steering wheel

[lostforawhile]

I'm about to go back to the yard and get this for five dollars, I know how to machine out the center splines and weld in splines from a factory Honda wheel, or I may modify it to fit a grant hub adaptor. great shape, has a small gap which is normal, a little bit of sanding some plastic wood, more sanding, and maby stained a dark black walnut with the metal painted black. horn button works great, I will have to modify it with a round honda emblem, I have one from a 600 already. I love old wooden wheels like this, rare to find them this nice. I decided to get rid of the cruise setup anyway. nowhere to put the actuator and too much complexity and weight. http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020942.jpg

[9shorty20]

looks nice....be sure to post some pics after you finish cuz i have a feeling its gonna look good

[lostforawhile]

back, didn't have a big enough socket, heading out again

[stat1K]

is it supposed to have that crack in the middle?

[lostforawhile]

is it supposed to have that crack in the middle?

they shrink, it's an easy fix, stainable plastic wood, and sanding, then re staining the wheel. it's in excellent condition being from 77, no rot or other problems, I wanted a dark walnut, almost black look anyway. It almost looks like the splines are the same, but the problem will be the contactor ring, I'll probably just adapt it to a grant kit.

[stat1K]

yeah that would probably be easiest, i want to do that with my 78cvcc wheel, it's the black plastic with the metal 3 spoke, i like it but so do a lot of people looking at my car :-\... it's actually held on to the hub/spline ring with 3 bolts, i was thinking they might even be similar to one of those 3 bolt quick release designs, just have been lazy in measuring. but i know it would be easy to drill into them i just don't know if i want to do that to my vintage wheel.

[lostforawhile]

yeah that would probably be easiest, i want to do that with my 78cvcc wheel, it's the black plastic with the metal 3 spoke, i like it but so do a lot of people looking at my car :-\... it's actually held on to the hub/spline ring with 3 bolts, i was thinking they might even be similar to one of those 3 bolt quick release designs, just have been lazy in measuring. but i know it would be easy to drill into them i just don't know if i want to do that to my vintage wheel.

this is going to be a piece of cake once i can get a grant adaptor, the center of the wheel is basically flat with the horn contactor ring riveted to it in three places, the plastic horn button snaps into slots in the steel wheel, the back is an inverted plastic cup with the contact ring inside of it, once i remove that, i just rivet a ring connector to one of the rivets for the horn contact i'm not sure how far the splines stick out, but i can machine them off.i'll drill three holes for the grant adaptor and it'll mount like a grant steering wheel. this wheel is gorgeous, it's hard to tell with the cluster out, and the center console out, I also forgot this wheel has lightning holes, they match my shifter I made.

[lostforawhile]

cluster is out, but it's just sitting in there right now,
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020951.jpg
nice trunk rack on this thing
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020950.jpg
these cars were the bomb literally, Pinto's got nothing on them, all thats between you and having the ruptured gas tank throw fuel all over you from behind is the thin filler panel at the back of the car. probably any rear end collision over 20 would rupture the gas tank. That sob would have to be ripped out for a fuel cell. Oh and the gas tank is protected from everything in the trunk by a magic piece of cardboard.
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020948.jpg
hmmm found this under the hood
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020946.jpg
I had a heck of a time getting that wheel out
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020945.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020944.jpg

[2ndGenGuy]

Is that a 40DCNF? It looks pretty clean.

[lostforawhile]

Is that a 40DCNF? It looks pretty clean.

i'm not sure i'm going to drill out the rivets holding the horn ring later and take that cup off, it looks like it will be really easy to adapt to a grant adaptor. I can leave the horn button just like it is other then cleaning it and painting it.

[ShyBoyCA6]

aaahhhhhhh!!!!! what happen to your hatch??? and whats with that steering wheel??? im not hating im just pointing out

[lostforawhile]

aaahhhhhhh!!!!! what happen to your hatch??? and whats with that steering wheel??? im not hating im just pointing out

relax it's fine, i have the better dash almost ready to paint, then go in, I have to fix the heater core anyway so no big deal, somewhere on here is my thread on the center console, i think it's under lostforawhile's hatchback door lock project, I have almost 200 hours in the center console area alone.

