So I'm embarking upon a winter project of making a 380mm RS wheel for my assdragger.

Got the foam padded faux leather teener wheel from Mr. Heard. Many thanks. Got the center cap from Kelly. Many, many thanks and you are now free to marry my daughter (the other one Slits... fear not).

I ordered a wheelskin from Autoperformancemotion Products. Wrong. It doesn't have the yoke tabs to cover the wheel properly.

Who (Brer) has BTDT and where did you get the leather cover? Please don't tell me AGLA as I've only heard horror stories. Are there any others out there?

I don't know of any DIY covers but Tony at Autobahn Interiors does a great job of doing the double leather cover for the 380 RS wheels. He does great work and reasonable compared to a lot of other. HTH

Thanks... I know they're out there. I may make my own as well like what George K did here:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread....hlight=steering

I may go with the local guy here (who's a closet teener owner and did my interior in the 911)... still not sure how much work this will be.

Start a thread and tell us about your car. Again,

Eric,

Thanks for the welcome. George K's wheel came out great. I had a friend who used to do upholstery and watching him do one, I don't think that I would want to try to sew it on myself. Do you know how to remove the chrome ring on the horn button? I will put a thread up one of these days when I get some pics.

Garry

I've had my mind on doing the same thing. I have a real leather 914 wheel and an early 911 horn button. I would love to over-wrap the existing 914 wheel.

The name that always rises to the top is Tony at Autobahn. And, I think he charges around $700?

I think the only way to do it yourself right, is cut your own leather. I've read the same things about AGLA.

I may have to resort to that... I checked with Scott's in Anaheim, they're at $595 or somthing like that. I may have my local guy do it but... I want to at least try.

Mmmmmmmmmm can't wait. Thanks again to Kelly and Mark for bringing this a bit closer to reality.

Click to view attachment

This is an ad on eBay for Jorge at Sierramadre Collection Pasadena CA where I got my Rare Porsche 911 RS 914/6 Leather Steering Wheel,380mm. If you have a leather wheel he can recover it for you. The work is great. I had no wheel. So I had to get a good leather wheel to start. I had over $600. In my wheel but it looks great and that is what I wanted. If you have one with leather on it that is not ripped, I think the price for a good wrap over the ok leather is $250. or so. Email him and ask.

His ad. This is the real thing.....Porsche VDM 380mm in diameter DOUBLE leather cover. This wheel fits all 911.912,914 up to 1973. This wheel is ready to be installed & enjoyed! Buy with confidence - we have sold over 300 early Porsche steering wheels to satisfied buyers! Please email me with any questions before bidding.

(Pacific Standard Time) or email us at jorge@sierramadrecollection.com

Bob Burton

This picture is from his ad my wheel is all packed and waiting.

Click to view attachment

Thanks for the link Bob.

I have the foam padded 914 wheel. This wheel is the perfect base wheel as it is foam padded and the foam was originally made to look like leather. One leather wrap and it should be done.

Email sent. I'll see what Jorge has to say. Thanks again.

E.

I have heard that the foam wheel is not the way to go, as it is too much squish. I started with nothing so I asked George at AA and he said old leather and recover that. I asked him if the foam wheel with leather over it was good and he said no way.

Regards,


Bob

Bummer... heard that from Randy Wells who has one on his RS. Loves it...

Try autos international auto intl , they can redo it or send you the skins.

Call them because I don't recall there wheel skins being on the site. Aare you going to double it up like GeorgeK or use a padded material under the leather?

E,

This is a different company that does this work in Texas. Take a look at there web site and give them a call. I know nothing on them.

Bob

http://www.dallassteeringwheel.com/about.htm


Contact Information:

Dallas Custom Steering Wheel

1625 Lone Hollow

Garland, TX 75040

This is a STATEMENT!!! It's all about Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel.

This is the only place where you can find the quality to meet or exceed OEM specifications.

Our goal is customer's satisfaction.

Any wheel, any color, only 2 days turn around.

Custom Crafted in Genuine Leather Exceeds New Car Quality.


Phone: (469) 449-7973

Email: info@Dallassteeringwheel.com

what is the part 914# for the 380mm wheel?

It is the stock 914 wheel size

Bob

I'll try them as well... Thanks! With the padded wheel, it's basically set up like a one-skin leather wheel so, the idea would be to put only one additional skin on it. These padded 914 wheels are molded foam that (when new) look like a leather wheel. Stitching is molded in and everything.

Bob, thanks for that lead as well. I found them on eBay last night and emailed them already. I'll check to see if I received any replies.

E.

So any good news you can pass on E? The wheel I have is a real leather one, with the thick leather. It seems like a good core for an overwrap. I bought this with an eye to the future.....

New Horn Center

Dallas came back at $219 plus $17 shipping. This would be my choice if I decide to outsource.

Jorge said no to the skin and to re-skinning mine, but, he'll sell me a wheel for $5-600

Scott's in Anaheim is in the $600 range.

