VDM steering wheel conversion to wood rim

[speedo]

I have lots of steering wheels... original, aftermarket, flat, dished etc. One of my favorite wheels is the "dished" 914 based VDM wheel. I know there are numerous threads detailing the differences between all the serials and thick vs thin vs RS vs RSR etc. This is not about that. There are a lot of "basic 914 VDM wheels out there. Based on my experience...there are three (and I'm sure there are many more exceptions) basic 360mm dished 914 based wheels, nice leather, faux leather (soft plastic) and hard plastic. Has anybody taken the lowest (hard plastic)of the dished 914 wheels and attempted to replace the plastic rim with a wood rim? I have a very nice original early wood rim VDM 400mm wheel that is beautiful, but it is too wide for my tastes. Seems like it would be the best of both worlds to have a wood rimmed-dished 360mm wheel, with of course a nice hockey puck. Has anyone tried this? I presume that underneath the hard plastic is a steel rim? Do we know if it is a flat or round piece of steel? Like to learn from others mistakes so I can make my own original mistakes. If this is possible, I have a nice volunteer.
Cheers!

[Bullethead]

You're not alone in your thinking... after seeing Rich Spritz's prototype wood wheel I started thinking about having a smaller 914 wheel done in wood with a thicker rim. Choices: who to perform the transformation?

See post #17 of this thread: https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...shing-question

[doigthom]

Years ago I had an extended wheel VDM on my 912. Picked up a gorgeous refinished wood VDM of the same diameter. Contacted Mr. Crawford and asked if could transfer the extended portion of the ebonite wheel to the wood wheel. He could and kindly obliged and at the same time I asked him to make a custom dash panel for me. We agreed on a price and he performed the work spectacularly. When I started to make payment he asked if I would give him the ebonite VDM as partial payment. I of course happily agreed. At the time I believe he going to create a wood wheel on the ebonite frame. He would be my go to guy if you want something really nice




Mr. Crawford though he may have been the one to have restored the wood wheel originally, but could not confirm. I bought it from a guy in NY who bought it from Sierra Madre.

[speedo]

You're not alone in your thinking... after seeing Rich Spritz's prototype wood wheel I started thinking about having a smaller 914 wheel done in wood with a thicker rim. Choices: who to perform the transformation?

See post #17 of this thread: https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...shing-question

That wheel looks great. The "spokes" don't flare into the rim, but go directly (90 degree angle) which might make the transformation easier. Does anybody have any experience with removing the plastic/ebonite material to see what is underneath? Is it flat or a round rim?

[doigthom]

That wheel in my picture is the VDM one I purchased. Not the one I gave him. The dash is his work. Just wanted to illustrate the quality of his work. Don't know what happened to the ebonite wheel I gave him in trade. Sure he would tell you if you contacted him. Hope I have not caused confusion.

[70SATMan]

That wheel looks great. The "spokes" don't flare into the rim, but go directly (90 degree angle) which might make the transformation easier. Does anybody have any experience with removing the plastic/ebonite material to see what is underneath? Is it flat or a round rim?

The leather wrapped 914 wheels have a soft rubber core on top of a TUBULER steel rim. Not a flat rim. I suspect the ebonite wheels have the same steel construction. I would start with a clapped out leather wheel as that soft rubber core has to be easier to remove though the tubular rim would be difficult to apply a wood rim construction.

[mfitton]

914 wheels are 380mm not 360mm. Also maybe I am missing something here, so wood rim that is 400mm you are going to transfer to a 914 380mm. Oh, I did graduate 6th grade!

[speedo]

914 wheels are 380mm not 360mm. Also maybe I am missing something here, so wood rim that is 400mm you are going to transfer to a 914 380mm. Oh, I did graduate 6th grade!

Mike I think you are correct that the 914 wheels are 380mm. My early wood 400mm is stashed away, and I wouldn't mess with it. My interest is converting an ebonite 380mm 914 wheel to a wood rim. I spoke with a woodworker friend yesterday and showed him the 380mm wheel and he didn't think it would be too difficult to "sandwich" the steel rim circumference with wood. I need to remove the ebonite and determine exactly what we have to work with. One of my concerns is the spoke transition to the rim...a 90 degree transition would be easier to deal with than a flare (like on my 400mm), but he wasn't concerned.
It would be interesting to see if anyone has pics of a naked wheel skeleton, so I can figure out what tools are best used to remove the ebonite. I would rather not use a grinder for fear of damaging the steel underneath. Does ebonite succumb to heat and soften?

[dr914]

bruce crawford does beautiful work, and we have plenty of donor 914 wheels here that is for sure!!!

[raspritz]

When Bruce Crawford restored my prototype wheel, he said he wondered at first whether it might be a regular wheel somebody had redone in wood. But once he actually saw it he said it was obviously original. My point is that he surely could do it.