[lostforawhile]

here's the center console, it's on my dining room table right now getting it's wiring harness. the wheel rim will get dyed a much darker stain and the metal part will be black, a lot like early honda wheels. http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71522

[blazin3gen]

not bad

[lostforawhile]

the wheel is all dismantled now, plastic shroud is off, contact ring is out, horn ring is off, I need to cut off the splines and grind the back of the wheel flat, then it can be drilled for a grant adapter, the only tricky thing will be making some threaded insulators for the horn ring

the back of the wheel ,this is what needs to be ground off

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020952.jpg

inside of wheel
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020953.jpg
the wood is beautiful, i hate to have to restain it, but i need to fix the gap
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020954.jpg

[lostforawhile]

this is the latest step on the wheel, I'm filling most of the gap with Marson flexible repair compound, it should allow the repair to expand and contract without breaking. It's a two part compound that you mix like body filler except it's mixed 1:1

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b205/moultriemanicmechanic/S4020968.jpg

It's mixed until it's a light blue color

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b205/moultriemanicmechanic/S4020969.jpg


I used my finger to force the repair compound into the notch, to just below the edge of the wood veneer

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b205/moultriemanicmechanic/S4020970.jpg

next will be the final filler

[Dr_Snooz]

Very sweet find! Hope you get the crack all fixed.

[lostforawhile]

I've got a lot more done, I just need to get some camera batteries.

[lostforawhile]

Ok I have batteries now, I have the original splines cut off, I wish I had my camera earlier because this involved a six inch angle grinder a cut off wheel, and a whole lot of sparks, took several cuts then broke it off with a pair of vise grips, I didn't want to risk cutting into the steel on the back of the wheel. That hardened steel throws some hellacious sparks. I ground down the remains with a flap wheel on the angle grinder, I still have some more grinding to do, the end result will be a nice flat surface on the back of the wheel for the grant kit to sit against. I have everything figured out and made now for the horn contactor.
the horn center ring is painted black now, still not flat enough for me though, It could use some pin stripes. I will paint the arms black also of course

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020972.jpg?t=1265094288

this is the original horn contact ring setup, the ring sits on three small insulators that had rivets originally going all the way through to insulatos on the back and the back plastic piece

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020973.jpg?t=1265094861

this would be the rear original slip ring

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020974.jpg?t=1265095008

this is the new phenolic insulator for the contac ring,the ring will rivet to it with a ring connector under one rivet, the rivets go over the old insulator holes, and the ring will rivet to the wheel center. I don't know the locations of the three holes for the grant kit yet, so I haven't drilled them.


http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020976.jpg

the horn ring insulator, it looks like this because I thinned it out on the belt sander, I hit it three times, one place for each leg of the contact ring. I needed the extra clearance so there would be enough space to be able to push the button.
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020977.jpg


I'm filling the last bit of gap on the wheel repair with Elmers ultimate glue, it's almost like wood glue but a brown color, the neat thing is it expands when it dries, it's also can be sanded and once sanded it accepts stain.

[lostforawhile]

can someone locate me a NON cruise control slip ring? I need it to make the grant adaptor work, it's the one that attaches with four screws i believe

[lostforawhile]

Ok myself and my bench are now covered with phenolic dust, finished the horn contact insulator to fit around the button head screws holding the wheel to the adaptor, I really need a non cruise horn contactor and a turn signal cam, i don't know what happened to my old one. I used hardened button head screws instead of the cheap Chinese bolts in the kit, they wouldn't clear the insulator anyway. I'm not using any of the Grant horn stuff, since I had to design my own system to make the factory horn button function. (the Fiat button) .

phenolic material makes a mess cutting with a dremel, I now resemble my bench

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020981.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020983.jpg

back of adaptor
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020984.jpg

insulator sitting on inside of wheel
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020985.jpg

wheel still needs the steel parts painted
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020982.jpg

It's actually attached to the splines and will turn the wheels

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020980.jpg

[lostforawhile]

I was having trouble getting the horn button right, and finally realized that after I straightened the ring, it must have been sitting a bit higher, a few taps with a hammer and it works right now, there isn't much clearance there.

[lostforawhile]

I think with the dash in, it will look like like it could have been original, the fiat it came from had the same small gauge pod with round gauges and the same black dash, My dash will be black when i'm done with it. the basic interior layout of the car was similar to the accords, the lightning holes in the wheel also match my shifter I made.

