1966 Valiant for the Other Daughter....

Parts came in for the alternator so that’s another project done. Used the Dremel to undercut probably a half 1 million cracks in the factory woodgrain steering wheel and packed with PC-7. The chrome has already been redone so this should be a really sharp wheel when I finish but I’ve got a few weeks of sanding ahead of me I believe.

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Curious if the wheel was real wood or a plastic wood looking product like tenite. Any pic's of the original before the epoxy?
 
Got my four seconds flat parts distributor is ready to roll. First pass sanding steering wheel is looking pretty good.

Now it’s time to just sit in the driveway cool off and have an adult beverage.


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Jim, you never disappoint with the projects you undertake. Your electrical ability is outstanding, ( wish I had that knowledge). I'm really digging the steering wheel restoration, please keep us posted with updates until it's finished.
 
cool off and have an adult beverage
I think you've earned it! A guy can get a lot of time in repairing a plastic wheel. It's one of those "1 more round", projects that really only the person who did it appreciates. To everyone else they expect it to be nice, because your car is nice. Nice work as always.
 
Unreal, you really out did yourself with this one. That took a lot of artistic ability and it's coming along fantastic. Looking forward to seeing it cleared and installed.

Two thumbs up !!!
 
One more project done one more project to redo. I dropped the damn AC compressor and it landed on one of the mounting tabs on the edge of a head and broke the corner of the head. Luckily I’ve got a box of spare parts and old compressors to scavenge parts.

I don’t think I could’ve asked for this steering wheel to come out any better. For those who said I should just go buy a new wheel I don’t know how you get any better than these classic original parts.  it was worth every agonizing hour.

Here’s a quick step-by-step. I used a Dremel tool to open up all cracks and tried to undercut them so that when I packed them with epoxy it would go underneath the lip to grab so that it would lock it in. Then wiped it down with generous amounts of acetone to clean it and soften the original material. Then mix up PC 7 epoxy and work it in to all the cracks and grooves. Let it dry then shape it with 80 grit sandpaper. I put it in the oven and baked it at 180. That’s because here in Arizona it can get that hot in the car. That opened up a few more cracks which I repeated the above process once I got it shaped I sprayed it was three or four coats of epoxy primer.. Once that was sanded down and I had the shape know this could easily take two or three steps repeating spraying the epoxy primer and sanding. Once I got it shaped the way I wanted I took a hobby razor saw with coarse teeth and just dragged it around the wheel putting deep grooves in it to simulate wood grain. After that I used artists acrylic paints raw umber and burnt ombre mixed with a little water to make a wash. Before that I overcoated the epoxy primer with SEM palomino rattle can paint to give it a light tan base coat.. I then washed on the acrylics and wipe them off carefully to get the shading that I wanted. once happy with that I had some India ink that I probably mix 10% ink with 90% rubbing alcohol to make a black wash which I then spread around the wheel to highlight the grooves carefully wiping off the excess so that it didn’t pool and leave a black ring. Then two coats of universal clear let it dry sand it was 500 grit sandpaper and two more coats of universal clear.

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82,000 holes drilled to get some speaker vents in the 66 Valiant signet package tray and touched up with a little black SEM paint and it looks almost factory. I think the backseats got a little warp in it I have to take it back out and do a little custom bending to get her flat.  The Signet interior material has been very unique. It does add texture and class to the interior for sure.

The photographs make it look much grayer than it is it’s really black and the holes are almost unnoticeable.


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Anybody want to guess what’s the best way to make your back ordered your one wiring harness come in? Install the original and put it back together……. So new rear harness, tail lights and rear bulbs in, harness for the bulb in the console in.. Installed the new fasteners that are reasonably correct for the console mounting.  Turn signal switch wiring installed in the new connector and plugged in blinkers all working, horns are working other than the horns are sick and sound horrible.. Mocked up the AC box, I have a couple vanes that I lost but I have a new donor vent in the mail from someone on FABO.  bottom line the interiors done. Which is good because the motor will be finished early next week so I’m gonna have to get my butt going on that.


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