Re: Ivory Steering Wheel 48-54 Reproduction Project

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2010/11/26 11:38:55

If you examine the deterioration of what I'm calling the "ivory" wheels (48 Custom 8 and others that used the same wheel), it seems that it's a combination of shrinkage (usually a gap at the upper hub) and ultraviolet deterioration which is very pronounced at the upper outer (towards the windshield) segment, and far less where the material is more shaded from the UV. This seems to manifest itself more as deep crazing rather than shrinkage. Certainly modern plastics have improved dramatically in mechanical properties and resistance to UV, etc. But those wheels were quite elegant with a quasi-translucent appearance and a real "ivory" (as in tusk) color.