[lostforawhile]

bumping this up still looking for someone with a dx slip ring and turn signal sleeve from a non cruise car

[lostforawhile]

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4020986.jpg

[stat1K]

i just found another honda 3 spoke cvcc wheel on ebay, this one even has the horn button. 35 shipped :) i like the wood though, it's a shame i didn't buy the one i found on ebay a while back.

[lostforawhile]

I'm almost done with the trim ring, i need to center it and drill and tap the holes to hold it in place.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021025.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021026.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021028.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021029.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021030.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021031.jpg
I'm uploading a short video right now

[lostforawhile]

short video

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/th_S4021027.jpg (http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/?action=view&current=S4021027.flv)

[dacantu]

I have a wooden steering wheel if anyoone wants it? u can have it for freezies you pay shipping though.

[lostforawhile]

I have a wooden steering wheel if anyoone wants it? u can have it for freezies you pay shipping though.

will it fit in a flat rate box? what kind is it? was looking for another one for wall art in my living room

[lostforawhile]

it looks like it's off in the picture, but thats only because i hadn't drilled or tapped the third hole yet. it wasn't all the way against the back of the hub yet. I still have some more trim work to add, I just can't until i get the horn ring so i can measure it

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021033.jpg
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021032-1.jpg

[lostforawhile]

here's the mess after making that one piece, basically take a large piece of aluminum round bar stock, and remove the 90 percent of it that doesn't look like a steering wheel part. that tray under the lathe was empty before I started this piece, two hours later it's full http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021034.jpg

[lostforawhile]

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b205/moultriemanicmechanic/S4021101.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b205/moultriemanicmechanic/S4021102.jpg

[lostforawhile]

it's done, it fits, but I'm just giving up on the entire idea. I have searched and searched and I just can't find that steering wheel horn contactor I need to make this function. so I'll just put the old one back in
http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd158/lostforawhile/S4021300.jpg

six months of looking and not one part

[canadian357]

Lost, I know its a long shot, but come saturday I'm hitting every jy in the city (theres like 5 i think). I'll check for you, i really wanna see you make that work, its an awesome idea. Also, do you have any better pictures of those door panels?

[lostforawhile]

Lost, I know its a long shot, but come saturday I'm hitting every jy in the city (theres like 5 i think). I'll check for you, i really wanna see you make that work, its an awesome idea. Also, do you have any better pictures of those door panels?
remind me and I'll take some pictures, it's a huge electrical storm right now, so i'm not heading out there. there are probably some pictures on my site, losts86hatch.tripod.com, the little annoying piece i'm looking for is a brass contactor attached to the combination switch under the steering wheel on non cruise cars, it's attached with a phillips screw or two and will have a wire and connector attached to it, i don't care about the connector, i just need that contact is all. it makes contact with the contact ring on the back of non cruise wheels. I tried Honda and it's discontinued

[canadian357]

Alright. So I'm likely checking for a DX then huh

[lostforawhile]

Alright. So I'm likely checking for a DX then huh

just look for a third gen that doesn't have the cruise buttons on the wheel, pop off the wheel and it's the brass contact screwed into the combination switch

[Lil Mike]

crap man next time i hit up the jy ill take a look people in ontario are cheap, and will have manual everything lol.

[lostforawhile]

crap man next time i hit up the jy ill take a look people in ontario are cheap, and will have manual everything lol.

thanks!! you think it would be easy to find a tiny part, but no luck so far.

[canadian357]

Lost man do I have good news for you. Fully intact LX with no cruise at the JY. I grabbed the gold ring on the back of the steering wheel, held on by 2 philips screws, and has a connector going to the horn button. I'll post pics in a bit, if this is the wrong piece I'll go back tomorrow.

[lostforawhile]

Lost man do I have good news for you. Fully intact LX with no cruise at the JY. I grabbed the gold ring on the back of the steering wheel, held on by 2 philips screws, and has a connector going to the horn button. I'll post pics in a bit, if this is the wrong piece I'll go back tomorrow.
it's the one attached to the combination switch itself, once you pull the wheel off, you'll see a contactor sticking up out of the combination switch,that makes contact with the ring on the back of the steering wheel. it's attached to the combination switch with phillips screws and has a wire sticking out of it that goes back towards the wiring in the column. don't worry about the plug on the end of that wire, just get the brass piece sticking up out of the combination switch. what they do on cruise cars, is remove that, and the cruise slip ring screws on instead.

[canadian357]

Alright I'll pick it up in the morning. I think this is gonna work for you, man!