont, CA Member No.: 12,023 Region Association: Southern California |
That turned out really great. Did the felt come in the kit or did you just add it to the leather kit? My wheel looks terrible - I thought I would have to buy aftermarket. That looks doable if I take my time. Very doable and taking your time is key. There two available kits: one to recover the plastic steering one to recover the plastic steering with felt padding. The one with the felt is called 911RS as it is the same steering as the 914! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) The leather would not be the same in the two kits because of the difference in the grip diameter. Again, patience and making sure the number of holes fit especially when you start stitching and when you're close to an end. For example, if you look closely at this image, you can see 8 stitches from the begining to the inner corner. I started on the fourth hole on the back side leather. Once your done you cut the excess leather off. The wrinkles will go away with the heat gun but you need to protect the thread because they will melt! |
scotty b |
Dec 18 2011, 09:26 PM
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#12
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rust free you say ? Group: Members Posts: 16,375 Joined: 7-January 05 From: richmond, Va. Member No.: 3,419 Region Association: None |
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif) Awesome job. I thought about trying it at one time, but decided to send it out when the time is right/. I'm not sure I have that kind of patience (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)
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rjames |
Dec 19 2011, 01:00 AM
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#13
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I'm made of metal Group: Members Posts: 3,928 Joined: 24-July 05 From: Shoreline, WA Member No.: 4,467 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Looks fantastic!! You just need to paint the wings of the part that sounds the horn and it'll look perfect!
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Tom_T |
Dec 19 2011, 02:13 AM
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#14
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TMI.... Group: Members Posts: 8,318 Joined: 19-March 09 From: Orange, CA Member No.: 10,181 Region Association: Southern California |
Great job! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)
Do the spray painting on the metal part of the horn butterfly too & you'll have a (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif) |
charliew |
Dec 19 2011, 08:43 AM
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#15
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,363 Joined: 31-July 07 From: Crawford, TX. Member No.: 7,958 |
Good job. Especially for in the bathroom. I can do one wheel watching sunday football on the couch. It does make your fingers sore though. I've done a few stainless spoke foam wheels for my jeeps and k5. Is the thread in the kit waxed? The thread I use is for sewing leather and won't melt but needs to be retreated every few years to keep it from fraying.
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JawjaPorsche |
Dec 19 2011, 02:02 PM
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#16
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,463 Joined: 23-July 11 From: Clayton, Georgia Member No.: 13,351 Region Association: South East States |
That is awesome work Montreal914 did on the steering wheel. If you are lazy (like me!) or have no stitching skills (like me!), consider a ten dollar steering wheel cover from Auto Zone. I like the fact that it makes the steering wheel kinda fat which is easier on the hands. Autocraft makes the cover. I don't know have long it will last but for $10 you can't go wrong.
Attached image(s) |
rjames |
Dec 19 2011, 02:13 PM
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#17
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I'm made of metal Group: Members Posts: 3,928 Joined: 24-July 05 From: Shoreline, WA Member No.: 4,467 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
QUOTE I first sanded down and repainted the spokes What paint did you use on the spokes? |
gothspeed |
Dec 19 2011, 03:10 PM
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#18
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,539 Joined: 3-February 09 From: SoCal Member No.: 10,019 Region Association: None |
Fantastic job!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)
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Highland |
Dec 19 2011, 03:20 PM
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#19
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 513 Joined: 8-August 11 From: San Diego, CA Member No.: 13,418 Region Association: Southern California |
Nice job. Alan Gunn redid my sterring wheel and your looks as good as his professional job. Does anyone know how to safely remove the horn pad from the frame to have the frame refinished?
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ConeDodger |
Dec 19 2011, 06:14 PM
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#20
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Apex killer! Group: Members Posts: 23,584 Joined: 31-December 04 From: Tahoe Area Member No.: 3,380 Region Association: Northern California |
Alan Gunn redid mine a few years back. I would have done the kit but the guy who answered the phone quoted me $175 for "fat wrap" job... Hell, I am not going to bother with 10 hours of stitching when they will do it for $175. Turns out that guy doesn't work there any longer. Seems he quoted a bunch of jobs like that! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)
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