My DIY Steering wheel project

I've been hiding this for a while as I didn't know if they would be any good or not, well this will now be my 4th frame that I'm making and this will be for myself.

Basically I started doing this because importing one was way too expensive and basically I can make the frame with a steel hub for about $50.

10mm round bar from my luggage rack project, cheap as chips and easy to bend.

Now I just need to find my grinder key so that I can cut off, weld and then start on the 5mm banjo sections.

Now this is interesting! Are you going to mould it in fiberglass or JB weild or do you have acess to a plastic injection die mould mackine..?

I want to be kept in the loop on your progress and see If i can learn something new.

Gary it looks promicing .

One trick i know works is a using fiberglass and beeswax on a old one to make a mold that you lay the rod frame in it in to get all the correct hand grips around thebottom side of the wheel . lay and hand scuplt the top side.. I hope you use Stainless steel on the banjos rods ( you can weld stanless to mill steel and it will hold''

and make the 3 tencioners out of aluminum

Hey Barry

Glad to see that someone is interested.

Fibreglass as I have a friend who makes aircraft moulds and it'll first be moulding foam around the frame and then glass the whole thing together and then I'll be making a 2 part master mould.

This will be a very low tech steering wheel. I'm maybe looking at making 2-3 units as it's pretty labour intensive.

I'd love to be able to get my hands on an old one to pull a mould off, but locally...........no go. I'm yet to see one in South Africa, what I do have is the interwebs and about 2500 photos.

We're using normal mild steel for the first one, will decide once that hurdle has been crossed. Stay tuned, though, update in about 2 weeks time as I still haven't found my cut off key for my grinder.....

Gary-Your project looks interesting. I'll throw these links at you for reference-keep us posted...
http://www.alumilite.com/HowTos/CastingSteeringWheel.cfm
http://www.alumilite.com/HowTos/MoldingSteeringWheel.cfm

SS

whoa nice mould thread, if only I had a steering wheel to take a mould of.

I have seen a burnt banjo. On the wheel rim they drill 4 holes for the spokes in the rim in three places they spot weld the ends in the outer countersinks on the rim.

I was suprized when i saw the spoke rods were V bent at the hub 3 short and 3 a schose longer then welded to the hub surfacein a double V it's neat and strong..

wow, neat idea to drill holes in the outer ring and then pretty much contersink them to cover up the welds and to give a bit more support. I was just butt welding them up to edge. I like this way more.

I should have some pictures after this weekend, I welded up the frame and mock up has started on the banjo sections and the hub.

Gary the double ve shape rods is a wide ve. that means 2 of the group of 4 spokes in each bank is shared with the bank beside it.. Don't forget the tensioners must be on the rods before you weld it up.

i wish i had you a drawing.. it would clear it up,, spitspot!

Do a real good job and i will have you another project .. Id like to have a factory lookalike weel with the 2 peace horn ring..

Why you may ask? First it looks factory, Second it gives you a extra factoy option. The trim ring is the horn and the center button is flash to pass for the head lights..

Now Pielet also made a banjo steering wheel that way.. It wouldn't be to hard to add it to yours eather. if you decide to make a pielet style trim ring that still uses the same horn button???

..I hope you make 2.. :)

Gary I'll go one step futher If you make 2 of the trim rings that incert in the 80 mm hole that the horn button goes in ?? I'll have them plated at Advance plating and powdercoat .

You will have to make it thicker to give the button the room to incert in the center. the center button will stand proud on the bango wheel about a inch or more ,, the 3 v ribs are low on it
But thats how they are made. the center part was higher and the trim ring is a C shape 1/4 inch rod. also lays close to the banjo ribs on the wheel.

If you have the Brent Johnson Book its in there..

Hey Barry (sorry only saw this now)

You know that I'm in South Africa right?

Yup, I pretty much sorted out the tensioners on an old mock up that I messed up. So I found out the hard way. I've done a few frames to know how to nail it now, I'm just waiting on some free time to lay up some foam and start shaping the wheel.

I won't be making the horn rings yet, maybe in the future as it's too much work, for the limited time frame that I have.

I understand I was looking through the porsche booksthat I have and noticed they had 4 or 5 differnt horn rings one even for the nardi wheel.

I realy want a 1958 2 spoke wheel but in the smaller diameter like my banjo is. they even offer 2 differnt horn rings for it a D shape and the more common round one.. Save your outer mold when you finsh it ..

Id pay well for a custom made wheel thats exactly what I asked for

The two different horn rings were options on different models, the one third ring came on the Pre-A cars, the full ring was for the 356A, the later cars had different steering wheels entirely.

This is a shot of the one in my Pre-A

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/pre-awheel6.jpg


This is the 356A ring, one shot with the stock button:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/83fc0b8c.jpg

Another with the accessory Golden Lady button:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/6ae8682f.jpg