CSI Sport Steering Wheel Restoration

[Markos]

Hi Folks,

I’m restoring a CSI wheel for a forum member. I figured I would document how to break these down.

This wheel had a cover on it. Removing it showed the leather that needs to be redone. The wheel is en route to eastern europe for a high quality recover. (edited so folks know I'm not recovering myself - I wish I was that good!) When it gets back I will hit it with a light coat of satin black paint and reassemble. While it is gone I will be making a mold of the horn pad as well as the plastic body. Both of those are in poor shape on my second CSI wheel.

Remove the horn pad, it pops off by sticking a small rod through the access hole seen at 7PM. Also note the three screws holding down the spring loaded horn plate.

But first, unscrew the horn terminal.

A view of the backside of the horn plate with springs. These are special screws.

Next, remove the plastic body from the wheel hub.

Removed:

Time to remove the horn ring:

Removed.

Lastly, the chrome spoke ends. These are real metal and on the way to the chrome shop with some other small bits:

More to come next month!

 

[Gransin]

Great pics and description Looking forward to see the recovered wheel!

 

[Markos]

My wheel is still in the mail. It got held up for quite a while in NY.

Regarding the horn springs and special parts. Many of the air cooled VW steering wheels were made by Petri also. I stumbled upon this kit for VW wheels, which should address your parts needs if yours are broken or missing.

https://www.ebay.com/p/Horn-Ring-Mo...a-113998225/842581170?iid=172661465622&chn=ps

 

[teahead]

you have too much time on your hands.

 

[Markos]

you have too much time on your hands.

Oh how I wish that were true...

 

[Markos]

Some updates: (edit: Just to clarify - I am not doing the leather myself)


Looking rough under the old leather:

All cleaned up:

The tools:

Leather Cut:

The stitch. For those that don’t know this wheel, he is replicating the original stitch.

One third done:

@Stan ​

 

[Stan]

looking good!

 

[Markos]

looking good!

A few more updates. It just needs to dry and get tightened a little. My poor Le Mans is stuck in customs and likely headed back to me again.

 

[Markos]

looking good!

Thanks Stan! I finally have this one back in my possession. I need to respray the spokes satin black and check the status on the chrome bits. Should be done very soon! The forum member receiving this wheel has been very patient.

No pebble leather on this beauty!

 

[Koopman]

Hi Marcos. Looks amazing. Do you do or know where I can have the wood on a bus wheel restored?
Keep up the good work.
Harry

 

[Markos]

Hi Marcos. Looks amazing. Do you do or know where I can have the wood on a bus wheel restored?
Keep up the good work.
Harry

I'm not sure Harry. You could try sending it to Bela. The "wood" is actually paper thin veneer. I have one myself that needs some attention but I don't intend to fully restore the wood. Lightly sand, fill the cracks and reclear. @Stan redid his wood wheel a few years ago. Perhaps he can chime in.

 

[Markos]

Hi Marcos. Looks amazing. Do you do or know where I can have the wood on a bus wheel restored?
Keep up the good work.
Harry

I'm not sure Harry. You could try sending it to Bela. The "wood" is actually paper thin veneer. I have one myself that needs some attention but I don't intend to fully restore the wood. Lightly sand, fill the cracks and reclear. @Stan redid his wood wheel a few years ago. Perhaps he can chime in.

 

[Stan]

Hi Marcos. Looks amazing. Do you do or know where I can have the wood on a bus wheel restored?
Keep up the good work.
Harry

I restored one painstakingly over about a year. Fortunately I had another wheel to use in the meantime. I picked off the loose veneer with an exacto knife and use the sanding drum on the Dremel tool to get the rest off. After that I sprayed it with a rattle can epoxy called Spray MAX 2K - High Gloss 368-006

 

[eriknetherlands]

Im restoring 3 wood bus wheels now and find it difficult work. Or im too precise. Or I suck at it.
Indeed the veneer is thin. In some places I think it's less then 1mm thick. Like a kids fingernail thickness.

The veneer is cast over a textile and below that is a black solid material, likely a glue

Also one of the wheels actually has play between the steel ring and the wood. The wood is in one piece but it rotates (clockwise and back) over the ring, and also in forward (car) direction.
Poking inside the wood at the openings near the spokes with a steel wire reveals soft sticky glue. It should be strong, not sticky. Something went wrong there.

I'm getting a third wheel over the coming week that's even worse, split all over.
I never thought of Bela22, but it's a good idea.

 

[Markos]

I decided to give the wheel another fresh coat of satin black while I wait and wait for chrome. One would
think that the wheel would be a blue steel from the factory but it was in fact painted.

 

[Markos]

Delays and cost at the chrome shop have me investigating chrome plated vinyl (for the next wheel) I had a hook added to aid in the process. Expensive to print in nickel plated vinyl but only $10 to dip in chrome:

 

[Stan]

Looking good!!!

 

[eriknetherlands]

Hi,

I've read that also stainless steel is printable. Close to me a large company is offering it; Materialise in Belgium.

https://i.materialise.com/en/3d-printing-materials/high-detail-stainless-steel

I dont know if it can be polished mirror smooth. Pictures on the website show smooth but not chrome like (mirror) smoothness.



Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-A520F met Tapatalk

 

[eriknetherlands]

That shiny wheel can't wait to point a e9 in the right direction!

Or left..

It looks magnificent in new leather and paint.

 

[JayWltrs]

What satin black paint are you using for the spokes?