Packard Banjo Wheel Restoration

I am in the midst of the restoration of a 1937 Packard 120 Convertible Coupe and need some input regarding suggestions for restoring the banjo steering wheel. Is there someone who specializes in the restoration of these more complex steering wheels or are there restored ones for sale? I am guessing no one reproduces them. Looks like the steering wheel has to be disassembled and is made of multiple materials. Sort of unfortunate because the wheel doesn't have any cracks but the chrome isn't the best. Thanks for your input and suggestions.

My email address is pint4@new.rr.com.

I would contact Don At D & D Automobilia (336-429-2188) as he has been rebuilding steering wheels for many years and does excellent work. He should be able to help you.

This is a complex process, and no one commercially does them correctly. If I were you, unless you are dead set on total perfection, I would clean up the outer wheel and clear coat it and live with the chrome. This will save you about $1500. No one that I know of is able to replicate the hard rubber with woodgraining integral in it that was used on the 37 accessory wheels. The woodgrain look was actually multicolors of the rubber material mixed together when it was molten. The closest I've seen is that people have the rim painted with woodgraining and it never looks right and certainly doesn't feel the same. Nothing against D & D as I have had them do a plastic wheel for me, but to my knowledge he doesn't do the 37s the way they were originally done. If you do decide to chrome the hub, you need to melt the rubber off the rim, make a jig that holds the center in place along with the spokes and rim before you cut it apart. Then cut the spokes from the rim and take a small grinder and cut the weld out the hub where the spokes go in so that they will come loose. Then polish the spokes or have your plater do it. Plate the hub making sure that the spokes will go back in, make sure the horn button surround fits, then weld the spokes back in, weld them to the rim etc and then have the new grip put on the rim. A lot of work. I would sand the outer rim, clear it and see what it looks like and decide if you can live with that. When they are clear coated, they look great.