Any good steering wheel restorers??

Jens · Jens's Garage

I'm looking to find a steering wheel restorer that can bring a couple of old RaceMark wheels back from the edge. I'd appreciate any leads.

Anyone have first hand experience with a quality restoration?

Jens · Jens's Garage

Someone's funky attempt-

bob tilton · bob tilton's Garage

don't have a copy of excellence with me here at work but there is a regular advertiser that does top quality work. seems to me it is a four letter acrynom, agla?, based out of florida? had the opportunity to see an RS wheel this weekend that was recently re-finished by them- very well done. it will be going in an RS that was recently on the cover of excellence.

Wil Ferch · 06-21-2004, 09:18 AM

Funny...AGLA always comes up...not ( necessarilly) that he's the best....he seems to be the *only* reference in Porsche magazines. History shows a checkered past ( some good, some bad responses...seemingly always "slow").

Allen Gunn enterprises ( AGLA...I believe).

I've posted this before....just for giggles....*who else* can we come up with as a recommendation ??? AGLA is a given.

--Wil

bob tilton · bob tilton's Garage

wil, he did mention that it took a LONG time but he was happy with the finished project and i know this guy is VERY particular. agreed - there should be other sources.

Jens · Jens's Garage

AGLA is always out there, but I don't want to get into that quicksand. I wonder if the kit can be made to work well, I'm not exactly all thumbs, but leather is not a familiar medium to me. That said, I wonder if a leather crafter could do what I need. Hmmm, maybe I should ask Michael at Richmond Upholstery. If he can get a Talbot "Best of show" at Pebble Beach, I bet he can stitch a steering wheel. Now, if I only had Seinfelds check book!

Thanks guys!

Wil Ferch · 06-21-2004, 09:50 AM

As I said....not particularly slamming AGLA... just wondering what other experience there is out there.
--Wil

DG624 · 06-21-2004, 12:34 PM

Jens, I recovered my factory wheel for $65 with a genuine leather cover. I had to cut several parts to fit but the instructions were fairly clear. I also had to buy some adhesive. The results were very good and still there after 4 years. I really didn't want to spend $200+ on a special wheel. Removing the old leather was difficult but the leather parts fit very well and there is some stretch. You can adjust the fit by stretching some but make sure it is centered.

Rick Cabell · 06-21-2004, 01:11 PM

Jens (this is Noah speaking), ask Rick to take your wheel to Mike -- RC has an arrangement with him...

}{arlequin · }{arlequin's Garage

That's a cool wheel Jens. As far as AGLA, I never knew they do restoration work. I thought they only provide leather parts/pieces for trimming shifters. A few years back I got 2 leather shift boots from them and the fit had a lot to be desired. It wasn't the quality crafted piece I imagined. Maybe the ads fooled me, I don't know. I do know that it wasn't all that great. The leather was fine....

I have to say, that was over 4 years ago and one was for a VW and another for a Acura/Honda. Maybe Porsche products are created with more care, maybe he's improved tremendously, but I'm not going to take another chance.

KLR · 01:31 PM

Quote:

As I said....not particularly slamming AGLA... just wondering what other experience there is out there.

No problem, I'll go ahead and slam AGLA then. I got their kit last December for my four spoke airbag wheel. I ordered burgundy and got black. They were great about switching it out quickly with a burgundy one, which was much appreciated.

Of course... the burgundy one that they sent wasn't even close to the right color (it looked more like a cinnamon; I think that it might have been the Porsche color "chestnut"). It also didn't fit, which makes me wonder if it was even intended for my wheel. The spokes were in the right place, but the leather was WAY too small to fit around them. In these situations, I often think that it's just me, but not this time, no way. It just didn't fit.

So... I sent the whole wheel in with the kit and forked out another $100 to have them do it. What I got back 12 weeks later clearly did not use the kit that I returned. Which is good. It looks OK, but not great. In particular, the leather is much softer than the OE and has bunches/creases in it. It is, of course, also the wrong color, but not nearly as bad a match as the original kit that they sent.

I have no idea what would happen if I complained. I'm sure that they would take another go at it, as they are genuinely nice people and pretty eager to please. However, I'm just too damned tired of this to want to bother. I will probably redye it when I dye my seats sometime next year.

Jens · Jens's Garage

I can see that the big variable would be the thickness of the wheel rim, well, the color too. I think if I was going to buy the kit I would give them the specs and have to hope for the best.

Naw! I'd rather cut some leather and have at it meself, and get it right, with a net cost of Zero hundreds of dollars. Seeing as I have more time than money.

OR take Noah's advice....and get it right.