Steering wheel care

[vernon.taylor]

Salut

I've just bought a Chapman steering wheel for my car for a foolish amount of money - it's not even the correct wheel but I thought it would look cool.

The rim has the original moulded plastic covering in very good condition - almost feels like a modern wheel. What's the low down on looking after theses things - are there products that should or shouldn't be used to ensure the plastic covering doesn't dry out and become brittle ?

Merci et @+

Vernon

[Galwaylotus]

I thought all Chapman wheels were either wood or leather rimmed!

[types26/36]

I thought all Chapman wheels were either wood or leather rimmed!

No, the Sprints (and probably S4's) had a plastic covered Chapman wheel that the plastic splits with age, normal practice is to recover in leather.

[Galwaylotus]

I thought all Chapman wheels were either wood or leather rimmed!

No, the Sprints (and probably S4's) had a plastic covered Chapman wheel that the plastic splits with age, normal practice is to recover in leather.

Ah. I learn something every day!

[vernon.taylor]

It's a +2 wheel.

[saildrive2001]

My 69 S4 SE has a leather covered wheel.

[elanfan1]

Not sure there is much you can do after it has been cleaned. I highly doubt the plastic dries out as such but perhaps hot and cold cycles of the car being in direct sunlight then cold nights causes expansion and contraction then causes fatigue and splitting. Unlike leather I don't think you can condition it as such. Maybe just keep it covered when not in use and out of extremes of temperature.

Probably quite a valuable wheel as not many survive having not been recovered (and as far as I know no one has found a way to repair or recover in plastic.

[richardcox_lotus]

Mine is plastic covered. There are a couple of minor splits on a seam, which are obviously going to only get worse through use, so any repair tips would be welcome.

Richard
72 Sprint

[Galwaylotus]

Salut

I've just bought a Chapman steering wheel for my car for a foolish amount of money - it's not even the correct wheel but I thought it would look cool.

The rim has the original moulded plastic covering in very good condition - almost feels like a modern wheel. What's the low down on looking after theses things - are there products that should or shouldn't be used to ensure the plastic covering doesn't dry out and become brittle ?

Merci et @+

Vernon

ArmorAll will likely protect the plastic against age cracking but it leaves the surface extremely slippery!! I wouldn't use it on tyre treads or a steering wheel.

[pereirac]

My Sprint also had the hard plastic cover and it was fine (a bit shiny in places) until I dropped it when the plastic cracked I had it recovered in leather by the Lotus factory for a reasonable price. Bell and Colvill sent it back to the factory for me.

[vernon.taylor]

Meguiars recommend this:

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product/g ... onditioner

... and the Chemicalguys this:

http://www.chemicalguys.com/InnerClean_ ... 663_16.htm

The first appeals to me. Anyone tried either of these ?

@+

Vernon

[trw99]

With the increased premiums paid for originality amongst classic cars, I set out recently to find a company that could replicate the hot weld vinyl covering of Sprint steering wheels.

I failed to find one, dear reader.

If anyone elsewhere than the UK wishes to do the same, good luck! I suspect that the tooling and processes necessary to replicate the finish are no longer economically viable or available. However, I would be delighted to be proved wrong!

Tim