Any Interest in Having Your Steering Wheel Recovered? (Page 1/7)
Irrationable DEC 19, 12:08 AM
As I begin work on my how-to guide for recovering a GT wheel in new leather, I have been giving another idea some consideration. Is there anybody who would be interested in me recovering their wheel for them? While the cost of materials ($35 just for the required leather) initially turned me off to the idea of recovering wheels for others, I found an upholstery retailer less than an hour away that sells leather in bulk for a fraction of what I have been paying.

I will still be putting up the guide this weekend for all those do-it-yourselfers out there, but I am now open to the idea of recovering a wheel for others. I figured I would gauge interest before moving forward with purchasing materials.

Here are some pictures of my first wheel, done in black leather with euro-style stitching:

Front

Back

Euro-stitch

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"The Twins"
'87 GT 3.4 pushrod daily driver
'88 GT 3.4 DOHC swap in progress

JohnWPB DEC 19, 12:15 AM
Wow, VERY nice work! If I still had the stock steering wheel in mine, it would be in the mail to you before I had a chance to reply to this post
Patrick DEC 19, 01:38 AM

quote
Originally posted by Irrationable:

I figured I would gauge interest before moving forward with purchasing materials.



Don't base your decision simply on expressed interest, as it's been demonstrated here more than once that people often have trouble actually paying for a service after initially stating that they were gung-ho.

I just don't want to see you get burned.

The job you did on your steering wheel looks great.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 12-19-2014).]

jscott1 DEC 19, 02:12 AM

quote
Originally posted by Patrick:

Don't base your decision simply on expressed interest, as it's been demonstrated here more than once that people often have trouble actually paying for a service after initially stating that they were gung-ho.

I just don't want to see you get burned.

The job you did on your steering wheel looks great.




Yeah the best way to gauge interest is to collect the money up front. That puts the burden on you to actually deliver though.
mrfred8 DEC 19, 07:10 AM
You should also hit up some Trans am forums for interest since they use the same steering wheel.
wftb DEC 19, 07:48 AM
My steering wheel could sure use this treatment .Looks great .
tshark DEC 19, 08:00 AM
Hmmm. Ballpark price? Mine will need to be redone, eventually.
fierosound DEC 19, 08:20 AM
Looks great!

My Indy needs its steering wheel and armrests recovered.

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Calgary time/temp

3.4L Supercharged 87 GT Click me
Super Duty 4 Indy #163 Click me

Irrationable DEC 19, 08:34 AM
Given the time involved and cost of materials, my estimate on price would be $100-$125. The price would also depend on the cost of shipping the wheel back to the buyer (You will be responsible for shipping the wheel to me).

Given the cost of the bulk leather, I would need to do two wheels in order to break even, but I would only move forward if I had 4 confirmed buyers. I'm fairly sure that there is at least four members here on the forum in need of a steering wheel recover. For this first batch of wheels, I would be only be doing black leather, and you would have a choice between the euro-style pictured here, or the baseball stitch (seen on the back of the spokes in the pictures).


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"The Twins"
'87 GT 3.4 pushrod daily driver
'88 GT 3.4 DOHC swap in progress

[This message has been edited by Irrationable (edited 12-20-2014).]

johnyrottin DEC 19, 09:10 AM
I would certainly be interested. I have one that needs to be done. However, with the limitation being that the first set is black I wouldn't be in your first set. If I could offer a suggestion. If I were to embark on this endeavor I would buy a few color lots. They would consist of black, grey, tan, and beechwood color lots. I know that means you would have to expand your payback window to eight steering wheels but it would also expand your pool of candidates. I would gladly pay $100 for a wheel to be recovered seeing as Dallas Steering Wheel charges a multiple of that amount. If you do decide to expand I have at least two to have done, one dark grey factory color and one beechwood factory color.