Paul Garvey Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Banjo or sprung - there seems to be a few names for the Mk1/2 Spitfire original steering wheels; the ones that look (or are?) the same as the 2 litre Vitesse and TR4. I've just bought one for $20 NZ (10 pound) and it's great aside from a few chips and a couple of cracks where the chromed steel 'rods' meet the rim and I'd like to fill these with something sandable before painting or powder coating. I'm not sure if body filler would do the trick. A bit of a search on the net has offered up an Eastwood repair kit (epoxy) with other sites saying not to use epoxy, a POR15 steering wheel repair kit (pricey), JB Weld and via a morrie minor site 'burning' with a torch (not keen as not sure the wheel is the same material).Paint or powder coat? Has anyone done one? Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drofgum Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 Paul,I repaired a severely cracked wheel from a Volvo 1800S. It is similar to those used on the GT6 rather than the one you wish to repair, but the plastic is the same. I used an epoxy paste product called PC7. It is available here in the States. I think it is the filler compound in the Eastwood kit. It took more than one layer to fill the cracks and spots where the plastic had broken off. Once filled and sanded smooth I finished the filler off with red body spot putty (for filling bubbles etc), then sprayed with black epoxy paint.This was an experiment to find out how difficult it would be to repair a steering wheel's plastic rim. I started with a wheel that should have been scrapped and ended with an acceptable wheel. In no way could it have been considered perfectly repaired, nor did the end result justify the time spent.Someone with better body filler skills than I could have had a better result faster, and starting with a better wheel would be easier.I have used epoxy paint (from a spray can) on the banjo wheel on my Spitfire. The only exposed parts are where the spokes meet the rim. The paint has held up well for ten years. Good luck, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Garvey Posted April 15, 2013 Author Share Posted April 15, 2013 Mine's pretty good so will give it a go - thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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