1937 Banjo Wheel Pictures

Jay_G

Ok, here is my first try at posting pictures.

The first picture shows original pieces from my 37 Model 77. The trim piece fits under the side windows. I guess these pieces are not on other models. The second picture shows the horn button after I have added epoxy and shaped it back to its original shape. The other is the back side which give you an idea how the button has faded over time. The third picture shows the back of an original button and three new cast buttons. This is as close as I can come to the original casting and the color variations. The next photo shows the rechromed rim in the one of the two casting molds. The last is of the cast wheel. The colors on the photo are not great so look at the colors on the cast button and those are the colors on the rim.



I plan on taking this wheel down to San Diego for showing. Please note it is not finished. I still have more sanding and smoothing along with some polishing to do. I just posted this so everyone can take a look at it.



Jay

oldhudsons

I'm jealous, wish I could figure out how to post photos, LOL!

I believe that is the same steering that is on my Railton however it is a '35 so someone must have found one & put it on. I do have a very good "Bluemell" steering wheel which is what Railtons usually have (not nearly as attractive as this '37 Hudson banjo). The one on my Railton is in pretty poor condition & needs what you've done to be "nice".

Looks like you've done an excellent job!

(I'd post a pic of the Railton's wheel but don't know how).

Unknown

Nice job Jay !! Would be ineresting to know how you did it and where you got the materials. Might want to take a crack at it, I've got a 37 Bud

Jay_G

If you are going to do this be ready to spend some bucks. So far I have about $200 in molds for the horn button, wheel rim, trim piece, and knob. I have spent at least that much for the resin and pigments over the life of this project. To date I have made at least 10 trial pours fo the button and trim pieces and 4 trial pours of the wheel.



On the bright side I have learned a lot and I am still below what a restored wheel would cost.......oh, wait, I forgot about labor....... I learned a lot.



No, it is not that bad but it sure takes some time.



At San Diego on Saturday I will leave the wheel at the Hudson booth. Currently the wheel is being sanded and the horn button will be mounted but I have not attached the trim ring. So if anyone has a 36 wheel I will leave my cell number and we can get together and talk about what it would take to cast that.



Jay

Jon B

There are a fair number of '37's out there with the deluxe wheels, the rims of which need replacement. Badly.



Depending upon your final price and the authenticity of the plastic, you may have a number of people interested in having their wheels re-poured. So, take heart...you may get that "development money" back and have a bit of pocket change left over (which you can blow on your hobby, LOL!)

Unknown

Jay G wrote:

If you are going to do this be ready to spend some bucks. So far I have about $200 in molds for the horn button, wheel rim, trim piece, and knob. I have spent at least that much for the resin and pigments over the life of this project. To date I have made at least 10 trial pours fo the button and trim pieces and 4 trial pours of the wheel.



On the bright side I have learned a lot and I am still below what a restored wheel would cost.......oh, wait, I forgot about labor....... I learned a lot.



No, it is not that bad but it sure takes some time.



At San Diego on Saturday I will leave the wheel at the Hudson booth. Currently the wheel is being sanded and the horn button will be mounted but I have not attached the trim ring. So if anyone has a 36 wheel I will leave my cell number and we can get together and talk about what it would take to cast that.



Jay

---

Any update on this and Jon's comment ?

bent metal

I too would like to see a more step-by-step, how-to kinda thing on your work. Not that I would necessarily try it myself. It's just interesting to see how someone that knows what they are doing does it. I wish more people would share their Hudson talents here. ....Good stuff!



By the way, I went to San Diego and was at the Hudson booth but I didn't see the wheel there?

Unknown

It would be dangerous for me to drive a car with a steering wheel that looks that good. I'd be so busy looking at it, I'd drive off the darn road.

[Deleted User]

Jay, Will you and your wheel be at the HET national? I'd be very interested to see it and talk some more. I'm restoring a 38 Super Terraplane and I'm planning on trailering it to Pontiac from Alberta -3068mile one way.

The wheel I have is a standard wheel. I also have an unrestored banjo, but all the plastic is long gone - rest is OK.

I spoke with Dennis Crooks of Quality Restorations in San Diego. He said he doesn't have the mounds, but if I found 5+ people who wanted one, he could make them up for around $800. each.

I think Jon is right, there are probably others out there who would want one, and if you can do a decent job for a reasonable price, you might be able to make a few dollars!

Jay_G

Sadly I will not be at the Nationals. I was planning on it but an unplanned $9,000 dollar expense killed that idea. I would be happy to send the wheel with someone it they woould like to take it.



I have finished the second wheel, which came out better than the first. I will try and post pictures of it shortly. As for the price $800 is about right or should I say that is what I was thinking for mine. If a number of people wanted them done and they did the chrome work. I could see cutting the price down to $500. Maybe as few as 3. But this does take some time to make these things. I am surprised at how much work went into one.



Jay

Jon B

It would be great if you could send it along to the National with someone. I think there might be a number of potential buyers out there, and there's nothing like "the real thing" to get the juices churning (and the checkbooks out!).



As to the price, I would suggest that each person handle his / her own chrome work and prep. That way you won't be blamed for a blowout that ain't your fault. (That hub is pot metal; DANGER! Plus, you have those three little pot metal clasps at the outer end of the spokes. I don't even know how you'd remove those for chrome plating.) Then you can concentrate on simply turning out the plastic rims.



With any luck you can do this in "twosies and threesies" and not have to do just one enormous run. I have a feeling that each year a number of potential customers will come forward, and you can fit them into your next run, just as Pat McDonald does with his high-speed rearend gears.



By the way, I also called Dennis of Quality Restorations, earlier this month, regarding the '37 wheel. I had seen a spectacular steering wheel he did for a trophy-winning 1937 Chevy convertible, at Hershey, and I got Dennis' name from the owner of the Chevy. That wheel too, has a speckled, flecked, granite, marbellized plastic that's integral (as opposed to painted on) and Quality Restorations did a great job. But Dennis is concerned that there simply isn't enough of a market out there to keep the price of such a wheel affordable.

RL Chilton

"But Dennis is concerned that there simply isn't enough of a market out there to keep the price of such a wheel affordable."



And he's probably right, too.