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Cord Steering Wheel
- owr3
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Jack Richard's process for steering wheel restoration is correct. POR-15 has an epoxy putty which I have used sucessfully and would recommend. The POR-15 offers a steering wheel restoration kit for about $70. A brief article can be found at www.rodandcustommagazine.com/howto/32158/ which might be of interest. Additionally Jack Turpin, who lives in my town, wrote a book on this subject. I say book although its only 20 pages. He goes in great detail w/pics of the process.
Good luck on your project,
oscar
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- ilikescars
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refurbishing. I would be happy to lend it out as a sample. Let me know!
Mark
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- Bill Hummel
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I know it is child's play for those of you who have taken one apart a hundred times, but I am not sure that I have all of the required pieces, springs, etc.
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- Josh Malks
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I have talked with Dennis at Quality Restorations. Their wheels are legend among the Chevy, Cadillac and Ford folks. He makes a mold from a good original, then casts new wheels in urethane. The plastic material is clear, but he will tint it with paint you supply so it will exactly match your Cord. The Cord wheel looks simple, but is complicated by the fact that the center and part of the spokes are metal, and the plastic spokes butt up against them. I will be sending him soon a good 810 wheel to examine. I also need an 810 wheel on which all or part of the plastic has broken off the rim and spokes, so he can see the size of the steel frame. Anybody got one to lend? He estimates $700-800 for what amounts to a new Cord steering wheel. It's guaranteed forever. (I guess that means as long as the company is in business, but speaks to their confidence.)
Right now we're talking about the smooth-rimmed 810 version, but no reason we can't do an 812 project too.
How about you guys who know more about this than I do jumping in here. . .
Josh B. Malks
810 2087A
ACD Club Life Member
ACD Newsletter editor
Past president
www.automaven.com
Check out CORD COMPLETE at www.cordcomplete.com
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- balinwire
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There are some restorers that can dip the wheel in a bowling ball type of material, and then there are the lifetime castings by Quality Recasting, they may be able to custom cast the smooth or lugged Cord grip pattern. Here is a picture of a similar vintage Cadillac wheel being refurbished.
qualityrestorations.com/sCadilla ... Wheels.htm
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- Ric Simpson
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Ric Simpson,
2001 Niagara Parkway,
Fort Erie, Ontario,
Canada. L2A 5M4
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- Josh Malks
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Josh B. Malks
810 2087A
ACD Club Life Member
ACD Newsletter editor
Past president
www.automaven.com
Check out CORD COMPLETE at www.cordcomplete.com
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- Bill Hummel
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I was lucky to find an original in pretty good condition for $400.00. Perhaps by the time I get it restored, I should have bought one of the metal ones for $750.00.
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- Ric Simpson
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Ric Simpson,
2001 Niagara Parkway,
Fort Erie, Ontario,
Canada. L2A 5M4
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- Bill Hummel
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I have a Glenn Pray Steering wheel, a Stan Gilliland horn ring and button, a George Ehresman steering column and horns from George Arakelian. Quite a distinguished crowd!
I have to find a way to make the Cord steering column tie into my GM steering mechanism. Until the original engine goes back in, I am going to let the Cord shifter sit there and look pretty.
I am considering the installation of a hidden Lokar shifter to control the GM Turbohydromatic 400 transmission.
Josh Malks has suggested that I let the Cord shifter control my turn signals! Not a bad idea. May as well do something with it while I am waiting and pondering my next move.
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- Jack Richard
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I ground out the cracks with a dremel and small round burr (drill) which allowed the epoxy (PC-7) to penetrate into the cracks better, and more clean surface to bond to. I left the epoxy slightly raised, then the next day carefull sanded it down level with the rest of the wheel. I then cleaned the whole wheel, sanded with #150 then #280 sandpaper and used and epoxy primer (PPG DP-40). I then gave it several coats of acrylic urethane primer surfacer and allowed to dry a week. After carful sanding of the whole wheel with #500 paper, I painted with single stage acrylic urethane enamel (same color as used on the car body, steering column and wheel center cover). It looks great and the cracks haven' opened up any more. I do think that with time they may, as the original plastic may continue to shrink, but that's for the the next restoration!
Jack Richard
Jack Richard, D.D.S.
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- Jazzman
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I have heard there are 29,816 parts to one of these cords. Most of mine came ups..... and didn't fit
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- Bill Hummel
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There are 3 cracks in my steering wheel.
Who has a good technique for restoring a steering wheel. Or is this too complicated? Should I just send it to someone to have it restored?
It is an original steering wheel that I just picked up from Glenn Pray. He said to use body filler to fill the cracks. Georges Arakelian and Ehresman are recommending epoxy.
I guess there is more than one way to restore one of these.
I need some ideas.
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