Avanti Steering Wheel Repair

[psdenno]

Avanti steering wheels are prone to breaking at the welds attaching the steering wheel spokes to the rim.  When I bought my ’63 R2 50 years ago, the owner had been steering the car with just the two steering wheel spokes.  The rim of the wheel had broken loose and was in the trunk.

I replaced the steering wheel with the last new one Standard Surplus had - a brown fake wood colored unit used on the 1964 Avantis.  My plan was to get the rim of the original fawn colored steering wheel rewelded to the spokes  and somehow make it look new again.  As I mentioned, that was 50 years ago.

Over the years, I took my broken steering wheel to several welding shops to see about getting it fixed.  No one wanted to try for fear of melting the adjacent plastic on the rim.  A few months ago, I found a welder who did the job.

Then, it was time to rebuild and shape several inches of the rim where plastic material had been removed to accommodate the two welds.  The final step was to paint the steering wheel.

Pictures of the process are below.

[mfg]

45 minutes ago, psdenno said:

Avanti steering wheels are prone to breaking at the welds attaching the steering wheel spokes to the rim.  When I bought my ’63 R2 50 years ago, the owner had been steering the car with just the two steering wheel spokes.  The rim of the wheel had broken loose and was in the trunk.

I replaced the steering wheel with the last new one Standard Surplus had - a brown fake wood colored unit used on the 1964 Avantis.  My plan was to get the rim of the original fawn colored steering wheel rewelded to the spokes  and somehow make it look new again.  As I mentioned, that was 50 years ago.

Over the years, I took my broken steering wheel to several welding shops to see about getting it fixed.  No one wanted to try for fear of melting the adjacent plastic on the rim.  A few months ago, I found a welder who did the job.

Then, it was time to rebuild and shape several inches of the rim where plastic material had been removed to accommodate the two welds.  The final step was to paint the steering wheel.

Pictures of the process are below.

I think that you did an absolutely beautiful job on the original wheel… but I suppose you could have also just repainted the walnut wheel for the same effect?

(maybe you did not want to ruin an original walnut Stude Avanti steering wheel!)

[psdenno]

8 minutes ago, mfg said:

I think that you did an absolutely beautiful job on the original wheel… but I suppose you could have also just repainted the walnut wheel for the same effect?

(maybe you did not want to ruin an original walnut Stude Avanti steering wheel!)

Thank you.  Unfortunately, the Walnut wheel recently came loose at the welds which prompted me to get serious about fixing the original steering wheel.  The Walnut wheel will be the next project.

[Stacey]

When it came to real finace welding the guys who built custom bicycles were the guys who could weld those specialty items. Your redone wheel looks like new, great job.

[psdenno]

3 minutes ago, Stacey said:

When it came to real finace welding the guys who built custom bicycles were the guys who could weld those specialty items. Your redone wheel looks like new, great job.

Thanks!  In my case, the welding was done by a retired high school metals shop teacher who also taught welding at the local junior college.  The rest of the rebuilding/filling/grinding/sanding was my DIY project.  I figured I'd give it a try and couldn't ruin it more than it was when I got it.

[mfg]

3 hours ago, psdenno said:

Thanks!  In my case, the welding was done by a retired high school metals shop teacher who also taught welding at the local junior college.  The rest of the rebuilding/filling/grinding/sanding was my DIY project.  I figured I'd give it a try and couldn't ruin it more than it was when I got it.

Amazing that the fellow you bought your Avanti from was steering it using just the two spokes… I just can’t picture that!!

[psdenno]

1 hour ago, mfg said:

Amazing that the fellow you bought your Avanti from was steering it using just the two spokes… I just can’t picture that!!

Try it sometime with your Avanti.  Just keep both hands on the spokes and not on the rim.  I drove it that way for a while until I got the replacement later style walnut wheel.  Kind of like flying an airplane. 😎

[John Brissette]

Very nice job!

What did you use as the "filler"? And what did you use to paint it.......... rattle can........single stage.........Base coat clear coat? Or..........

[psdenno]

4 hours ago, John Brissette said:

Very nice job!

What did you use as the "filler"? And what did you use to paint it.......... rattle can........single stage.........Base coat clear coat? Or..........

Thanks, filler material is two part slow drying epoxy.  Drying time:  24-48 hours for best results for shaping, grinding, and sanding.  Paint is primer, base coat, and clear coat.  Color matching and painting were both done by a local auto body shop.  

I can't weld and I can't paint.  But, after a lot of research and YouTube video watching I felt I could do the rim rebuilding.  All of the "grunt" work prior to painting was done in my garage.  If you do it yourself, plan on many hours with a Dremel tool, power sander, mini file set, and progressively finer sand paper.

I'll be working on my walnut Avanti wheel next.

[mfg]

39 minutes ago, psdenno said:

Thanks, filler material is two part slow drying epoxy.  Drying time:  24-48 hours for best results for shaping, grinding, and sanding.  Paint is primer, base coat, and clear coat.  Color matching and painting were both done by a local auto body shop.  

I can't weld and I can't paint.  But, after a lot of research and YouTube video watching I felt I could do the rim rebuilding.  All of the "grunt" work prior to painting was done in my garage.  If you do it yourself, plan on many hours with a Dremel tool, power sander, mini file set, and progressively finer sand paper.

I'll be working on my walnut Avanti wheel next.

I’d imagine trying to replicate the ‘walnut’ paint look would be a real challenge… I’ve seen, on a few of the later Avantis, that Studebaker used a ‘straight brown’ color on the steering wheel on a few of their ‘walnut grain dash/console cars.

[psdenno]

2 hours ago, mfg said:

I’d imagine trying to replicate the ‘walnut’ paint look would be a real challenge… I’ve seen, on a few of the later Avantis, that Studebaker used a ‘straight brown’ color on the steering wheel on a few of their ‘walnut grain dash/console cars.

Yes, the degree of difficulty will rise on the walnut wheel.  However, as with every other aspect of life, Google is your friend.  A search results in several "How To" links to restoring and replicating wood grain on plastic steering wheels used on the Avanti and several GM cars built in the 1960s.

It just takes time and that's why the folks who restore wheels charge what they do.  Materials required are inexpensive.  It's the hours of labor that jacks up the cost.