# '65-'66 custom sport wheel (repro)



## rickm (Feb 8, 2012)

are these reproduction steering wheels that some parts houses offer all come from the same manufacturer, or is there a better quality wheel that a particular parts house sells? looking at images of the wheel n having it in your hands to look over are two different things.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I believe they all come from the same manufacturer. You can find an original and get it restored, or buy a restored original if you like. I bought a non-restored but driver quality one for cheap on this very forum several years ago. Never installed it, but it's there if I need it. They are out there. My take: you are ALWAYS better off with original parts, no matter how trivial the part.


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## rickm (Feb 8, 2012)

yeah, I agree. my original wheel was cracked n i repaired it myself. it came out pretty nice, but now its starting to separate at another location on the wheel where the (dovetail kinda) sections come together. its old n brittle, only to get worse with age.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

The originals can be re-cast. Better than the repro wheels. Not cheap, but superior.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

geeteeohguy said:


> The originals can be re-cast. Better than the repro wheels. Not cheap, but superior.


Restore Pontiac and cheap do not go together.
I am looking for a '67 wheel I can have restored I don't want to send mine out I would rather resell it once I have the restored one in my hands.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I was lucky and found a mint one for $100 about 15 years ago. Standard black 'deluxe' wheel. Found a very nice blue one for my '65 about 25 years ago for $30. But both of mine came out of California junkyards, where '60's cars could still be found (and still sometimes are). The internet has since made everyone and 'expert', and costs reflect that. Also, it seems that the first thing people did back in the day (and now, too) with a new musclecar was to remove the steering wheel, throw it in the trash, and add an 'upgraded' $10 wheel from JC Whitney!


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## rickm (Feb 8, 2012)

LOL. I had a grant mahogany wheel on my '64 that was there when I bought it. actually it was a very nice wheel with a plain chrome horn kit. it was also deep like the custom sport wheel. I don't think grant makes a wheel like that one anymore. ive looked at them online. don't see any as nice as that one was.


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## rickm (Feb 8, 2012)

id like to hear some opinions from anyone who has bought this reproduction '65-'66 custom sport wheel some of the parts houses offer.


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## 666bbl (Apr 13, 2014)

I think ANYTHING looks better than those thick ugly aftermarket wood wheels on a GTO. And you have to pick the recast service carefully. I've had to fix recast vintage wheels after only 2 years from some vendors and none of those clients would tell me who did it. Proceed with caution.


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## rickm (Feb 8, 2012)

grant made a nice wheel in the '70s. they are ugly now. the "gto" on the horn sucks too.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

666bbl said:


> I think ANYTHING looks better than those thick ugly aftermarket wood wheels on a GTO. And you have to pick the recast service carefully. I've had to fix recast vintage wheels after only 2 years from some vendors and none of those clients would tell me who did it. Proceed with caution.


What product do you use to fill cracks?
Mine has two in the hub but the wheel looks good.
Here is a quote I got for a recast.

"The cost to recast is $1200.00 with a lifetime warranty. For the continental US, there is a return shipping charge of $35-55 which includes $1400.00 of insurance. Turn around times vary from 3-5 weeks".

:frown2:

For 12 hundred bucks I will live with the cracks.


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## rickm (Feb 8, 2012)

eastwood makes a steering wheel repair kit.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

rickm said:


> eastwood makes a steering wheel repair kit.


Thanks, I just ordered the kit.
There is a really nice wheel on Ebay but it is already at 293 and change with a day left and I am out @ 300 so that isn't going to happen.


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## 666bbl (Apr 13, 2014)

I keep it simple. J B Weld, the "KWIK version. Make a bondo splash of the cracked area in 2 halves, top n bottom. Smooth out the crack in your splash so you now have a mold of that 1/2. Do the same for the top 1/2 and together you now have both sides of what the wheel should look like without cracks. Wax 1 side of the mold and put it aside. Plain ol Johnsons paste from the local hardware works just fine. For the cracks, they need to opened up to where there's no more damage or separation, criss cross any sanding and look for the best mechanical bond you can without going overboard. 80 grit is just fine. I always use an adhesion promoter like "Bulldog" (available in spray cans at the local paint/body shop supplier) to give the J B every chance of holding for a long long time. Next get some of the JB on the wheel and some in the bondo mold, squeeze it into place and tape it on. It's sure to move around a little but don't sweat it, as long as it's where it needs to be. In 3-5min it's ready to pull the mold and repeat for the other 1/2. The rest is shaping and blending into the wheel and getting ready for paint much like anything.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

666bbl said:


> I keep it simple. J B Weld, the "KWIK version. Make a bondo splash of the cracked area in 2 halves, top n bottom. Smooth out the crack in your splash so you now have a mold of that 1/2. Do the same for the top 1/2 and together you now have both sides of what the wheel should look like without cracks. Wax 1 side of the mold and put it aside. Plain ol Johnsons paste from the local hardware works just fine. For the cracks, they need to opened up to where there's no more damage or separation, criss cross any sanding and look for the best mechanical bond you can without going overboard. 80 grit is just fine. I always use an adhesion promoter like "Bulldog" (available in spray cans at the local paint/body shop supplier) to give the J B every chance of holding for a long long time. Next get some of the JB on the wheel and some in the bondo mold, squeeze it into place and tape it on. It's sure to move around a little but don't sweat it, as long as it's where it needs to be. In 3-5min it's ready to pull the mold and repeat for the other 1/2. The rest is shaping and blending into the wheel and getting ready for paint much like anything.


I thought about JB Weld but decided to go with the PC-7 since I have never done this.
The cracks are just in the hub the rest of the wheel looks great.
I plan on grinding out the cracks with my dremel and drilling some anchor points and removing the straight lines on each side adding a series of divots.
Straight lines have a tendency to crack and open up again.
Blue tape should work as the mold since there isn't any detail to copy.
The bigger problem will be to match the paint since I don't want to paint the entire wheel just the hub.


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## rickm (Feb 8, 2012)

earlier in this thread I requested to hear some opinions on this '65-'66 reproduction custom sport wheel. not one gto owner on this site has ever bought this wheel or have seen it to take a good look at ? I have not, but find it hard to believe no one else has.


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