No reply yet from Auto's International on the skin. I think I'll do something very strange and ACTUALLY PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THEM!!

I'll keep you all posted.

Called Auto' International... nice enough gal on the phone. Didn't have a clue about a skin. Didn't even know how they would price such a thing. Said the wheel would be $375 to cover though.

E,

I would spent time refinishing the black paint yourself as under my center wheel the paint it is not 100%. The leatherwork is very good but at the price he told you and the fact that he will not work with what you have it sounds like Texas may be the deal unless you want to wrap it yourself? Did you ask the people in Texas if they would sell you an outer skin?

It may be fun to give the leather a try but it is not an easy thing to do to get each stitch perfect.

I took these pictures of my wheel in the box. I had taken it out when it arrived a few months ago and did not repack it as well as it came to me. I have a small dent now on the wheel at 3.00 it is fading as I rubbed it and I repacked it very careful. A warning to put our parts away very careful as they can get damaged on the shelf. You all must know this, so now I do as well.

Also the people must cut the leather for the small center hub, as the leather on my wheel is longer than what you show on the GT wheel.

Bob

The center cap would be a perfect addition to 41

The center cap would look good on #41 but the leather would need to cut back perfect and the black finished perfect. I do not see them often for sale. The feeling of the double leather is very nice as it does have some squish. Nothing better than the new leather.

Not to have a fetish but I love the new leather feel and smell. O I dig the hot babe on the tattoo thing you posted. When I did it she kept saying something that sounding like Bobby.

Bob

Eric, what did you use for the center cap - the upper picture in the ebay link that Jason sent? What's required - the center cap, embossed leatherette piece, and the ring? I'd like to do the same thing, just need to understand the "parts list"

thanks!

Matt,

Those are early 911 horn buttons. I got that one from Kelly. They are reproducing them at mittlemotor.com... something like e10.00 or with the value of todays dollar... $5,000 USD They are getting harder to find these days. That's why Kelly gets my second born (Slits already took the first born).

http://www.mittelmotor.de/webshop/englisch...sp?foto=0,08401 e249.00

Bobby...you either have a leather fetish or a Brazilian babe fetish (or both).

I got the new leather center for mine here:
http://www.porschepalace.com/steeringwheel.htm

I have a horn button similar to the GT, but there is no outer ring that comes off to put the leather under. Anybody seen one of those before?

Not I but... that's a cool link. Looks like they may have what I need.

Thanks!

The Brazilian babe is it but the 249E is $364.USD the link dos not bring me to the page on there site but I know how to find them now. I have seen these on Ebay before over the last year . One or two times.

Bob

I may have to pick some of those leather pads I had looked into getting new ones before but couldn't find a source.

Eric - yep, caught the drift on the second born daughter - I'll add here that I thought of commenting on your Christmas card picture .. when John Bulishi, in the "Blues Brothers" movie, turned to the family in the restaurant and said, "how much for your women?"

Mark - I'll check that link. Thanks!

All spoken for now... sorry.

I figured I should post the final result here.

Over the past few months I had called and checked on leather etc. Most of the progress can be viewed in this thread. The wheel actually sat in a box for a couple of months as I got busy with other niceties (building your calipers! )

After reviewing a few factors, I decided upon Dallas Custom Steering Wheel (link posted in this thread). They do not have the facilities to properly refinish your spokes so... if you're wheel needs new paint; do this before you send it to them. $249.00 was the cost and it was done and back to me within 1 weeks time. Amazing turn-around. Don sent pictures of the wheel as well so I could be certian I was happy with it before I paid for it. I did have a problem with the finish on the spokes (as mentioned... do this prior to sending it to them) but Don understood completely and reversed that charge. Top notch customer service in my book. Quick service, reasonable price, photo confirmation... good people.

Many thanks to Kelly and Mark for making this a reality. All tolled = Around $350.00

Enjoy:

that's a great looking wheel. unclear, did you go over the foam/faux leather with the new skin or strip it down? there maybe life for the wheels i have taking up space.

I went over the foam. Those wheels are more desirable for this application IMHO. I sought one out.

The general rule of thought was to double wrap a standard leather wrapped wheel and you would get the RS sport wheel out of the deal (same 380mm size of the 914 wheels). The factory wheels have a very slight amount of foam layered in there (1/8th" or something like that). By starting with one of the 914 faux leather wheels, you simply wrap over the fairly stiff foam and believe me, it's perfect.

Geez, now ya got me thinkin' I may have to do that. It looks great.

I used an AGLA kit and had no problems at all. Fit was perfect and it stiched-up real nice. Cost was about $80.

Click to view attachment

Paul

Yeah but you are more talented than I am!

Just looking at all that stitching gave me the hives!!

Actually, the stiching isn't all that bad. Once you get the hang of it it goes quite fast. The 914 wheel only took about 3 hours to do (sitting out on the lake home deck drinking a few cool ones) I also used an AGLA kit for a 78 SC 3 spoke wheel that turned out nice too.

Paul

Oh... S-H-U-T U-P already!