54 Hornet Steering Wheel Question about metal disc under Horn Button

[Deleted User]

I've started working on casting steering wheels for the 54 Hornet and have run into something I don't understand. I got a 54 wheel from a fellow Hudson guy and it doesn't have a metal disc under the horn button. Then I got another 54steering wheel to use as a core to pour the plastic around to make the new wheel. This second wheel has the metal disc and it looks like it is spot welded to the hub. I would like to find out why one has the disc and the other one doesn't. I would also like to find out if I could drill out the welds and remove the disc in order to pour the new wheel. then I would drill and tap some small screw holes in the hub and screw the disc back on after the wheel was poured. This is the only way I know of to pour the new plastic is to remove the metal disc. Here is a couple of pics showing the one with the disc and the one without the disc. Thanks for you help. Rob

Chris Smith

Both my 54 wheels have the horn ring retainer and they are spot welded as you say. I dont see any harm in drilling out the welds and reattaching later.

[Deleted User]

Ken , It was urea plastic. Try smelling an old set of Xcelite nut drivers from about 20 years ago. Same funk.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your input Chris. I'm going to go ahead and drill out the spot welds and then reattach the horn ring retainer with screws after I pour the plastic around the core.

That sounds good Ken. I will keep you posted and let you know when I'm ready to start actually producing the 54 wheels. I'm hoping to have the 54s ready by the end of the year. Rob

Browniepetersen

Be sure to post here with your progress. I expect that I might need one early next year.

[Deleted User]

Brownie I will keep posting here of the 54 steering wheel progress. Thanks for your interest in one of them. Rob

Chris Smith

Rob, I have wanted to have my 54 wheel recast in clear or amber with the frame chromed before pouring the plastic. What do you think and would you do it?

[Deleted User]

Hi Chris, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be done;just use clear resin instead of putting pigment in it. There would be no guarantee just how centered the frame would be down inside the clear resin. I have found that not all cores (frames) are exactly the same shape and they can vary in how centered they end up inside the plastic. On the pigmented ones as long as you don't see the core through the plastic you are good to go. With a clear one you would have no way of covering up the uneveness with pigment. If I did do it I would want you to provide me with the chromed frame before I started it. Rob

Chris Smith

Rob, How are you removing the old plastic from the Wheel core?

[Deleted User]

Chris, it's not easy. Chisel, Hacksaw, Clamp in vise and twist the plastic. I bought these little circular saw blades from Harbor Freight that I put in the dremel, they work pretty good to cut the plastic. Its a lot of work and takes some time.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the tip Ken. I'm definitely going to try that. It sounds like it could save a lot of work.

duncan

I probably missed this answer but what will be the cost to do my ivory steering wheel on a 54 Hornet . Would I need to send you my steering wheel for a core. Ray

[Deleted User]

Hi Ray,
I won't have the 54 wheels ready for a month or so yet. I will be charging $750 for the wheel, free shipping. If you decide to place an order I will require a $300 deposit and your good core before I start the wheel. When the wheel is finished I will contact you. When I receive your remaining payment of $450 I will ship your wheel to you. If you are not happy with your wheel for any reason I offer a full money back guarantee; just return the wheel and when I receive it I send you a full refund. If I start getting a lot of orders I will be doing them in the order I receive them. I will let you know at the time I take your order an approximate time of when I will have your wheel ready. If you have more questions you can ask here or email me or call me on the phone. My contact information is on my website: Stepdownplastics.com. Just look under the contact tab on the website. Thanks. Rob

duncan

Thanks Rob I will start saving my cabage leaves HE HE , Ray